2002 Ford Econoline
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2002 Ford Econoline. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 2002 Ford Econoline. Newest first.
Dope, inc. IS recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on july 28, 2009. owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Sabersport IS recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on may 11, 2009. owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Ford IS recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. the affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that IS not compatible with…
Risk and remedy
Risk
As a result, the fuse IS located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. the recall began on february 18, 2008. owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
On certain cutaway chassis cab with the school bus option, two brackets and two outrigger members are missing in the area of the fuel tank.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The brackets and outrigger members are intended to enhance crash performance.
Remedy
Ford will send technicians to the owner's location to inspect and add the brackets and outriggers as required. owner notification began on september 3, 2003. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Owner complaints
23 complaints3 involved a fire
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine
Left house for vacation, got 75 miles away at 60 mph on the freeway, and engine started making a popping sound. pulled off road and called a nearby mobile repair company. they sent out a mechanic, he diagnosed a blown out spark plug, and said this was common for the ford V-10. made it to his shop, and that's where it sits. Estimates are over $4000 to repair.
- Electrical system
Driving van on highway when van began smoking. then fire. everything was completely destroyed. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline E-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, he heard a loud, abnormal noise from the vehicle. After stopping the vehicle for further inspection, the contact discovered that the rear end of the fuel tank had detached from the vehicle.…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline E-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, he heard a loud, abnormal noise from the vehicle. After stopping the vehicle for further inspection, the contact discovered that the rear end of the fuel tank had detached from the vehicle. In addition, one of the fuel tank straps had become completely corroded. The vehicle was driven cautiously and was later taken to the dealer. The dealer confirmed the failure of the fuel tank straps and installed a temporary strap for the fuel tank. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 76,000.
- Engine
Took the van to the store. Upon returning from store started the van, there was a loud explosion as if a bomb went off. Everyone looked because it was so loud. Turned the van off and restarted it. It sounded like a drag car at the track, no exhaust system at all. Took cow off and looked inside…
Took the van to the store. Upon returning from store started the van, there was a loud explosion as if a bomb went off. Everyone looked because it was so loud. Turned the van off and restarted it. It sounded like a drag car at the track, no exhaust system at all. Took cow off and looked inside, found the spark plug with the boot laying on top of the valve cover or intake, not sure there IS no room and just enough to get two fingers in to retrieve it. I had noticed a little ticking earlier in the day like an exhaust leak, but did not find one. Had vehicle towed to repair shop, where it IS now. Not sure what will happen next. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
Fuel pump failed while driving vehicle at freeway speeds on 101 south on the waldo grade approaching the golden gate bridge. Vehicle lost power half way up the grade and slowed to 10 mph. Limped vehicle to off ramp. I am an ase certified master mechanic, I also hold my california smog license. I've…
Fuel pump failed while driving vehicle at freeway speeds on 101 south on the waldo grade approaching the golden gate bridge. Vehicle lost power half way up the grade and slowed to 10 mph. Limped vehicle to off ramp. I am an ase certified master mechanic, I also hold my california smog license. I've worked as a mechanic for 30 years. Upon getting the vehicle home I diagnosed the concern I found the fuel tank full of metal that had flaked fromt he walls of the fuel tank. I found the fuel pickup in the tank plugged with filings, the fuel pump ruined, and the fuel filter full of metal and rust. I sent the tank to who coated the fuel tank for me. Stated that he continuously sees these ford tank coming from all the dealerships in the area. Upon doing some research on the internet I found that this IS a widespread problem with ford fuel tanks. My total cost for this repair in parts and repairs to the fuel tank has come to $1,200.00 wholesale cost, not including my labor or any parts retail markup. I have owned this vehicle since new and always run good quality fuel in my vehicle and topped up the tank weekly or more often to reduce the possibility of moisture in my fuel system. I have not filled up the fuel tank and run the engine yet, and hope that there IS no further damage to my fuel injectors or fuel system. If there IS I could be out another $4,000 to 5,000 just in parts. I am curious as to why if there seems to be such a widespread problem our government has not recalled these vehicles? It IS clear to me that ford IS producing vehicles with substandard fuel systems and that there IS a known defect that ford IS not owning. The public should not be held liable ofr ford's design flaws. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6) *tt
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
2002 ford van - blown spark plug. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
2002 ford van - blown spark plug. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
2002 ford van - blown spark plug. *tr
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford econoline(na). While driving and engaging the brake pedal, the warning light came. there was also noise under the hood of his vehicle. The contact stated that the anti lock brake system suddenly caught fire. He turned the vehicle off and waited for an hour to…
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford econoline(na). While driving and engaging the brake pedal, the warning light came. there was also noise under the hood of his vehicle. The contact stated that the anti lock brake system suddenly caught fire. He turned the vehicle off and waited for an hour to restart it; however, when he attempted to drive smoke and fire were coming from the brakes. He shut the engine off, extinguished the fire, and disconnected the ABS module unit under the hood. The contact was able to drive to the dealer who did not reconnect the ABS module. The contact IS currently able to continue driving the vehicle using the normal braking system with no failures. The ABS module will be repaired. The failure mileage was 54,500.
- Tires
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the vehicle has b.f. Goodrich commercial ta all terrain tires. the contact stated that all four tires experienced tread separation. the tires were purchased in june of 2007 and have been on the vehicle for a little less than two years. the manufacturer…
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the vehicle has b.f. Goodrich commercial ta all terrain tires. the contact stated that all four tires experienced tread separation. the tires were purchased in june of 2007 and have been on the vehicle for a little less than two years. the manufacturer referred the contact to an authorized warranty repair dealer. the manufacturer was willing to pro-rate the cost of the tires. the tire size was unknown. the tire failure mileage was approximately 12,000. the vehicle failure mileage was 64,190.
