2002 Ford F-350
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › F-350 › 2002
These records cover every 2002 Ford F-350. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
3 recalls name the 2002 Ford F-350. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Certain cequent 90 degree 7-WAY right angle adaptors sold by distributors in tow packages for aftermarket sales to tow 5TH wheel rv travel trailers. due to incorrect wiring of the harness, the trailer lights may not operate properly.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the trailer lights are not working properly, a vehicle crash can occur.
Remedy
All of the defective tow packages are still at the distributor level and have not been sold to any consumers.
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. the recall began on august 7, 2006. owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
Owner complaints
116 complaints11 involved a crash7 involved a fire9 injuries2 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Structure › Body · Unknown or other
We were just driving when the truck started smoking and the brakes wouldn’t work. After a few minutes the truck completely caught on fire.
- Structure › Body
The frame at the leaf spring hangars has cracked apart at only 131,000 miles on the truck. This issue is becoming more and more common over the years it seems and comparable age trucks from other manufacturers are having this issue for the same age.
- Tires
[XXX] tire on passenger’s rear began to have significant vibration while towing 16,000 lb. fifth-wheel RV. Stopped and visually/tactilely determined unusual wear pattern so went to commercial tire shop in Pahrump, NV. Their inspection determined tread separation rendering the tire unusable so we…
[XXX] tire on passenger’s rear began to have significant vibration while towing 16,000 lb. fifth-wheel RV. Stopped and visually/tactilely determined unusual wear pattern so went to commercial tire shop in Pahrump, NV. Their inspection determined tread separation rendering the tire unusable so we replaced it with a different brand. This is the third of three tires installed at the same time that have suffered tread separation failure. The first was in July 2023 and was not reported to NHTSA, but when two more tires failed at the same time, I decided to report. Because this type of failure does not produce TPMS warnings, it could have been a catastrophic failure that might have resulted in damage to our vehicles and/or a crash with significant injury to us or other motorists. With three failures from the same batch of tires on our vehicle, I believe there is a serious problem with this batch of tires and they should be recalled. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Tires
[XXX] tire on driver's rear began to have significant vibration while towing 16,000 lb. fifth-wheel RV. Stopped and visually/tactilely determined unusual wear pattern so went to commercial tire shop in Pahrump, NV. Their inspection determined tread separation rendering the tire unusable so we…
[XXX] tire on driver's rear began to have significant vibration while towing 16,000 lb. fifth-wheel RV. Stopped and visually/tactilely determined unusual wear pattern so went to commercial tire shop in Pahrump, NV. Their inspection determined tread separation rendering the tire unusable so we replaced it with a different brand. This is the second of three tires installed at the same time that have suffered tread separation failure. The first was in July 2023 and was not reported to NHTSA, but when two more tires failed at the same time, I decided to report. Because this type of failure does not produce TPMS warnings, it could have been a catastrophic failure that might have resulted in damage to our vehicles and/or a crash with significant injury to us or other motorists. With three failures from the same batch of tires on our vehicle, I believe there is a serious problem with this batch of tires and they should be recalled. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Electrical system · Structure › Body
there has been intense rust and corrosion in the roof seams and welds. This has led to water leaks and damage to the interior of the vehicle. The integrity of the roof has been compromised, and I am concerned about the possibility of roof crush should there be an accident. Not to mention the mold…
there has been intense rust and corrosion in the roof seams and welds. This has led to water leaks and damage to the interior of the vehicle. The integrity of the roof has been compromised, and I am concerned about the possibility of roof crush should there be an accident. Not to mention the mold, rot and damage to the interior and electrical systems I have already suffered due to the defect. On February 3, 2023, I contacted the Ford Motors helpline and spoke to [XXX] (direct phone # [XXX] ext [XXX]) to discuss the issue.[XXX] created a request for a buyback and assigned a case number of [XXX]. She also requested that I send photos to [XXX] and visit the local Ford dealership so they could assess the vehicle and share the information with her. I was able to make an apt for Feb 6,2023 @ 10:50 with [XXX] @ Envision ford of Oxnard. When I arrived for the assessment, [XXX] did one walk around the vehicle (he did not inspect the roof at all) and then said he couldn’t help me as he this was a Ford issue, and they were a franchise. I contacted [XXX] with follow up from that meeting, as well as photos of the vehicle. About two weeks after this apt. [XXX] said the case was closed. I am extremely disappointed with how this case was handled, especially considering the significant investment I made in purchasing and maintaining it my vehicle. When I made the original investment I was told that the engine would last up to a million miles…but never imagined the body would be worthless at the 300,00 mark. There is so much damage to the roof that I currently keep my vehicle parked instead of using it. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Electrical system
Headlights go off and on when I move the tilt steering wheel, when driving or sitting still
- Seat belts
Seat belts unbuckle by themselves. This has happens with the driver and passenger seat belts. Driver buckle failure IS most frequent. One day it won't happen then the next day it will unbuckle 5 times in a short period of time. Afraid this will happen during an accident. The seatbelt buckle unbuckles stall speeds under any driving condition.
