Most common 2002 Ford F-250 SD problems
Share of the 245 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-250 SD complaints by model year
Best F-250 SD years: 2013, 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2019, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2016. Compare all years →
2002 Ford F-250 SD recalls (3)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from January 25, 2011, through April 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2011. Owners May contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Diesel
On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle May function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on December 29, 2007. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford F-250 SD:
Engine stalling
In a December 3, 2007 letter, Ford advised NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall to replace the cam position sensor (cps) in approximately 1.2 million subject vehicles to address reports of engine stalling.a new design cps with improved performance and durability will be installed as a remedy.owner notifications will begin in December 2007.
Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 is closed with Ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.Ford is also including the entire population of…
Accelerator pedal sensor (etc)
Failure counts from odi?s analysis are stated above; see the additional problem experience discussion in the summary report.Ford data contained duplicative reports for 4 odi complaints and 1 crash.three crashes were allegedly due to intermittent operation of the electronic throttle control (etc) pedal, one crash occurred when an etc disabled vehicle was struck by another motorist, one report contained no detail.the…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2002 Ford F-250 SD owners say
Engine & cooling all 105 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford f-250 SD. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, a loud abnormal sound emitted from the engine compartment. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the spark plug had exploded out of the cylinder head. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 84,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford f-250 SD. While driving less than 65 MPH, the contact smelled burning oil. He then noticed smoke underneath the hood and oil dripping from the exhaust. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the head gasket was leaking. They would need to disassemble the engine and replace the head gasket at the estimated cost of $2,800-$4,000. The manufacturer was notified and could not assist because there were no recalls. The failure mileage was 121,000 and current mileage was 122,000.
Brakes all 30 →
Prior to the accident we had the telescoping brake and gas pedal replaced for a defect. (it didn't work) on September 9th 2005 at approx 12:00 pm our Ford excursion suddenly accelerated, which resulted in loss of control of the vehicle at speeds in excess of 80 MPH. Avoided roll over and hitting other vehicles. Spun out 2 times before crashing into a fence @ mcas (marine corps air station) yuma arizona. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Highway patrol. Accident investigator and yuma police have pictures and reports of the acceleration pedal still mashed into the SUV's floor-board still open at full throttle with engine off. The accident report states mechanical defect of acceleration pedal. The tires and under chassis caught were on fire when vehicle came to a crash stop or it could have been a fire prior the investigator wasn't sure. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford f250 super duty. While backing the vehicle out of the driveway at approximately 5 MPH, the brake pedal extended to the floor when it was depressed. The vehicle did not stop. The emergency brake was applied, but the vehicle still would not stop. The trailer that was being pulled whipped around and struck the side of the vehicle, which caused major damage to the truck and the trailer. The current mileage was 71,000 and failure mileage was 70,000.
Electrical system all 29 →
My 2002 Ford f-250 super duty truck caught fire due to the brake switch recall problem. The brake switch (under the hood) burned and the fuse block (under the dash) melted. The cab filled with smoke while my spouse was driving. The switch, fuse block, and cable end were replaced due to this incident.
Ford 2002, f250 crew cab pickup, diesel, started on fire in the driveway on December 1, 2003, 4-5 hours after it was parked. I burned down our garage and the second vehicle that was parked next to it. The garage is not attached to the house.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford F-250 SD a good car?
Based on 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 F-250 SD rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the F-250 SD at the same age. It is one of the F-250 SD years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Ford F-250 SD?
The engine & cooling — 105 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the brakes (30) and electrical system (29).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford F-250 SD have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2002 Ford F-250 SD, the most recent from July 13, 2011 (brake lights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F-250 SD?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2016. See the full Ford F-250 SD years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford F-250 SD problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.