Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving on freeway when a car that was traveling in an excess of 80+ miles and rear-ended my 2002 Ford f 150. My truck was totaled and my drivers seat back frame broke from right side and none of my airbags deployed. I ended up in the hospital for 3 days. I had a concussion, neck injury, knees and re-injured my back. I was lucky to be alive.
My fiance and I had to place are full size spare on that came with truck it was brand new we had no choice bc this was Friday evening and out local tire shop was closed tell today (Monday) yesterday we drove 7 mile to collinsvile to change brakes after we finish we load our 3 kids and befan to hide home another 3 miles from home we notice the truck shaking then we heard load pop and tail of the truck lost control for about 2 second once we got control back we pulled to safety to only see the driver side of the bed cracked tore and shattered. Even the hose where u fuel u truck up at had been damagetting when we continued to examine the tire it wasn't blown and it's still holding air. But plz explain to me how the entire center section of tread ripped off for no reason and not only put my children in danger but damaged my truck to a severe extent ? …
Vehicle was traveling at 15 MPH and lost control due to a codder pin snapping in half causing the right front wheel to come entirely off of the vehicle. The disk brake stayed connected to the rim and was also removed entirely from the vehicle causing the brake lines to be severed which caused no pressure. With no pressure in the brake lines I was not able to stop the other wheels but was forced to let the vehicle come to a skidding stop, which happened by hitting a tree. The vehicle was taken to a local Ford dealership where a year prior they had worked on the same wheel to pack the bearings and do other small maintenance. Both the dealership and Ford claimed no responsibility for the accident, which seems strange since a vehicles wheel should remain on when going 15 MPH.
I own two Ford super cabs and both trucks the back passenger doors froze shut. On one I paid over $500 for the parts and then had a mechanic repair the doors and I was told that this would last for approximately five years. On the one I listed above I went on you tube and they have videos how to fix the problem. They say that all Ford truck super cabs, I.e. F150, f250, and f350 the rear doors will eventually freeze up. This is a very serious safety hazard for the back seat passenger. The problem is that they used a plastic connector for the terminal of the release cable instead of one made of metal. The plastic deteriorates in the heat which does not allow the cable to pull the release mechanism far enough.
My truck frame has rusted through just behind the right rear wheel! This is a 2002 Ford f150 supercab that has only 75500 miles on it. The frame broke just after I left the interstate and drove to my son's house. I inspected the truck and saw the break in the frame as I described. A picture is attached. I was lucky not to have wrecked on the interstate! What is going on with Ford that the chassis rusts through like this!!! What is going on with Ford?
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford f-150. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the cable that held the spare tire underneath the vehicle rusted and detached, causing the spare tire to drop from the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle and picked up the tire. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. ......updated 11/21/17
Two issues: 1] both rear doors in the extended cab (swing counterclockwise) door latches jammed preventing exiting or entry. If egress was needed quickly, it was not there. The cost to repair each was about $450. (locked up while driving) 2]speed control does not work - Ford says it is a malfunctioning control that cost about $500 to replace. (when vehicle is in operation)
Left rear passenger door will not open. Door is jammed. This will not allow rear passengers to quickly exit vehicle if pinned in due to crash or fire.
We have been hearing a clicking or tapping sound from the 2002 f150 pickup for about a month. After two complete inspections of the suspension and steering we did not find any problem. Today while rocking the pickup, we discovered the drivers side of the bed is loose. There is at least a 1/16" of vertical movement. At this point we check our 2003 f150 pickup, the passenger side of the bed is loose. I contacted the local Ford dealership (hillard auto) regarding a recall. They indicate that there is no recall. They also indicate that they have never heard of this problem before, that I find hard to believe since I own two f150s and they both have the same problem. This is all fine until one of these trucks has the bed come loose while traveling at speed on the highway. Was there a crash today? No, we caught the problem in time. …
My vehicle has a water leak that is getting the gem module wet and this has resulted in the wipers failing, the power windows to fail, the heater fan stays on after the key is removed from the ignition, and the engine runs very rough and stalls resulting in me losing the power steering and putting the vehicle in a ditch, the wipers stopped working during a recent heavy rain and I had to pull onto the side of the interstate for over 30 minutes. Ford customer service claims they never heard of the problem but I found out they issued a technical service bulletin 98-9-13 to the dealers about this and also Ford special message #15773 for this problem. The dealer wants over $1,100.00 to fix .this problem is in 1997-2002 Ford f150 and expeditions. …
Body complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2002 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the body & structure of the 2002 Ford F-150, 5% of the model year's 821 complaints. The component named most often is body (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford F-150 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2002 Ford F-150, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford F-150 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 6 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.