Most common 2002 Ford Taurus problems
Share of the 1,426 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Taurus complaints by model year
Best Taurus years: 2019, 2017, 2016. Years to avoid: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995, 2000. Compare all years →
2002 Ford Taurus recalls (3)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Certain passenger vehicles are being recalled to correct a problem with a malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring. This malfunctioning could render the stop lamps inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. This could cause confusion to a following driver, which could lead to a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. Owner notification is expected to begin on April 5, 2004.
Visibility › Windshield
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 212, "windshield mounting." the windshields May potentially exhibit increased wind noise, water leakage, and squeaks and rattles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these windshields. Owner notification began on March 31, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable padels are being recalled in order to adjust the brake and accelerator pedals to a minimum of 50 mm of lateral separation. Simultaneous application of both the brake and accelerator pedals could result in an increase in engine RPM.
Remedy: Owners will be instructed as to the proper way to set the position of the pedals and to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the spacing between the brake and accelerator pedals measured.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford Taurus:
Brake light switch failure
Ford conducted a recall in March, 2001 to correct a defect affecting the brake light switch in my 2000 through early-2001 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with power adjustable pedals (recall 01v-078).rq03-008 was opened to investigate complaints concerning the remedy and scope of 01v-078.odi's analysis identified concerns with post-repair failures in recalled vehicles,failures in my 2001-02 vehicles with…
Brake/accelerator pedal application
Ms. Rodman reported that after her vehicle was inspected for the recall, her mother experienced a sudden acceleration and crashed the sable into a light pole.previously NHTSA had conducted an investigation for this issue (pe02-035) that resulted in the recall (02v-266) of 369,000 my 2000-2002 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with adjustable brake and accelerator pedals to insure that the separation between the…
Speed control cable damage
On June 21, 2013, Ford initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 13B04 to address a concern with Speed Control Cable damage in certain model year (MY) 2000 through 2003 Taurus and Sable vehicles equipped with 3.0L 4V Duratec engines and built at the Chicago assembly plant.In the dealer letter for the program, Ford indicates that the Speed Control Cables on affected vehicles may be susceptible to damage or becoming…
Front Suspension Coil Spring Fracture
To date, ODI is aware of 2,401 non-duplicative complaints related to the alleged defect. In addition, ODI is aware of 1,411 subject vehicles with one or more warranty claims related to the alleged defect. In total, ODI is aware of 3,645 unique subject vehicles that have experienced one or more front suspension coil spring fractures.
What 2002 Ford Taurus owners say
Suspension all 962 →
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving 40 MPH, the front passenger side tire blew out. The contact lost control of the vehicle and struck a guardrail. He replaced the blown tire with a spare. The vehicle was taken to an auto garage and it was discovered that the front coil penetrated and sheared the tire. The manufacturer took a report; however, they stated that there were no recalls for the 2002 models. They further stated that the mileage exceeded the warranty coverage; therefore, they would not assist with the repair. The vehicle was repaired, which included replacing the coil spring and the tire at the cost of $530.85. The current mileage was 102,554 and failure mileage was 100,100. Updated 04/29/08. Phone interview updates (6/17/08): mr. Esford indicated that front suspension spring breakage had occurred while he was driving. …
Coil spring in driver's side front strut failed suddenly when vehicle was being driven on residential street in sister bay, wi. There was a loud bang when spring fractured and suspension collapsed. Failure of coil spring occurred at about 10:15 am on Thursday June 29, 2017. After vehicle was safely parked in a bank parking lot the owner then jacked up front end and removed wheel/tire. Owner noticed how energy released when coil spring fractured drove spring violently downward to front wheel knuckle assembly. Fortunately when spring was driven downward it did not puncture tire. The next day vehicle was loaded on a transporter and taken to jim olson express in sturgeon bay, wi, for repair. Subsequent repairs included replacement of both front struts and alignment check/adjustment. Total cost of repair including charge of usd 165 by transporter company was usd 1,010. …
Speed control & acceleration all 76 →
On 14 oct 2017, the subject vehicle had just been serviced. On the drive home, the throttle cable became stuck causing the car to not stop accelerating. The driver was able to exit the highway and stopped the car by crashing into a dumpster/fence at a service station.
My son was driving my 2002 Ford Taurus on 4-15-2014 at approximately 12:00 a.m. He had the cruise control set to 35 MPH. While driving, the cruise control began to accelerate. He tried to disengage the cruise control by hitting the brake. The cruise control would not disengage and the car kept accelerating reaching the speed of about 70mph. As a turn approached he could no longer control the vehicle. He hit a curb and a stop sign before the car came to a stop on the roadway. This was not the first instance with that vehicle and cruise control malfunctions, though this was the only time that the cruise control caused an accident. The vehicle had to be towed from the scene. The vehicle sustained $6005.00 of damage and is a total loss. Which does not include the cost of fixing the cruise control and acceleration issues.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 64 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle's windshield was loosening on the upper passenger side. The contact noticed that the windshield was coming out of the molding. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 129,000.
The vehicle caught on fire. The vehicle was parked and locked for 8 hours when a noise was heard. The consumer viewed the front of the vehicle on fire. The insurance and fire investigators thought that maybe the fire started in the windshield wiper motor.
2002 Ford Taurus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford Taurus a good car?
Based on 1,426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Taurus rates avoid: 4.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Taurus at the same age. It is one of the Taurus 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 Taurus?
The suspension — 962 complaints, 67% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › coil springs. Next are the speed control & acceleration (76) and windows, wipers & sunroof (64).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford Taurus have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2002 Ford Taurus, the most recent from March 2, 2004 (switch). 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 Taurus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2017 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995 and 2000. See the full Ford Taurus years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Taurus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 18% 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.