- Electrical system
The digital compass and temperature display in the upper console breaks. I rely on the display to prevent from crashing on icy roads. I have looked and thousands of people have same issues, a wire coming loose. ford needs to recall this instead of charging up to 400.00 for the replacement part. it almost got me killed, im surprised no one has been injured.
- Structure › Body
The paint on the hood began to slowly peel away an IS now IS very awful I was just told that ford recalled many on the bad paint I was never aware of that till last week I was advised to write an find about this matter and that ford would stand behind that.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Vehicle speed control
On my way to work the turn signals failed and hazzzard lights no break lites or turn singnals the fuse panel was smoking and coused a wreck at 60 miles per hour
- Seats
Seatbelt disconnects intermittently, button doesn't always fully pop back out when buckle IS engaged
- Tires
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with cooper dean mud terrain radial sxt tires, size: lt285/75r16. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle shook as it slowed down and the rear driver's side tire blew out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the tire…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with cooper dean mud terrain radial sxt tires, size: lt285/75r16. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle shook as it slowed down and the rear driver's side tire blew out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the tire did not fall within the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that there was no warranty on the tire. The dot number was unknown. The vehicle and tire failure mileage was 62,086. *Ln
- Tires › Tread/belt
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with bf goodrich rugged terrain t/a tires, size: lt285/75r16 (na). While the contact's son was driving 60 mph, the contact felt a shudder in the rear of the vehicle. The contact felt a bump, heard an exploding noise, and almost lost control of the…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with bf goodrich rugged terrain t/a tires, size: lt285/75r16 (na). While the contact's son was driving 60 mph, the contact felt a shudder in the rear of the vehicle. The contact felt a bump, heard an exploding noise, and almost lost control of the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle and determined that the rear passenger tire experienced tread separation. The contact planned on giving the tire to the manufacturer to have it diagnosed. The tires were replacement tires. The tire manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The tire was not replaced. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 132,500 and the tire failure mileage was 6,500.
- Structure › Body
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was heavily corroded. Also, the fuel straps failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000. Updated 04/05/17*lj *cn
- Tires
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with nitro tires, tire line: terra grapple, and tire size: lt285/75/r16. The dot number was unavailable. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the contact felt the vehicle vibrated as the rear passenger's side tire blew out. Upon…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350 equipped with nitro tires, tire line: terra grapple, and tire size: lt285/75/r16. The dot number was unavailable. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the contact felt the vehicle vibrated as the rear passenger's side tire blew out. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the thread on the tire had separated. The contact replaced the tire with a spare. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the tire needed to be replaced. The tire was replaced. The failure recurred on numerous occasions with a total of five tires mounted in various locations. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The tire failure mileage was 20,000. The vehicle failure mileage was 105,000. updated 01/27/17*lj consumer stated he started to feel a bumping in the rear area of my truck, then a violent vibration, then the tire blowout occurred/ road conditions were clear and dry. Updated 9/5/18*jb
- Seat belts
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While driving various speed, the seat belt unlatched independently. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000. The vin was not provided.
