2002 Ford F-250 recalls and problems

The 2002 Ford F-250 has 2 recalls and 156 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

2002 Ford F-250
Photo: 2002 Ford F-250 by Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2002 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 15 F-250 model years — 7th most.

2recalls
156complaints
12crashes
9fires
12injuries
89,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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2 recalls

Exterior Lighting

Jul 13, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V352000 · 26,715 vehicles

Problem: 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, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that May experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider May malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.

Original NHTSA wording

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, F-350, F-450, AND F-550 TRUCKS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS SHIPPED WITH A SUBCOMPONENT (SLIDER) THAT MAY EXPERIENCE DEFORMATION. A MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WITH A DEFORMED SLIDER MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL, TAIL LIGHTS, HAZARD WARNING SIGNAL FLASHERS AND/OR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO ACTIVATE.

Risk: Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

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's safety recall no. 11C18.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Vehicle Speed Control

Aug 1, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V286000 · 1,200,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch May overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

Risk: Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR BURN AND AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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)

Ford recall no. 05S28.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2001: 3 complaints20012002: 29 complaints292003: 11 complaints20032004: 18 complaints2005: 10 complaints20052006: 9 complaints2007: 5 complaints20072008: 7 complaints2009: 2 complaints20092010: 4 complaints2011: 8 complaints20112012: 3 complaints2013: 3 complaints20132014: 7 complaints2015: 6 complaints20152016: 9 complaints2017: 8 complaints20172019: 4 complaints2020: 1 complaints20202021: 2 complaints2022: 1 complaints20222023: 3 complaints2024: 1 complaints20242025: 2 complaints20252

NHTSA investigations

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
Summary

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY 1997 TO 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES.(2) MOST THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, REPETITIVE CLICKING OR POPPING SOUND.(3) MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER; HOWEVER, IN 99% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL.IN THE VERY FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE DID STALL, MOST VEHICLES COULD BE RESTARTED.(4) ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINANTS CITED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS OR A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.(5) IN ALL BUT A VER…

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

EA05005 · opened Mar 22, 2005 · closed Aug 2, 2006 · led to recall 05V388000
Summary

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 1998 EXPLORERS.FORD HAS INFORMED ODI THAT TESTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURES IN THE 1998 EXPLORERS WILL CONTINUE AFTER THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE FACTORS CAUSING SCDS FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT CORRELATE WELL WITH THE OBSERVED FAILURE RATES ON THESE VEHICLES BY MODEL AND MODEL YEAR.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST IN THE NON-RECALLED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITH SCDS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN FORD?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE NON-RECALLED POPULATION FOR INCIDENCE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT FOR DETAILS.

2002 vs. other Ford F-250 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Ford F-250 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Ford F-250, the latest from Jul 13, 2011 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford F-250?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (34), tires (22), service brakes (18). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.