2002 Ford Ranger Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Ranger years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 346 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Ranger. That ranks 8th out of 28 Ranger model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (61 complaints, 18%), typically at around 51,500 miles. Complaints mention 43 crashes, 12 fires, 40 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 346owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 43complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Ford Ranger 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 61 | 18% | 51,500 | “rear differential” (13%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 51 | 15% | 65,000 | “cruise control” (24%) | — |
| Structure | 49 | 14% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 39 | 11% | 14,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 37 | 11% | 42,901 | — | — |
| Suspension | 36 | 10% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 29 | 8% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 6% | 26,491 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 17 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 16 | 5% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 4% | 70,200 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 13 | 4% | 78,619 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 3% | 33,433 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 2% | 45,556 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 2% | 38,625 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 2% | 32,540 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 2% | 161,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 1% | 21,322 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 1,066 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 32,765 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 10,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Ford Ranger recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
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.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Power train:driveline:differential unit
Problem: On some manual transmission trucks equipped with the fx4 package, the rear axle differential case could fracture under a high torque event such as when customers accelerate rapidly from a stop or when a spinning tire suddenly gains traction.
Risk: Differential fractures could potentially result in wheel lock-up.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axle assembly. Owner notification began march 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Steel rim came apart while adding air to tire causing severe injuries to hands leg and foot only 20 psi in tire pressure when rim blew apart !
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and attempting to switch lanes, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V399000 (Vehicle Speed…
Extreme rusting of the entire frame and underside steel components. Attachments are rusting to the point of failure and falling off the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and…
Rear shake bracket rusted off
Other Ford Ranger years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ranger | 7 | 8 |
| 2025 Ranger | 43 | 13 |
| 2024 Ranger | 91 | 13 |
| 2023 Ranger | 18 | 4 |
| 2022 Ranger | 37 | 5 |
| 2021 Ranger | 117 | 6 |
| 2020 Ranger | 130 | 7 |
| 2019 Ranger | 270 | 11 |
| 2017 Ranger | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 Ranger | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Ranger | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 Ranger | 235 | 5 |
| 2010 Ranger | 156 | 8 |
| 2009 Ranger | 169 | 7 |
| 2008 Ranger | 326 | 5 |
| 2007 Ranger | 270 | 5 |
| 2006 Ranger | 272 | 12 |
| 2005 Ranger | 289 | 9 |
| 2004 Ranger | 404 | 10 |
| 2003 Ranger | 243 | 1 |
| 2002 | 346 | 3 |
| 2001 Ranger | 515 | 4 |
| 2000 Ranger | 670 | 3 |
| 1999 Ranger | 755 | 4 |
| 1998 Ranger | 576 | 5 |
| 1997 Ranger | 411 | 1 |
| 1996 Ranger | 413 | 2 |
| 1995 Ranger | 321 | 1 |
See all Ford Ranger problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford Ranger?
Owners most often report power train, vehicle speed control, structure problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 61 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford Ranger?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Ford Ranger a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Ranger model years, the 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.