- Unknown or other
Wife parked the truck running at the top of a sloped driveway near our farm house, left the truck running and in park, got out to retrieve a forgotten item, walked downhill 75 ft., after a short time turned to see the truck speed by backwards nearly hitting her. the truck rammed the carport…
Wife parked the truck running at the top of a sloped driveway near our farm house, left the truck running and in park, got out to retrieve a forgotten item, walked downhill 75 ft., after a short time turned to see the truck speed by backwards nearly hitting her. the truck rammed the carport corner concrete support, jumped a two foot rock wall and came to rest against a three foot diameter birch tree. truck evaluated as total loss. a master mechanic brought to help get the truck started. damage only to rear but would not start. Battery plates had shorted due to the three severe jolts. the mechanic also noted the steering column bolts and screws seemed quite loose. the truck was started but moved to the body shop by a tow truck since the rear break line was severed. after totaling the vehicle the insurance company sold the truck back to me for $5100. I got the truck repaired. today I took it to the ford dealer to check the steering column. the ford technician noted the severity of the loose steering column, replaced a couple bushings, tightened bolts and screws, and tested the vehicle. He specifically noted, in writing, the truck would not reliably stay in the selected gear. I paid ford $259 for the steering column work. the ford service manager told me when I scheduled the work that two other vehicles had just come in the same day with the same problem. this truck came out of park on its own and when rolling backwards barely missed my wife. she could have been easily killed. before this accident, it never occurred to me to take the truck into ford for a check of the steering column after 13 years but I should have been smarter. I bring this up to you for review because there could be lots more of these vehicles out there that could kill someone if they suddenly slip out of gear and roll. I have a copy of the ford service paperwork from today.
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While parked in the driveway, the vehicle rolled backwards approximately 300 feet and crashed into a fence. The contact stated that there was no warning indicator prior to the failure. The contact, an independent mechanic, inspected the vehicle and diagnosed…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While parked in the driveway, the vehicle rolled backwards approximately 300 feet and crashed into a fence. The contact stated that there was no warning indicator prior to the failure. The contact, an independent mechanic, inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the bracket that secured the gear shift cable was loose which allowed the lever to go into different gears. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000. The vin was unavailable.
- Seat belts
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While driving at 50 mph, the front driver and passenger side seat belts independently unlatched. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
- Tires · Wheels
My husband and I have 2 ford f350s that came with general tires of the 12 tires we have had 5 blow outs, the most recent was 4/23/2015 on I-80, in which my truck sustained over 2500.00 dollars in damage. Just wondering if we are lucky or if general tire company IS just trying to kill people. The tires are 235x85x16 load range e and all had substantial tread when they blew. Thank you for looking into this. *tr
- Structure · Tires › Temporary/emergency spare tire · Wheels
The spare tire carrier cable failed and dropped the spare on the ground which bounced and caught the rear bumper. No damage due to the slow speed I was traveling at the time, but this part has since been redesigned and should be recalled before someone gets hurt. new p/n IS 6c3z-1a131-aa. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
While driving approximately 35 mph the water pump started to leak. This caused the serpentine belt to become wet and slipped off the pulleys which caused the vehicles brakes and power steering to fail. I questioned the service advisor at the ford dealer(henry day ford) in west valley utah and they…
While driving approximately 35 mph the water pump started to leak. This caused the serpentine belt to become wet and slipped off the pulleys which caused the vehicles brakes and power steering to fail. I questioned the service advisor at the ford dealer(henry day ford) in west valley utah and they advised they had not heard of the problem. To me this IS a very important safety hazard for occupants and could be a liability for ford motor company. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, white smoke started to emit from the rear of the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, the contact discovered fuel leaking from the engine area. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, white smoke started to emit from the rear of the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, the contact discovered fuel leaking from the engine area. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the fuel lines below the engine turbo had ruptured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 175,000.
