Your vehicle report
2002 Ford F-250 SD
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 245
- Received Nov 2001 to May 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head49 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Tires blow out or tread separates23 complaints · 9.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring14 complaints · 5.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V352000Ford 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.
- Recall #09V399000Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-250 sd through F-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 E-150 through E-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 F53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 12 crashes, 18 fires, 11 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 15 |
| 2004 | 31 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 26 |
| 2007 | 40 |
| 2008 | 29 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 32 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 245 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head | 49 | 20% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 23 | 9.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 14 | 5.7% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 13 | 5.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 3.3% | – | |
| Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks | 7 | 2.9% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.6% | – | NHTSA recall #07V553000 |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 3 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #11V352000July 13, 201126,715 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights; exterior lighting: tail lights
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.
Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #09V399000October 13, 20094,500,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-250 sd through F-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 E-150 through E-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 F53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
NHTSA recall #07V553000December 5, 20071,176,000 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel
On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3L diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 29, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Ford F-250 SD.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN