Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
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).
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while at a tire shop to have the tires rotated, the mechanic was unable to remove the tires due to the lug nuts being swollen. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and suggested to the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Involved in a roll over accident caused by the right front tire (purchased in 5-13-2014) bfg 275/60r17 from discount tires. Truck was totaled and the one piece of tire we have does not have the dot numbers on them. When the blow out occurred I hit soft sand losing traction causing the truck to roll 3 times while on a main road. I will be including three pictures - one of the tire on its rim, one of the truck at the tow yard and one of the piece of tire we picked up off the road upon my release from the hospital. The chp officer did not speak to any witnesses and I heard the lady who called 911 tell the officer I suffered a blow out and she pointed it out to him - yet he does not even mention it in the report nor the names of any witnesses. …
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.
Takata recall. While I was driving I noticed a loud pop and my truck started vibrating and spun me sideways going down the highway. I had fought it until I was able to get it under control and come to a stop. (I was lucky enough that nobody else was heading in my direction because the truck took up both sides of the road). I got out and looked to see what had happened and seen my aluminum Ford factory rim had busted into pieces. Takata recall. A problem that I am having as of right now is spark plugs keep flying out and destroying my coil packs. This is the third time it has done this.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford f-150 equipped with four toyo nitto terra grapper tires, size: 285/55/20 (na). While driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle shook violently. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed bubbles in the tread on both front tires. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The VIN and dot number were unknown. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 40,000 and the tire failure mileage was 25,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford f-150 equipped with capitol precision trac ii tires, size: 265/70/r16 (na). While driving 65 MPH, the rear passenger tire experienced a blowout. The contact stated that the blowout caused damage to the fender well. The tire was not replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate tire failure mileage was 18,000, and the vehicle failure mileage was 165,000. The VIN was not available.
Tread separation on left rear tire on interstate 10 east near jacksonville, fl causing truck to slide into other lane and damaging fender well and rear fender. Tire was purchased in 2008 and had safe level of tread remaining.
Front brake caliper mounting bracket seized on the slide bolts that allow the brakes to move in and out when pressed and released. The slide bolts that allow the caliper to move have seized causing the vehicle to pull very hard to one side of the road. In my case I was towing a 20' commercial landscape trailer equipped with dual axle trailer brakes. I approached a traffic light and proceeded to make a left turn going a speed of approximately 15 to 20 MPH when I pressed the brake during the turn the truck pulled extremely hard to the left resulting in my trailer jack knifing into the left side of the truck causing major damage to my bed and rear wheel on my truck. …
The rear portion of the frame is rotten to the point that the let springs hangers are ready to break off the frame and the spare tire holder is also ready to fall off. I just replaced the rear spring shackles due to the were also rotten and broke. The gas tank straps were also a problem due to rust but Ford though enough of the problem there was a recall on that, Toyota had a problem with rusted frames and did a massive recall on that issue. Why hasn't Ford done the same thing? The frame should be the last thing one needs to worry about with any vehicle. The truck currently has 146000 miles and now we need to figure out what the next move will be with this vehicle. Repair it, junk it or trade it ?????
Driving 65mph on interstate 45 in houston when truck began to shake violently and a loud tumbling noise started to emit from tires. I pulled over immediately and found the rear passenger tire tread had split apart from the sidewall. General grabber aw p255/70r16, 19K miles. Reported to continental tires; they denied the $800 dollars of damage to my rear wheel well claiming the tire was "run flat." before shipping the tire to continental, it was inspected and found defective by my local Ford dealer and three other authorized general tire retailers. Tires were rotated every 5K miles and otherwise meticulously maintained.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2002 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2002 Ford F-150, 5% of the model year's 821 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford F-150 wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires 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 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to wheels & tires 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.