- Electrical system · Engine
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While driving approximately 50 mph, the engine stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic. The technician stated that the camshaft sensor needed to be…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. While driving approximately 50 mph, the engine stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic. The technician stated that the camshaft sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000.
- Wheels
TL* the contact owns a 2002 ford F-350. The contact stated that the front passenger's side wheel spoke became fractured and caused the front passenger's side wheel to crack. The wheel was replaced with a spare tire by the contact. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate mileage was 137,000.
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.
- Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 IS closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in…
Ea05-005 IS closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.ford IS also including the entire population of 1998 explorers.ford has informed odi that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 explorers will continue after this investigation IS closed.odi believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in ford?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
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.
- 10014083Memontary return to idle during aggressive acceleration - diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0123.
- 10013413Vehicle lean sag when observed from rear of vehicle.
- 10013316A cold weather reverse engagement stall.
- 10013071Loud squealing noise from the engine area when the engine fan clutch IS under load while operated in hot dusty climates. Vehicles equipped with a 7.3L engine.
- 10012965Service tips before arc welding on the frame or body of a unit.
- 10011164Rear axle popping/chatter noise - dana 80 model dual rear wheel (drw).
- 10010734Vacuum pump inoperative or runs continuously - climate control defaults to defrost. Oasis. To also include 2005 super duty f-series, excursion, and f650/750.
- 10010731Multiple vehicles - fuel level indication concerns - service tip. Various models including 2005 super duty f-series, excursion, expedition, explorer, mountaineer and aviator.
- 10008581Cooling system-motorcraft premium gold engine coolant-serivce tips.
- 10008334Engine-light tick or rattle type noise from engine after cold start.
- 10008310Engine-cylinder head deck leak-4.6 and 5.4L engines-new service-only gasket and cylinder head kits availability.
- 10008201Warning indicators-parking aid-reverse sensing system (rss) and forward sensing system (fss)-false activation of warning tone-service tips. Update.
- 10008119Oil/dust film at cac connections.
- 10007395Air bag light on with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1871 or b1935 following ecs/rcm replacement.
- 10004881Accessory drive belt squealing noise from the engine area when the engine fan clutch IS engaged while operated in hot dusty climates. Various models including 2003 f450/550.
- 10004025Steering wheel fight after riding over bumps/ruts. 2003, 2004 F450 and F550 models included.
- 10003117Some vehicles equipped with the dual rear wheel (drw) rear axle may exhibit a tactile popping or audible chattering noise. This popping noise/feel results from the clutch plates and discs (in the limited slip differential case) sticking and then slipping.
- 10002783Rough idle and/or hesitation when acclerating on certain super duty vehicles equipped with a 5.4L or 6.8L engine.
- 10002626Excessive drive-away shudder or vibration under moderate to heavy acceleration from a stop.
- 637846Information used when replacing the drivers seat module.
- 637836Some vehicles equipped with 4.2L, 4.6L and 5.4L engine may exhibit a lack of power condition.
- 636322Certain super duty vehicles equipped with lpg engine may exhibit a dead battery condition after leaving the vehicle parked for 2 or 3 days.
- 636275Some vehicles built at cuautitlan assembly plant between january 14, 2002 and may 21, 2002 may exhibit a knock noise due to an incorrectly installed steering damper.
- 633564Subject regarding demonstration/ delivery hold: powertrain control module reprogramming.
- 630218Some 4X4 vehicles may exhibit a crank no start condition.
- 630198Some vehicles may exhibit an inoperative side power mirror condition.
- 630103Some vehicles may exhibit a tacky surface on the instrument panel (ip).
- 630020Some vehicles may exhibit a difficulty in programming the key fob(s).
- 625782Some drws equipped with angled brass valve stems may exhibit a valve core that sticks open when actuated.
- 625767Some vehicles equipped with 5.4L gas engine may exhibit a diagnostic trouble code b1345 retrieved during self test from the to hec module (instrument panel).
- 625666Subject pertaining to passenger seat misbuild.*jb
Every Ford F-350 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.