2002 Ford F-250 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
471 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Ford F-250, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 86,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2002 sits among all F-250 years
What owners report
“I had a spark plug blow out of my cylinder head of my ford f250 2002 with 79,000 miles on it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 F-250
“Auto headlamps and tail lamps don't work. Door ajar light stays on. Dome light does not come on when door open. Fuel gage stuck on full. Is it the vsm?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 F-250
“Consumer notice while depressing the brake pedal brakes locked up causing consumer unable to steer. Dealer has been notified. Please provide further information. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 F-250
“All incidents involving big o at truck tires: 6/11/12 tread separation. No damage to vehicle or crash. 12/31/12 tread separation. No damage to vehicle or crash. 3/12/14 tread separation. No damage to vehicle or crash. 4/11/14 tread separation. No damage to vehicle or crash. 7/29/14 tread…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 F-250
“On two occasions, i have had my truck in park and the keys removed and the truck rolled. It was not fully in park. I was on a slight incline both times, once facing forward and once backed in. I took it to the dealer after the first time and they adjusted the shifter. I now have to take it back in…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 F-250
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 343 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,350 miles. Half of those reports fall between 48,600 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
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…
Fix: 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.
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…
Fix: 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…
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
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.
Fix: 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.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 07V553000.
Led to recall campaign 05V388000.
Technical service bulletins
67 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2002 Ford F-250. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Ford F-250 reliable?
The 2002 Ford F-250 drew 471 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2002 Ford F-250 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Ford F-250 are engine (144 complaints), electrical (52), and brakes & stability (51).
At what mileage do 2002 Ford F-250 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Ford F-250 problems around 80,350 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 48,600 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Ford F-250 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Ford F-250. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.