Most common 2002 Ford F-450 SD problems
Share of the 14 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-450 SD complaints by model year
Best F-450 SD years: 2018, 2020, 2014. Years to avoid: 2022, 2021, 2008, 1999, 2000. Compare all years →
2002 Ford F-450 SD recalls (4)
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.
Vehicle speed control
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch May overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2006. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05V017 and 05V388)
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford F-450 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…
What 2002 Ford F-450 SD owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
In August of 2007 5 of the 8 ambulances in our municipal fleet began to stall and loose power and not be able to get over 35-40 MPH. We found the fuel filters full of silver flakes. After removing the fuel tank we found the lining of the fuel tank flaking off. Even though these units were out of warranty Ford paid 50% to replace the tanks, fuel pumps and sending units. Today 2 of the same units began to experience the same drivable problem. This time we found rust particles in the fuel filter housing and the filter plugged with these rust particles. After removing the fuel tank we found the bottom half of the fuel tank completely covered with rust. These units never get below a half tank of fuel. We have tested our diesel fuel and the samples have come back from the lab normal. …
I own a 2002 Ford f450 that I rely heavily on in my small lawn maintenance business. When that truck doesn't run, I don't earn any money and in fact I am in the red. I have discovered through the briefest of on-line searches though that I am only one of thousands who have run in to the problem I'm having now. My truck recently failed during the workday and the cause was diagnosed as a rusty (some are saying delaminated) fuel tank, which along with several related parts had to be replaced for a total cost of over $4200. In the middle of a recession that's giving small business owners the fight of their lives, I had to lose 2 days of work on top of a huge chunk of cash. And as is also true with the stories reported by other Ford owners, I did not use any bio-diesel fuels in my truck. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford F-450 SD a good car?
Based on 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 F-450 SD rates use caution: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the F-450 SD at the same age. It is one of the F-450 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-450 SD?
The fuel & propulsion system — 7 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the engine & cooling (2) and transmission & drivetrain (1).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford F-450 SD have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Ford F-450 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-450 SD?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2020 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2021, 2008, 1999 and 2000. See the full Ford F-450 SD years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford F-450 SD problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 44% 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.