2002 Ford F-150 Power Train
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
I have a 2002 Ford F-150 and The problem is with the transmission my vechile acts like it's going in reverse and when it goes to backup it seems as something is locked I been over the brakes and rear end and yet nothing has came up I even replaced the transmission filter to see if that would help but nothing so I been having to drive my truck with no reverse and today the overdrive light on the shifter started blinking what is the problem with these transmission please Ford do a recall to fix the transmission
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY HIS STEP-SON. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CYLINDER VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED SKYLINE FORD LOCATED AT 2510 COMMERCIAL ST SE, SALEM, OR 97302, (503) 581-2411, AND THE DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
VEHICLE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET. LOUD NOISE IN DRIVE POSITION, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT OF GEAR, VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR.
I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO ISSUES. I GOT TO WORK AND PARKED MY TRUCK. LATER THAT NIGHT I WENT TO MOVE MY TRUCK TO THE FRONT OF THE WAREHOUSE AND MY TRUCK WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. WHEN IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND I PRESS THE GAS THE TRUCK WILL MOVE FORWARD. IN THE PAST WEEK I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, STARTER RELAY SOLENOID WHICH SITS ON THE FIREWALL, AND THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH OR TRANSMISSION GEAR CONTROL SOLENOID AS I HAVE HEARD IT CALLED. NONE OF THIS HAS FIXED MY TRUCK AND I DO NOT THINK IT SHOULD BE GOING OUT AT 109,XXX MILES. LOW INCOME AND RELY HEAVILY ON MY TRUCK TO GET AROUND. *TR
ENGAGE CLUTCH PEDAL AND CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THEY HAVE A PLASTIC BUSHING THAT GOES AROUND A STEEL BALL FITTING TO HOLD CLUTCH CABLE TO CLUTCH PEDAL. IT IS SO BAD I CARRY EXTRA PLASTIC BUSHINGS WITH ME IN CASE OF FAILURE. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN I HAVE A FULLY LOADED TRUCK WITH CAMPER AND HORSE TRAILER IN TOE. I AM STUCK WITH A TRUCK STUCK IN GEAR AND NO WAY TO DISENGAGE CLUTCH. EVEN EMPTY THIS IS A SCARY UNCOMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE. THEY SHOULD HAVE A SOLID PIN FOR A CONNECTION NOT A CHEAP $5.00 PART THAT BREAKS EVERY 30,000 MILES. I HOPE THIS CAN BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT ON A 2002 F-150 WITH ONLY 47K MILES ON THE TRUCK. THIS TRUCK IS NOT A WORK TRUCK, BUT AN EVERY DAY TRUCK. I DO NOT HAUL A LOT, AND HAVE TREATED THIS TRUCK WITH A LOT OF CARE. IT WILL COST ME $1100 TO GET FIXED. THIS DESIGN FLAW SHOULD OF HAD A RECALL ON IT. *TR
IN MY CASE THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE OCCURRENCES WHERE MY SPARK PLUGS SHOT OUT OF MY ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY CRUISING ALONG ABOUT 70 MPH. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I BLEW A TIRE.THIS WAS AT NIGHT SO IN THE MORNING I CHECKED IT OUT WITH A FRIEND'S HELP AND SAW THE PLUG SITTING RIGHT WHERE IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE. SO WE WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW PLUG AND COIL PACK AND THREADED IT BACK IN AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT IT STAYED THERE AND STILL IS THERE TODAY. THIS FIRST TIME WAS ROUGHLY 3 1/2 YRS AGO. THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE MY SAME FRIEND WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK TO HIS HOUSE BUT THIS TIME IT WAS A DIFFERENT PLUG AND WE WEREN'T SO LUCKY THREADING IT BACK IN. THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED OUT SO WE HELICOILED IT BACK IN OURSELVES AND IT IS STILL THERE TODAY. THIS SECOND TIME WAS ROUGHLY 2 YRS AGO. THE LAST TIME HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT RIGHT AS I STARTED MY TRUCK UP.THE PLUG ACTUALLY HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD WHEN IT BLEW. SO AGAIN I BOUGHT A NEW PLUG AND COIL PACK AND LUCKILY IT THREADED BACK IN AGAIN. SO NOW I AM VERY GUNSHY NATURALLY EVERYTIME I DRIVE IT. TO PROPERLY CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IT WOULD COST A SMALL FORTUNE AND TO SELL IT AS IS WHO WILL BUY IT. ALSO ON THIS SAME VEHICLE MY TRANSMISSION BLEW AT 39,000 MILES WHEN THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 36,000 NATURALLY I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THAT COST ME $3,500 AND A WEEK STRANDED. I HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT A DEALERSHIP. THE TRUCK IS A F150 HARLEY DAVIDSON EDITION. IT NOW HAS ROUGHLY 94,000 MILES ON IT. THE DATES ARE ALL APPROXIMATE ALONG WITH THE MILEAGE WHEN THEY OCCURRED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-150 PURCHASED NEW SEPTEMBER 2002. WHILE DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ENGAGE NOR SHIFT INTO GEAR. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE FORD DEALER CONCLUDED THAT THE SLEIGH CYLINDER HAD FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 . THE CURRENT WAS 136,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HOME. ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD BANG HAPPENED UNDER THE HOOD THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY A CONSTANT PUFFING SOUND. THE TRUCK LOST POWER AND STARTED MISSING. ALL I COULD SMELL WAS GASOLINE. I PULLED OVER TO FIND A COIL ON PLUG SITTING ON TOP OF ENGINE, ALSO HAD A SPARK PLUG SITTING 7 INCHES AWAY FROM COP. I WAS VISITED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT PLUGS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND WAS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS NOT FIXING THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAD A FORD APPROVED WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE COST WOULD BE AROUND 500 DOLLARS FOR INSERT AND AROUND 3500 DOLLARS FOR NEW HEADS WITCH IS THE ONLY GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. FORD PLANS NOT TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THIS HEADS HAS 4 THREADS HOLDING THE PLUG IN, WHEN THEY COME LOSE THE THREADS ARE DESTROYED FROM THE POUNDING CAUSED BY THE COMPUSTION PROCESS. THIS VERY DANGEROUS, COIL SPARK CAN IGNITED FUEL SPRAYED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING FIRE, LOSE OF CONTROL AND PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE. I HAVE A FAMILY AND THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANY ONE ELSE, AND BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. THE COIL ON PLUG OS LOCATED UNDER THE FUEL RAIL AND HAS ENOUGH FORCE TO DAMAGE THE FUEL RAIL CAUSE IT BREAK AND SPILL GASOLINE ALL OVER THE ENGINE, WHICH COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. I HAD A INSERT INSTALLED AND A NEW PLUG INSERTED WAS TOLD THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THE SPARK PLUG WOULD STAY IN. *TR
MY 2002 F-150 SUPERCREW 4X2 WITH 4.6LV8 EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON SATURDAY AT ONLY 75K MILES. THE RESULT IS A REBUILD/REPLACEMENT FOR >$2000.00! I DON'T TOW ANYTHING WITH THE VEHICLE AND IT ISN'T ABUSED. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS VERY PREMATURE! THE TRUCK HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. MY MECHANIC SAYS THERE IS A HISTORY WITH THIS TRANSMISSION IN THE FORD TRUCKS/SUV'S HAVING LUBRICATION PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN DEFECT! *TR
MY 2002 FORD F150 NEEDED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS BLINKING ON AND OFF AND I LATER FOUND OUT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. I'VE BEEN READING ONLINE FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS LIKE FORD HAS SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE CAN NOT BE A RECALL IN REGARDS TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I NOTICED A TAPPING SOUND COMING FROM MY ENGINE APPROXIMATELY 2 DAYS BEFORE I EJECTED (BLEW OUT) A SPARK PLUG WHILE CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. I CHECKED MY OIL THE DAY BEFORE THE BLOW-OUT AND THE OIL LEVEL WAS FINE. I WAS TRAVELING ON BUSINESS AT THE TIME AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO A HOTEL A COUPLE OF MILES DOWN THE ROAD. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD TO PAY $800.00 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. WHEN I ASKED THE MECHANIC WHAT CAUSED THE SPARK PLUG TO BLOW OUT, HE SIMPLY REPLIED THAT IT HAPPENS A LOT WITH "THESE FORD ENGINES". *TR
ON MY WAY TO A WEDDING I NOTICED THE RPMS KICK UP. I PUSHED BUTTON ON TRANS SELECTOR AND PROBLEM WENT AWAY (FOR NOW).WAS PARKING TRUCK AND FOUND I HAD NO REVERSE. MONDAY TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER , MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TILL HE OPENED CUP TRANSMISSION. MECHANIC FOUND WELD ON SUN SHELL BROKEN. CALLED FORD NO HELP. SPRING HILL FORD PUT A REBUILT TRANS IN TRUCK. *TR
DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH MY 2 CHILDREN 2 AND 10 YEAR. DROPPING THE 2 YEAR OLD OFF TO SCHOOL. STOP THE VEHICLE GO TO PUT THE SHIFT GEAR INTO PARK, BREAKS RIGHT OFF IN HAND, IF THE RUBBER WASN'T AROUND IT, I COULD HAVE WALKED OUT OF THE CAR WITH IT. I WAS STUCK THERE KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE GEAR WAS ALSO STUCK BETWEEN REVERSE AND PARK. *TR
VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 75,000- WE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION BUT WAS ADVISED NOTHING WRONG. *TR
TRANSMISSION TAKES 3-5 SECONDS TO GO INTO REVERSE THIS IN ITS SELF DANGEROUS WHEN NEEDING A QUICK REVERSE. THE MAIN REASON FOR A COMPLAINT IN TRANSMISSION NEEDING TO BE REBUILT AFTER ONLY 45,000 I DON'T TOW ANYTHING AND AM A GOOD DRIVER I KNOW OTHERS WITH SAME VEHICLE SAME PROBLEM TAKE NOTE UHAUL WILL NOT RENT TO EXPLORER OWNERS BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION (CALL UHAUL AND FIND THIS OUT). *TR
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE COLUMN BROKE IN 1/2 WHILE PASSING INTO THE NUETRAL POSITION. BROKEN PIECE IN POSSESSION. TRUCK WAS THEN STUCK IN NUETRAL WITH SHIFTER HANGING BY A WIRE. FOUND 2ND 2002 EXPLORER AT DEALER # 2 WITH GEAR SHIFTER BREAKING IN 1/2. *TR
