2002 Ford F-150 Fuel System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH HE HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. NO FUEL LEAKED OUT OF THE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STRAPS WHICH HELD THE FUEL TANKS IN PLACE FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.
FUEL TANK STRAPS FAILED WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN THE TANK DROPPING. THE FRONT OF THE TANK CONTACTED THE ROAD SURFACE RESULTING IN A LEAK AND SPILLING OF APPROXIMATELY 21 GALS OF FUEL ON THE ROAD. NO FIRE RESULTED BUT THE HAZMAT TEAM WAS REQUIRED TO CLEAN UP THE SPILLED FUEL. THE 2002 F 150 WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR. *TR
FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTED OUT CAUSING FUEL TANK TO BREAKAWAY FROM THE VECHICLE . FUEL TANK DRAGGED ON THE HIGHWAY SPILLING ENTIRE 25 GALONS OF FUEL. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO REMOVE THE TANK BEFORE THE TRUCK COULD BE TOWED. FUEL TANK IS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR NEEDING REPLACEMENT. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT STATED IT CAUGHT FIRE . THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. A CONSUMER WHO OCCUPIED THE BUILDING OBSERVED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION AND WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E056000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,125.
THE STRAPS HOLDING THE GAS IN PLACE ON MY 2002 F150 FAILED ON THE EXPRESSWAY CAUSING THE TANK TO DROP TO THE GROUND AT 65MPH. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO STOP, A RIP IN THE TANK CAUSED ALL OF THE FUEL TO LEAK OUT. LUCKILY NO SPARKS OF FIRE. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FROM THE DEALERSHIP I REGULARLY GET SERVICED AT. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE, AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC/FATAL, FOR ME AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND ME. I AM NOT ONE TO WRITE COMPLAINTS, BUT I AM UPSET AT THE DANGER THIS PUT ME IN AND THE TIME AND COST OF THIS FAILURE. *TR
MY 2002 FORD F-150 HAS VERY BADLY RUSTED FUEL TANK STRAPS, WHY IS THE RECALL ONLY UP TO 2001 F-150'S. FORD DEFINITELY USED SOME CHEAP METALS WHILE MAKING THESE F-150'S IS IT POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE 2002 AS WELL? *TR
GAS TANK STRAPS BROKE, GAS TANK FELL ONTO PAVEMENT. HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO MY FORD DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE STRAPS FOR ABOUT $200. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED 5 MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING 60 MPH! UPDATED 09/14/11 *BF *TR THE TANK FELL TO THE GROUND, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING. THERE WAS NO FUEL SPILL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STRAPS. UPDATED 09/21/11
I HEARD ON THE RADIO ABOUT A POSSIBLE UPCOMING RECALL ON FORD F150 PICKUP TRUCKS (1997-2001). THIS IS IN RELATION TO GAS TANK STRAPS GETTING RUSTY AND BREAKING. I THEN DECIDED TO LOOK UNDER MY TRUCK WHICH IS A 2002 FORD F150 AND DISCOVERED TWO GAS TANK STRAPS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH/OFF WITH THE TANK NO LONGER BEING SUPPORTED BY STRAPS. THE TRUCK IS ONLY A 2002, BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM GOES BEYOND THE 2001 TRUCKS PER THE POTENTIAL RECALL. *TR
THE FRONT GAS TANK SUPPORT HANGER BROKE DUE TO CORROSION. THE REAR HANGER HELD THE TANK IN PLACE UNTIL I WAS ABLE REPLACE BOTH UNITS. THE REAR HANGER DID NOT BREAK BUT WAS SEVERELY CORRODED ALSO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN IF I WOULD HAVE LOST BOTH UNITS TOGETHER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
I SMELLED GAS FUMES NEAR MY 2002 F150 TRUCK. LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO INSPECT WHERE SMELL WAS COMING FROM AND FOUND THE BACK BRACE ON THE GAS TANK BROKEN OFF AND RUSTED OUT HOLE IN THE TANK WHERE THE BRACE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED MY 2002 FORD F-150 DROPPED THE FUEL TANK AND THE TANK WAS DRAGGED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE WILE I ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. THIS CREATED A HOLE IN THE TANK AS IT WAS DRAGGED AGAINST THE PAVEMENT. I HAD JUST FILLED THE TANK AND ALL 25 GALLONS WAS LOST ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM WAITING FOR THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. *TR
2002 FORD F150 5.4L V-8 2-WHEEL DRIVE, REGULAR CAB, 8FT BED... BROKEN GAS TANK STRAP...WALKED OUT AND NOTICED MY GAS TANK WAS HANGING DOWN...INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN GAS TANK STRAP...BOUND IT BACK UP WITH A RATCHET-STRAP, AND DROVE TO THE FORD DEALER...PURCHASED A NEW STRAP AND PLACED IT ON THE VEHICLE IN THE PARKING LOT... *TR
2002 FORD F150 FUEL TANK MOUNTING STRAPS FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND PERMITTED FUEL TANK TO DROP TO PAVEMENT WHILE DRIVING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F150. THE CONTACTED WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS FRACTURED. THE STRAPS WERE RUSTED AND CORRODED AND ALSO CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL TANK ALSO CAUSED THE DRIVE SHAFT TO FAIL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP AND WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,442 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 92,000. UPDATED 6/8/11 *CN UPDATED 06/16/11
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150 XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NATURAL FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE NATURAL COMPRESSED TANK O-RING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000.
