2002 Ford F-450 SD Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jan 26, 2018 · 14 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other F-450 SD years
Far more complaints than other years 12th of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford F-450 SD. That ranks 12th out of 32 F-450 SD model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, diesel (3 complaints, 21%), typically at around 93,351 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2002 Ford F-450 SD problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Fuel System, Diesel3 · ~93,351 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling2 · ~2,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline2 · ~100,500 mi
Fuel System, Other2 · ~55,000 mi
Electrical System1 · ~45,000 mi
Power Train1 · ~29,800 mi
Seats1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Vehicle Speed Control1 · ~9,600 mi
Visibility/wiper1 · ~45,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Fuel System, Diesel321%93,351——
Engine and Engine Cooling214%2,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline214%100,500——
Fuel System, Other214%55,000——
Electrical System17%45,000——
Power Train17%29,800——
Seats17%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic17%———
Vehicle Speed Control17%9,600——
Visibility/wiper17%45,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2004, with 5 complaints
2002: 1200212003: 1200312004: 5200452007: 1200712008: 1200812009: 1200912010: 1201012011: 1201112012: 1201212018: 120181

n = 14 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2002 Ford F-450 SD recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:brake lights; exterior lighting:tail lightsJul 13, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V352000 · 26,715 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Vehicle speed controlOct 13, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V399000 · 4,500,000 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.

Fix: 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.

Engine and engine cooling:engine:dieselDec 5, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V553000 · 1,176,000 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.

Fix: 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.

Vehicle speed controlAug 1, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V286000 · 1,200,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.

Risk: Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.

Fix: 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)

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Engine stalling (EA06012) — opened Jun 22, 2006, closed Dec 7, 2007, led to recall 07V553000.
  • Engine compartment fires (EA05005) — opened Mar 22, 2005, closed Aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V388000.
  • Accelerator pedal sensor (etc) (EA04006) — opened Feb 23, 2004, closed Feb 10, 2005.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford f-450 sd. The contact stated that the driver and passenger side power windows failed to go up and down. Also, the dome lighting failed to turn on and there was an abnormal clicking noise. The contact called a local dealer (harrisonburg ford, 3155 s main st…

Electrical System · received Jan 26, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11065259

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford f-450 sd. The contact stated that the fuel tank liner eroded and caused the vehicle to stall. The failure was recurring. The contact was not given a reason for the failure, but the contact stated that he believed that steel was being used to manufacturer the fuel…

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Mar 7, 2012 · NHTSA complaint 10450604

I'm currently in kenya volunteering and don't have my old bill of sale with me but will happily provide it upon my return to the states. I could give an official personal information that they could then use to look up the vin if they wished. I was driving down the road when my truck started…

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Feb 15, 2011 · NHTSA complaint 10383548

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford f450. The contact stated that the material in the fuel tank has detached from the inner structure of the tank. The material was in the fuel injector and caused the vehicle to stall and shuts off intermittently while driving 65 mph. The contact has taken the vehicle…

Fuel System, Diesel · received Feb 25, 2010 · NHTSA complaint 10314145

I own a 2002 ford f450 that i rely heavily on in my small lawn maintenance business. When that truck doesn't run, i don't earn any money and in fact i am in the red. I have discovered through the briefest of on-line searches though that i am only one of thousands who have run in to the problem i'm…

Fuel System, Diesel · received Aug 26, 2009 · NHTSA complaint 10281890

Other Ford F-450 SD years

← 2001 F-450 SD · 2003 F-450 SD →

See all Ford F-450 SD problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

Similar Ford models

Embed this 2002 Ford F-450 SD badge on your site

Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford F-450 SD?

Owners most often report fuel system, diesel, engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, fuel system, diesel, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford F-450 SD?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2002 Ford F-450 SD a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-450 SD model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.