SPIDER GEARS IN DIFFERENTIAL BLEW OUT FOR 2ND TIME ON THIS TRUCK WHICH IS A 2002 F-150 4X4 WITH A 3.55 DIFF. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT AROUND 45K MI.AND THIS TIME AT 83.5K MILES. THIS TRUCK WAS NEVER OVERLOADED AND NEVER PULLED A TRAILER. MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH FORD REAR. AFTER THIS REPAIR,I AM DONE WITH FORD!! *TR
UNSAFE TRANSMISSION FORD CAN T FIX IT LOCKED TRANSMISSION UP AND I SHOWED UP AT DEALER WITH WHITE SMOKE CLOUD BEHIND THE CAR FORD STILL INSISTS NOTHING WRONG. *TR
TRANSMISSION DROPS OUT OF GEAR AT 25 TO 30 MPH. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY SAY NO CODES SHOWN AND THEY NEED TO TAKE TRANSMISSION APART TO FIND PROBLEM. *JB
WE HAVE A FORD F150 BOSS TRUCK (2002) THAT HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT YESTERDAY. THE TRUCK HAS ABSOLUTELY NOT HAD A HARD LIFE. WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR VEHICLES. *AK
I BOUGHT A USED 2002 FORD ESCAPE 2 MONTHS AGO AND IT WAS CARFAXED AND ALL AND NOTHING WAS WRONG. THREE WEEKS AGO THE ENGINE WOULD STALL OUT WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE OR WHEN I WAS DRIVING, I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GAS, SO I FIXED IT. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I THOUIGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, SO I FIXED IT. I WAS FRUSTRATED AND WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON OCT. 3RD, 2007 IN THE MIDDLE OF A 7 LANE HIGHWAY. I WAS SCARED AND UPSET, AND I ENDED UP TAKING IT IN AGAIN! WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON 2002 FORD ESCAPES WITH 3.0L V6 ENGINES FOR THE PCM ON DECELERATIONS BELOW 40 MPH BECAUSE OF FUEL-AIR MIXTURES BEING SENT TO THE ENGINE. IT WAS ISSUED IN APRIL OF 2004. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MY DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM, AND ANOTHER DEALER CLOSE TO ME; THEY ALL SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY ESCAPE. I LOOKED IT UP MYSELF AND THEY WERE CORRECT, BUT IF THIS RECALL WAS ALREADY FIXED THEN IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT FIXED CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE EXACT DEFINIATION OF THE RECALL IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY ESCAPE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I THINK FORD NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY EXCEPTION AND KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT BECAUSE THE ENGINE NEEDS TO "RE-PROGRAM" ITSELF FOR A FEW WEEKS. IT IS A RECALL AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED FOR FREE, LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. I DON'T LIKE TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 7 LANE HIGHWAY AND LOOSE CONTROL OF MY STEERING AND EVERYTHING WITHIN MY CAR. *JB
74400 MILES. NOISE COMING FROM REAR END AND FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE DRAGGING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. THE NOISE WAS WORSE WHEN ENGAGING THE 4-WD HIGH. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY. WAITED 2 DAYS BECAUSE THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE HAD TO APPROVE THE REPAIR. WAS TOLD THE MAIN SHAFT HAD CRACKED AND WAS ENGAGING THE 4-WD EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT SHOW UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE IT SEEMED TO BE BETTER EVEN THOUGH NOT COMPLETELY GONE. MY MISTAKE FOR NOT RETURNING THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT STARTED TO GET WORSE AT 75400 , AND NOW THE FORD CUSTOM CARE CERTIFIED THE TRUCK AS A USED CAR COVERING DRIVE TRAIN UNTIL 75000 MILES, AND IT WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE ANY FURTHER WORK EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM STILL HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS FROM 2 OTHER VISITS AT THE SAME DEALER. EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMEND THAT THE WORK BE DONE. *AK
PULLED 2002 FORD EXPLORER INTO COVERED SPACE AT APARTMENT COMPLEX AND PROCEEDED TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE CAR INTO THE PARK THE GEAR SHIFT BROKE OFF FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS NOT USED AND NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID I EVER IMAGINE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON A CAR. LATER I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 FORD EXPLORER. I CAN'T START THE CAR SINCE IT IS NOT IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AND ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET THE REPLACEMENT PART IS BACK ORDERED UNTIL MID NOVEMBER. SO, FORD IS OK WITH HAVING A PRODUCT ON THE ROAD THAT I CANNOT DRIVE FOR 1.5 MONTHS BECAUSE OF A BAD PART? IT APPEARS THE BAD PART IS MADE OF ALUMINUM WHICH IS SHOCKING. WILL HAVE TO GET A RENTAL FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I AM WITHOUT THE CAR. THIS KIND OF FAILURE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2002 Ford F-150 has 66 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.