2002 Ford F Series (light)

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › cooling system › radiator assembly. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly4
000
Engine4
000
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle1
000
Power Train1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
000
Electrical System1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Jul 6, 201890,000 milesVA

WE PURCHASED A CAR FROM NAB AUTOS IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA. AFTER THE 7TH DAY OF DRIVING IT, THE MOTOR BLEW UP. WRONG SPARK PLUGS WERE INSTALLED BY DEALER. ALSO THE TRUCK HAD BEEN RACED WITH NITROUS WHICH WE WERE UNAWARE OF UNTIL WE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MOTOR. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. MY 18 YEAR OLD SON DRIVES THIS VEHICLE WHICH BEGAN LOSING POWER AND SHAKING BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.

Power Train
Filed Jul 28, 201476,000 milesPA

CROSS FRAME MEMBER WHICH CONTAINS THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED OUT AND CRACKED. STATE SAFETY INSPECTION REP INDICATED IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. FORD NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE FRAME MEMBER. I WAS LUCKY AFTER A LONG SEARCH TO FIND A DEALER WHICH STILL HAD THE PART AVAILABLE. PART # IS: XL3Z6A023CA. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OPERATED IN WARWICK NY SINCE NEW AND IN NORTHEASTERN PA SINCE 2007. I BELIEVE IF THE FRAME MEMBER WOULD FAIL THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DROP DOWN. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE RUSTED UNIT. IF YOU CARE TO SEE THEM PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL ADDRESS AND I'LL ATTACH THEM TO A E-MAIL. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO REQUIRE MANUFACTURES TO USE BETTER MATERIAL FOR PICKUP TRUCK FRAMES AND BRAKE LINES. I HAVE ALSO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE LINES ON THIS TRUCK RUSTING OUT. ONE INCIDENT, I REPORTED, OCCURRED AFTER BACKING UP A RV IN A CAMPSITE AFTER JUST DRIVING OVER 150 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. PROVIDENCE PROTECTED ME AS I COULD HAVE LOST THE BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE! *JS .

Engine
Filed Jul 15, 2014150,000 milesWA

SPARK PLUG FAILURE AS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT, AND ENGINE PROBLEM RESULTING FROM 7 CYLINDER OPERATION. GOT IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE WAS ABLE TO SLEEVE THE SPARK PLUG THREAD AND INSTALL A NEW PLUG. NOW THE SAME IS STARTING AGAIN. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC TO MAKE PERMANENT REPAIRS FOR ALL THE SPARK PLUG. THIS MAY END UP WITH THE ENGINE HEADS BEING REMOVED IN ORDER TO MAKE COMPLETE REPAIRS, AND THE COST FOR THAT WILL BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS A FORD ENGINE DESIGN PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF, YET THEY CONTINUE TO DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Engine
Filed Jul 22, 201366,000 milesNV

OIL LEAKING PASSENGER SIDE REAR ON TO THE STARTER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. *TR

Engine
Filed Sep 8, 2012200,500 milesWI

A SPARK PLUG WORKED LOOSE FROM THE HEAD AND BLEW OUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HEAD AND THE IGNITION COIL. ALL 8 PLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED, TWO DAMAGED SPARK PLUG HOLES REPAIRED AND TWO IGNITION COILS REPLACED. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed May 14, 2012120,000 milesOH

TRUCK STARTED MAKING NOISE EVERY TIME THERE WAS A BUMP. HANDLING FELT LOOSE. DISCOVERED THAT THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MECHANIC REFERRED TO THE CONDITION AS "ROT". THIS SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. I BOUGHT 4 VEHICLES THE SAME YEAR. CHECKED THE OTHER 3 AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL BE FILING REPORTS ON THEM TOO. *JS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed May 14, 2012210,000 milesOH

CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *JS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed May 14, 2012181,000 milesOH

CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *JS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed May 14, 2012180,000 milesOH

CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *JS

Electrical System
Filed Nov 17, 2011107,590 milesWA

SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF PLUG HOLE, STRIPPING THREADS OF INTAKE CYLINDER HEAD. PLUG WAS FOUND LAYING BETWEEN VALVE COVER AND INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Sep 15, 2010170,000 milesMI

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

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 24, 200528,000 milesMA

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.. HEAR A LARGE NOISE FROMN THE ENGINE BAY. TRUCK BREAKS DOWN AND I HAVE IT TOWED. 2002 FORD F-150 LIGTHNING. 3RD TIME ITS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.. BLOWING A SPARK PLUG IN THE ENGINE BAY.. THIS TIME... WORSE THEN EVER... READ IT WAS A VERY BAD PROBLEM WITH OTHER TRUCK MADE THIS YEAR ETC.. ONLINE SO I'AM PUTTING A COMPLAINT IN..

Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
Filed Feb 5, 20036,500 milesSC

REAR WHEELS HAVE ENOUGH PLAY IN THEM THAT THERE IS A NOTICEABLE CLUNK WHEN TURNING. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THE END PLAY OF THE AXLES ARE .020. FORD MANUFACTURER SAID UP TO .030 IS TOLERABLE AND I WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CLUNKING SOUND. I DID NOT PAY $30,000 FOR A TRUCK TO LISTEN TO A CLUNKING SOUND!

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2002 — this page13000Routine
200110010Routine
20003010Routine
19996010Routine
19981000Routine
199715020Routine
19962000Routine
19951000Routine
199416030Routine
199312000Routine
19929000Routine
19919020Routine
19908000Routine

Compare every F Series (light) year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.