2002 Ford Mustang recalls and problems

The 2002 Ford Mustang has 0 recalls and 118 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

2002 Ford Mustang
Photo: 2002 Ford Mustang by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2002 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 27 Mustang model years — 20th most.

0recalls
118complaints
19crashes
6fires
11injuries
45,000median 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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0 recalls

No recall campaigns on file.

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: 2 complaints20012002: 29 complaints292003: 17 complaints20032004: 14 complaints2005: 13 complaints20052006: 6 complaints2007: 3 complaints20072008: 3 complaints2009: 4 complaints20092010: 4 complaints2011: 5 complaints20112012: 1 complaints2013: 5 complaints20132014: 2 complaints2015: 1 complaints20152016: 1 complaints2017: 1 complaints20172018: 1 complaints2019: 2 complaints20192020: 1 complaints2021: 2 complaints20212023: 1 complaints20231

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…

2002 vs. other Ford Mustang years

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

Questions

Does the 2002 Ford Mustang have recalls?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Ford Mustang. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to be sure.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford Mustang?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (26), air bags (20), vehicle speed control (15). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.