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the contact received a recall repair notice stating that the vehicle speed control parts had arrived. when he called the local ford dealers, he was informed that the parts would not be available for two months. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 75,000.
- Vehicle speed control
A safety recall was issued aug 2007 on ford vehicles for the speed control which may cause an underhood fire. we have been trying to get the vehicle (2002 bt cruiser) in for repair over the last several months, and have been told that the parts are not available. apparently there IS a national…
A safety recall was issued aug 2007 on ford vehicles for the speed control which may cause an underhood fire. we have been trying to get the vehicle (2002 bt cruiser) in for repair over the last several months, and have been told that the parts are not available. apparently there IS a national back order of the replacement part(s). our dealer said they are now being told they will not get a shipment until march. there IS not a system in place that gives anyone an idea of when they may get this resolved. we have been told to keep calling the dealers, who keep saying they don't have parts. in the meantime they recommend disconnecting the cruise control, which as you can imagine, IS not a pleasant thought for an rv which IS used for long distance traveling. there should be a better system in place for resolving this issue, and if such a system IS inconceivable, there should be better communication by ford. *tr
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the dealer originally stated that the part would be available in december of 2007. as of december 14, 2007, the dealer stated that the part would be…
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the dealer originally stated that the part would be available in december of 2007. as of december 14, 2007, the dealer stated that the part would be available in march of 2008. the manufacturer stated that the part could be available at anytime. the contact was dissatisfied with the wait time and the remedy. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 50,000.
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control) in august of 2007. the dealer stated that the part was unavailable and could not provide an estimated arrival date. the contact felt that was unacceptable. there had been no failure to date. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 30,000.
- Electrical system › Wiring · Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
I called about a recall on my ford E-150 econoline van in august and was told the part was not in. I called again in september and was told it was still not in and I would be put on a waiting list but I still have not been called. How long does it take to fix a recall? *jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle decelerated as the accelerator pedal was being depressed. a mechanic stated that the engine locked up possibly due to an excess of oil. the vehicle was towed from the mechanic's shop to the dealer and then to the…
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford econoline. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle decelerated as the accelerator pedal was being depressed. a mechanic stated that the engine locked up possibly due to an excess of oil. the vehicle was towed from the mechanic's shop to the dealer and then to the contact's residence. the dealer provided a repair quote, but no repairs have been made. the contact received recall notice number 05s28 for the vehicle speed control, however, it was unable to be located on the nhtsa website. the current and failure mileages were 61,000.
- Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Ford E-450 front shock tower crack
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Contact states: in winter with snow on ground there IS extended stopping distance. the anti lock brakes will not stop the vehicle on down grade when there IS slush or snow on the road. the brakes have failed 6 times when roads were snow covered. *ak the spare tire cable had a broken wire. *sc *jb
- Engine and engine cooling
While traveling normal speed the vehicle stalled. driver was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *Ak
- Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Camber bushings were totally worn out after only 27,000 miles. front drivers and passenger side tires were worn excessively on the inside. replace the camber bushings. this was not covered under warranty which should have been.*ak
- Structure › Frame and members
Consumer received recall letter regarding defect related to the 2001-2003 econoline 5.4L cutaway chassis cab. recall repair could not be peformed due to the way the bumper was mounted on vehicle.* la *mr
- Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
Consumer states that steering wheel IS very slippery and feels unsafe while driving as if will lose grip on wheel and control of vehicle. wheel does not have any finger "grooves" on the rear.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine fire. mr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
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…
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 very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10148820This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly. Excessive friction in the ball joint assembly may cause a perceptible increase in steering effort.
- 10096433Merlin multiplex system when a proer/ground lug IS not correctly tightened or becomes loose for any reason; erratic system operation IS possible.
- 10026321Ford: vehicles mistakenly charged $100 powertrain warranty deductible for fuel injector repair or repairs. No model or model years provided. Econoline, excursion and f-series super duty vehicles, model years 2002-2005. Updated 10/24/08. Csc letter was received. Updated 10/27/08.
- 10013116Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service tips. Various models including 2004 f-series.
- 10008288Low power, poor fuel economy, fuel gelling cold, excessive white smoke cold, or hard start. This oasis updates previous oasis dated 12/01/03.
- 10008195Air bag lamp illuminated.
- 10007812Emission recall 04e10: compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles - fitting connector replacement.
- 10007319Engine or fuel system concerns when using fuel with greater than 5% biodiesel concentration.
- 10007207Customer satisfaction program 02m01 supplement #4. Certain ford 2000 through 2003 vehicles equipped with a tube-mounted egr pressure sensor - additional egr pressure sensor warranty coverage. Supplement #3. Supplement #6.
- 10004880Diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0340, possible false code. Various models including 1994-1996 ford excursion.
- 10004879Vehicles equipped with a 7.3L engine (after serial number 0661894) - under valve cover (uvc) harness retainer clip released for service. Includes 2003 econoline, super duty, f650/750 and excursion.
- 10003748New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included.
- 10002627Repeated blown fuses for rear in vehicle circuits with inoperative rear brake or tail lamps.
- 10001943Exhaust air rush noise and lower power.
- 10001937False failure of the vapor management valve (vmv).
- 637807Subject regarding family or rear seat entertainment system handle concerns.
- 637689Some vehicles may exhibit interference and / or static in the land-mobile radio.
- 636320Concerns of diagnostic trouble code p1280 retrived fromthe power train control module (pcm).
- 630152Some vehicles built between 11/29/01 and 11/30/01 may exhibit a serpentine belt squeal.
- 625804Dedicated CNG regulator bowl kit available.
- 625663Information regarding imrc set screw warranty repair.*jb
- 624140Information regarding rear entertainment system lock down screws. *Slc
- 623944Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *Slc
Every Ford Econoline model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.