2002 Ford F Super Duty problems & reliability
34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Ford F Super Duty. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 10 | 29% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 18% |
| Power Train | 5 | 15% |
| Tires | 4 | 12% |
| Engine | 3 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 9% |
| Steering | 3 | 9% |
| Unknown OR Other | 3 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 17 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 27 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 83,000 miles (middle 50% between 69,000 and 112,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Set of 5 uniroyal liberator tires purchased new, lt265-75-16 load range e, 2002 f-250 4x4 (oem size) *these tires are no longer available thru wal-mart where they were purchased and installed. The following occurrences were/are due to defective tires, not any actions committed by wal-mart, the installer/seller. Owner…”
Tires · filed Sep 7, 2016
“My 2002 f250 superduty with 7.3l diesel will not turn at parking speeds and higher speeds if applying the brake. I have contacted ford and other owners with the same vehicle and they all say it is consistent with the 7.3l powered superduty trucks. I believe this is a very dangerous condition and do not want to be put…”
Steering · filed Jul 5, 2015
“Traveling on a busy highway at 65 mph; the spark plug on my 5.4l v8 triton blew out of its socket. (any mechanic will tell you everything you want to know about this) this caused an immediate bang and very rough running condition. As soon as it happened; there was an immediate loss of power which in turn; caused a…”
Engine · filed Feb 20, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE STALLING
Engineering Analysis EA06012 · opened Jun 22, 2006 · closed Dec 7, 2007 · led to recall 07V553000
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Defect Petition DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
- ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR (ETC)
Engineering Analysis EA04006 · opened Feb 23, 2004 · closed Feb 10, 2005
- ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR FAILURE (ETC)
Preliminary Evaluation PE03044 · opened Sep 26, 2003 · closed Feb 18, 2004
Technical service bulletins
37 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Ford F Super Duty. The 10 most recent:
Ford: the restraint control module (rcm) when using vcm ii, would have an error code 35 and diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1035, and difficulty attempting programmable module installation (pmi). Model 2001-2004 f-super…
ASI-44408 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2014
Ford: vehicles mistakenly charged $100 powertrain warranty deductible for fuel injector repair or repairs. No model or model years provided. *pe econoline, excursion and f-series super duty vehicles, model years…
CSP-48B01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2008
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. Updated 2/23/10…
07212 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2007
Fuel conditioner. Low power, poor fuel economy, fuel gelling in cold weather, excessive white smoke on cold start, hard start, or coking of components exposed to exhaust. *tt
19015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
041601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2005
Use of stainless steel exhaust studs in service for 5.4l 2v engine. *tt
0554 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 2005
Intermittent rough idle - non-commanded egr (exhaust gas recirculation valve) flow. *tt
05417 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2005
A driveline clunk or bump when starting from a stop. *tt
04266 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2005
Water leak - roof flange area - water accumulation in headliner and/or leak at the cab floor pan area. *tt
04239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 29, 2004
Adjustable accelerator pedal sensor replacement for vehicles exhibiting a problem with the adjustable accelerator pedal and a malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0221 or p0122. *tt…
03B03 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2004
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2002 Ford F Super Duty in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Ford F Super Duty?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 83,000 miles — worth a pre-purchase inspection if the car is near that mileage.