Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
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).
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. …
Driving home for a lunch break, and as I am driving it sounds/feels like something snaps I lost control of my car hit a tree. Got out of vehicle and noticed the passenger side front tire looked shredded. Once tow agency arrived they noticed the front coil had broke which was the cause of the tire being shredded. My veh is now in repair and needing a new front coil. Phone interview updates (July 9, 2008): the consumer said that it was a clear day, the road was dry and there was very little traffic. She was traveling at about 40 to 45 MPH on the left of two north bound lanes. Suddenly a corner of the front of the vehicle dropped and the vehicle spun counter-clockwise about 90 degrees crossing the two south bound lanes, hopped over the curve (rounded corner) and struck a tree. The consumer said that she paid $900 to replace the right front fender. …
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.
My 2002 Ford Taurus has a broken rear coil spring. I've been told by several mechanics that this is a safety issue because if the spring pops off it could shred my tire while I'm driving. The Ford Taurus 1999-2001 has been recalled for this same issue, but the 2002 has not been. I have noticed several complaints online from other 2002 Taurus owners, that have also had the rear coil spring break on their '02 Taurus, and many of them experienced potentially dangerous situations when theirs broke. Luckily my mechanic told me about this issue so that I didn't have to experience what so many other people had by having my wheel shredded or ripped off while driving. This is a safety issue and there's no reason the '02 shouldn't be recalled along with the earlier models that have the same problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 20 MPH the contact heard a loud popping sound and noticed the drivers side tire was flat. The contact was unable to control the vehicle and it crashed into a curb. The contact replaced the flat tire with the spare tire. The vehicle was taken to a tire shop where the mechanic stated the front coil spring fractured and had to be replaced. There was a voluntary recall for the failure but the manufacturer stated the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 5/11/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to operate. In addition, the contact noticed that the front passenger side tire was flat and the spring was fractured. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the front spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000. Updated 06/14/16 the consumer stated the vehicle would not go forward, because the front spring was broke and damage a new tire.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact heard a loud thumping noise from the front driver side wheel well. The contact removed the front driver side wheel and noticed that the front driver side coil spring was ruptured and damaged the tire severely. When the contact called the manufacturer, he was informed that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 04V332000 (suspension). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000. Updated 04/05/17
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle slowed down and the front end shook. The vehicle drove into a ditch and was towed to a repair shop. The front passenger side coil spring failed and punctured the tire. The driver was wearing a seat belt, but struck her head and sustained whiplash. NHTSA campaign id number 04V332000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs) for the 1999-2001 Taurus was referenced. The current and failure mileages were 108,902. Updated 3/25/08
Rear coil spring broke sometime during 2006 or 2007 which caused the rear end of car to sag and vehicle did not handle as well after words. During the summer of 2008 my car slide off the highway while driving 50mph during a rain storm. I always wondered if it could have been due to the broken coil spring. Luckily I wasn't hurt and there was no accident because I slide into a grassy field. This fall 2009 I replaced the rear struts and springs and now my vehicle handles much better.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Suspension complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2002 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 962 complaints about the suspension of the 2002 Ford Taurus, 67% of the model year's 1,426 complaints. The component named most often is front › springs › coil springs (402 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Taurus suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension 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 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to suspension 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.