Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My daughter had an accident in a 2002 Ford Taurus se where she impacted a concrete barrier head on and hard enough to total the vehicle which was owned and insured by me. The worse of the impact was on the drivers side front end. Only the passenger airbag deployed with no one seated there, but her drivers side airbag did not deploy at all. This resulted in a concussion and facial lacerations and bruising when her face hit the steering wheel. The seat belt restraining system failed to act properly to protect her from this injury. I have contacted Ford, but they don't care and they advised me that this is how it is designed to work. So it's acceptable to Ford that their restraining system allows injuries? I hope that she does not suffer from brain trauma and I hope that the wound heals with minimal scaring. This is unbelievable. …
I am being told this third party as I was unable to see the accident scene and have not seen a police report. My 19-yr old daughter was exiting a main road slowing to a stop. She was doing approximately 2-3 MPH when she was struck from behind by another vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. The impact knocked her vehicle into the vehicle in front of her knocking that vehicle into the vehicle in front of it. My daughter's airbags did not deploy. She received whiplash from the incident as she was forced backward and frontward. She also hit her head on the steering wheel. Her significant other hit his knee on the passenger side dash. Both were wearing their seatbelts at the time. Her vehicle (titled in my name and purchased by me) sustained major disabling damage resulting in a total loss.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving 20 MPH, the contact crashed into another vehicle. The contact's vehicle instantly caught fire and was destroyed. The air bags failed to deploy. His head slammed into the steering wheel and caused serious head injuries. The dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. The cause of the fire has not been determined. The VIN was unknown. There is no current mileage because the vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 57,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while exiting a residential driveway at approximately 15 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front end of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the head and a police report was filed. The vehicle was neither inspected nor diagnosed to determine the cause of the air bag failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving 54 MPH, the contact was involved in a crash in which both vehicles involved were destroyed. The contacts air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries. The current and failure mileages were 85,000. Oklahoma traffic collision report provided. The consumer provided photos of the damage but the photos were damaged themselves and a medical report pertaining to the accident. Updated 08/07/07
When traveling between 50 to 60 MPH, another driver made a u-turn directly in front of the consumers vehicle. The consumer had no choice but to hit the other vehicle. Upon impact, the driver's side airbag deployed, but the passenger's side air bag did not deploy. The point of impact was on the front passenger side. The mechanic stated that the air bag problem was due to the faulty seat belt.
On 22 sep 10 my wife hit a parked truck in a 2002 Ford Taurus. Her car hit the right front at about 35 MPH and the airbag didn't deploy. She suffered a non-displaced fracture of the sternum as a result of the accident. The car apparently went under the truck's bumper. The right headlight, hood, windshield and right front side were damaged. The car was totaled as a result of the accident.
Driving on high way 20 in cherokee county ga a car ran a red light hitting me head on going approximately 30 MPH myself going 45-50 MPH luckily I did not suffer major bodily injury (whiplash and lots of bruises). My question is should airbags have deployed? And seat belt did not lock causing me to make contact with the dash and steering wheel. I was driving a 2002 Ford Taurus ls.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 45 MPH on an icy road, the vehicle skidded and rolled into a ditch. The air bags did not deploy. The contact struck her head, sustained neck and shoulder strains, bruises to her legs and a laceration to the arm. The vehicle was towed and deemed as being destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 234,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH making a left turn another vehicle crashed the front end of the vehicle and the front drivers side air bag failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Airbag complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2002 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the air bags of the 2002 Ford Taurus, 3% of the model year's 1,426 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Taurus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2002 Ford Taurus, though it has 3 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 Taurus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 42 crashes, 1 fire and 30 injuries to air bags 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.