I WAS TRAVELING ON RT. 64 HEADING EAST TOWARD RT 59 IN WEST CHICAGO WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD A THUD FOLLOWED BY A SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM WHAT I FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE BED OF MY 2002 F150. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO CHECK AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG FROM THE SUSPECTED AREA. I DROVE A LITTLE LONGER AND WHEN THE NOISE WASN'T STOPPING, I PULLED OVER AGAIN AND NOTICED ONE OF THE BRACKETS HOLDING MY GAS TANK WAS DRAGGING AND THE FRONT HALF OF MY GAS TANK WAS ON THE GROUND. THE BRACKET WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND FALLEN AWAY ON ONE SIDE. I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED AT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD JUST HAD MY TRUCK IN THE SHOP A FEW MONTHS BEFORE AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY RUST ISSUE WITH THE BRACKET FROM THE SHOPS I HAD BEEN IN. I HAD THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER REPLACED IN JAN. 2010 AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF RUST ISSUES WITH THE BRACKET THEN. *KB
FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTED AND BROKEN CAUSING TANK TO ALMOST FALL OUT
FUEL TANK DROPPED TO THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE TRUCK TO BE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. DRIVER MADE IT OUT WITH FIRST AND SECOND DEGREE BURNS. TWO DOGS IN THE BACK SEAT DIED IN THE FIRE. INITIAL INVESTIGATION BY THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE FUEL TANK STRAPS THAT FAILED. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION (PE10036) BY THE NHTSA FOR FUEL TANK STRAPS ON FORD F-150S 1999-2001. THE 2002 AND 2003 F-150 USE THE SAME STRAPS. LARRY HERSHMAN OF NHTSA HAS CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. UPDATED 06/13/11*BF & 06/14/11*BF UPDATED 08/11/11 *BF UPDATED 3/01/2012 *LN *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH HE HEARD A LOUD DRAGGING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE THEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT BOTH STRAPS HAD FRACTURED AND WERE COVERED WITH RUST. THE TANK FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, BUT NONE OF THE FUEL SPILLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS REPAIRED BY THE OWNER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,500. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ UPADTED 11/04/11
FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTED OUT RESULTING IN GAS TANK DROPPING. UPDATED 09/14/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL TANK WAS DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 09/16/11
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FUEL TANK FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE AND STARTED SPARKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN THE BANDS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK WERE RUSTED AND THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN REPORTED BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
GAS TANK LEAK AT STRAP HOLDING TANK IN PLACE. 2002 FORD F-150 4X4 4.6 LITER. AT THIS TIME I CAN NOT FILL THE VEHICLES TANK TO FULL. THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE WITH TIME. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE IS ONLY FILLED TO 1/2 FULL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ANOTHER DRIVER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, BOTH STRAPS ON THE FUEL TANK FELL OFF AND THE TANK DROPPED DOWN ON THE GROUND. ANOTHER DRIVER ALERTED HER TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO REFERRED HIM TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO ASSIGNED HIM A CASE NUMBER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 241,000.
2002 FORD F-150.THE CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTICE IN THE MAIL ABOUT RISK OF FIRE IN SOME VEHICLES. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED HER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE A FEW YEARS AGO. *JB
TRUCK STOPPED AND IDLING AT STOP SIGN FOLLOWED BY LOUD BANG AND THUMPING NOISE. SHUT OFF TRUCK, AND LOOKED UNDER HOOD TO FIND SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD ALONG WITH COIL. THE SMELL OF FUEL WAS EVIDENT FROM THE OPEN HOLE IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. LUCKY THERE WAS NO FIRE WHEN THE PLUG WAS DISCHARGED. FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES EVEN WITH THE ORIGINAL SPARK PLUGS. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS MY MISTAKE FOR OVERTIGHTENING THE PLUGS. I HAVE NEVER CHANGED THE PLUGS NOR DOES FORD RECOMMEND THIS UNTIL 100,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL, BUT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. AVERAGE PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD THE $1,000 - $3,500 REPAIR THAT IS NECESSARY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM NOR SHOULD THEY BE REQUIRED TO WHEN IT IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND REFUSED TO FIX. FORD IS PROVIDING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *TR
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2002 Ford F-150 has 55 Fuel System complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.