2002 Ford F-150 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2002 Ford F-150, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 138,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (64% of reports).
- 66engine complaints
- 138,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 44%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Spark plug: mentioned in 42 of 66 complaints (64%)
- Cylinder head: mentioned in 12 of 66 complaints (18%)
- Engine compartment: mentioned in 11 of 66 complaints (17%)
- Heard loud: mentioned in 8 of 66 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2002 Ford F-150 at $1,250, and half of them between $560 and $1,450.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 63 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 66 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 9 a fire.
Ford F-150 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-150 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2025 F-150 | 4 | 4% | — |
| 2024 F-150 | 12 | 6% | 14,000 |
| 2023 F-150 | 27 | 7% | 8,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 38 | 6% | 11,300 |
| 2021 F-150 | 83 | 8% | 19,448 |
| 2020 F-150 | 129 | 18% | 46,341 |
| 2019 F-150 | 321 | 24% | 60,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 508 | 22% | 59,500 |
| 2017 F-150 | 313 | 22% | 61,000 |
| 2016 F-150 | 317 | 15% | 51,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 264 | 15% | 62,450 |
| 2014 F-150 | 179 | 12% | 73,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 548 | 18% | 55,500 |
| 2012 F-150 | 483 | 27% | 24,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 482 | 22% | 53,000 |
| 2010 F-150 | 107 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 42 | 13% | 100,000 |
| 2008 F-150 | 53 | 14% | 105,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 105 | 22% | 99,616 |
| 2006 F-150 | 74 | 13% | 99,495 |
| 2005 F-150 | 117 | 11% | 116,500 |
| 2004 F-150 | 92 | 5% | 108,588 |
| 2003 F-150 | 28 | 7% | 138,183 |
| 2002 F-150 | 66 | 8% | 138,000 |
| 2001 F-150 | 44 | 4% | 154,500 |
| 2000 F-150 | 23 | 2% | 137,500 |
| 1999 F-150 | 27 | 3% | 160,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 14 | 1% | 122,778 |
| 1997 F-150 | 15 | 1% | 132,000 |
| 1996 F-150 | 3 | 1% | 131,000 |
| 1995 F-150 | 2 | 0% | 160,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2002 Ford F-150. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made a loud sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that cylinder #3 spark plug had blown out, but no repair was…
The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated that she observed smoke emanating from under the vehicle near the engine compartment. The contact stated that she opened the hood and flames erupted from the engine compartment near the battery. The contact threw dirt on the engine to…
1. Coils on top of spark plug get moisture in them when there is just the right kind of rain storm. This makes the coil or coils fail until the dry out. This seems to make the coil eventually go bad. Yes, it is available for inspection. 2. Not sure if its a combination of heat and moisture but…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford F-150s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about engine for the 2002 Ford F-150 (8% of the 821 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford F-150 engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 138,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2002 Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,250 (half paid between $560 and $1,450), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2002 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 42 of 66 complaints, followed by “cylinder head” (12).
Other 2002 Ford F-150 problems
See all 2002 Ford F-150 problems or engine problems across all F-150 years.