2002 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Focus years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 939 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Focus. That ranks 9th out of 20 Focus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (277 complaints, 29%), typically at around 63,488 miles. Complaints mention 82 crashes, 20 fires, 78 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 939owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 82complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Ford Focus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 277 | 29% | 63,488 | “key turn” (19%) | $600 |
| Suspension problems | 109 | 12% | 52,215 | “coil spring” (20%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 103 | 11% | 50,000 | — | $3,500 |
| Air Bags problems | 72 | 8% | 37,500 | “air bag” (33%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 64 | 7% | 23,000 | “pads rotors” (23%) | $840 |
| Tires problems | 62 | 7% | 18,500 | “front tire” (11%) | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 58 | 6% | 50,644 | “fuel pump” (59%) | $1,000 |
| Power Train problems | 58 | 6% | 40,350 | “clutch master cylinder” (17%) | — |
| Steering problems | 53 | 6% | 44,586 | “steering wheel locked” (11%) | — |
| Structure problems | 51 | 5% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 45 | 5% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 36 | 4% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 29 | 3% | 35,587 | — | — |
| Visibility | 28 | 3% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 2% | 13,040 | — | — |
| Engine | 16 | 2% | 127,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 16 | 2% | 21,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 1% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 1% | 44,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 5 | 1% | 23,650 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 1% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 0% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 0% | 20,600 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 0% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 0% | 112,500 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 175,778 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Ford Focus recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles with four or five doors and originally sold in or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, a build-up of corrosion at the pawl pivot area of the rear door latch can cause a binding condition of the pawl that may affect proper engagement of the pawl into the catch. The occupant may experience difficulty opening or closing a rear door, and eventually the rear door may not latch properly.
Risk: If not latched properly, the door may open while the vehicle is in motion. If an occupant fell out of the vehicle, personal injuries could occur.
Fix: Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. A latch that does not pass the evaluation will be replaced. In addition, a sticker will be affixed to the rear doors advising the owners to use the recommended lubricant. The recall began on march 9, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
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
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit (AQ10001) — opened Nov 18, 2010, closed Dec 28, 2015.
- Engine stalling (EA02022) — opened Sep 9, 2002, closed Jan 16, 2004, led to recall 03V482000.
- Front susp collapse/wheel separation (EA02023) — opened Sep 9, 2002, closed Feb 19, 2003.
- Engine compartment fires (EA02014) — opened Jul 31, 2002, closed Nov 13, 2002, led to recall 02V288000.
- Front suspension lower control arm (PE02044) — opened May 1, 2002, closed Sep 9, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Break lights won't work and was almost hit by another car, changed break lights changed light break switch checked fuses and wiring everything is good
Sunroof Exploded. Empty Road, temp low 40s. No warning. I have owned the car since 2004. Though older car, <120,000 miles.
The drivers door will not open. It is stuck shut. Turning the key in the lock does not work. Broke outer handle trying to open door to assist elderly party out of drivers seat. Power lock fuse is fine. Took door panel off partly to expose cable, cannot push or pull cable to force open. Safety issue…
I drive a 2002 Ford Focus Sedan. My engine light is on, warning light for trunk door ajar light is on (even though the trunk is securely locked, my front headlights due not work consistently (sometimes work, sometimes don't). My trunk does not always latch secure after I close it as well. I took my…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle slipped out of drive into neutral. The contact called fairway ford (2761 e stone dr, kingsport, tn 37660), and informed the dealer of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that he had to pay a…
Other Ford Focus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Focus | 837 | 7 |
| 2017 Focus | 899 | 10 |
| 2016 Focus | 1,183 | 10 |
| 2015 Focus | 1,022 | 9 |
| 2014 Focus | 2,603 | 12 |
| 2013 Focus | 2,112 | 11 |
| 2012 Focus | 3,769 | 7 |
| 2011 Focus | 113 | 0 |
| 2010 Focus | 287 | 0 |
| 2009 Focus | 229 | 0 |
| 2008 Focus | 250 | 1 |
| 2007 Focus | 391 | 0 |
| 2006 Focus | 205 | 0 |
| 2005 Focus | 441 | 1 |
| 2004 Focus | 387 | 1 |
| 2003 Focus | 977 | 1 |
| 2002 | 939 | 1 |
| 2001 Focus | 1,761 | 7 |
| 2000 Focus | 3,686 | 11 |
| 1999 Focus | 11 | 0 |
See all Ford Focus problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford Focus?
Owners most often report electrical system, suspension, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 277 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford Focus?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Ford Focus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Focus model years, the 2002 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.