2002 Ford F-250 Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning light was illuminated. The contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle started after several attempts. The contact stated the vehicle sat for a while before starting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not officially diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was possibly caused by an unknown sensor. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure started in 2013; however, the vehicle had been parked and undriveable since 2017. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.

NHTSA ID

11664276

Incident

Jun 2, 2013

Mileage

109,000 mi

The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-250. The contact initially discovered patches of fluid on the garage floor. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer discovered a leak in the engine oil pan due to a faulty silicone gasket. The contact stated that the oil pan was replaced by the same dealer a year prior to the recent failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 138,683.

NHTSA ID

11656066

Incident

Jan 16, 2025

Mileage

138,683 mi

As soon as the truck started, it popped out one of its spark plug. The truck started shaking and made a hollow noise and began to smoke and quickly caught on fire. The fire burned the entire truck.

NHTSA ID

11458738

Incident

Mar 26, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO HIS DESTINATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300,000.

NHTSA ID

11390640

Incident

Jan 15, 2021

Mileage

300,000 mi

2002 F-250 7.3L DIESEL. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY PULLING A HORSE TRAILER ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. I LOST ALL STEERING AND BRAKES. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED WHILE COASTING. DROVE ANOTHER FEW MILES AND IT STALLED AGAIN. WOULD NOT START AGAIN AFTER THAT. THIS HAPPENED ON A REMOTE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. HAD A WRECKER TOW US TO A DIESEL SHOP WHO REPORTED TRUCK STARTED FINE NEXT DAY. WENT AND PICKED IT UP AND IT STUTTERED A FEW TIMES ON THE WAY HOME BUT DID NOT STALL. A FEW MONTHS LATER, ENGINE STALLED AT A RED LIGHT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BUT STARTED BACK UP. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO READ A CAM POSITION SENSOR CIRCUIT FAULT ON THE COMPUTER. REPLACED CAM POSITION SENSOR. A FEW MONTHS LATER, STALLED AGAIN AT AN INTERSECTION. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. UPON ARRIVING AND UNLOADING FROM WRECKER. TRUCK STARTED UP. STARTED TO DRIVE IT HOME AND STALLED AGAIN HALFWAY THERE ON A BUSY RURAL ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER. CALLED WRECKER AGAIN AND TOWED TO DIFFERENT DIESEL SHOP. REPLACED CPS AGAIN AND TRUCK STARTED FINE. TOOK IT HOME AND RAN IT AT IDLE UNTIL ENGINE TEMP WAS NORMAL. ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT START. WAITED ABOUT 2 HOURS AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE AND RAN AT IDLE FOR ONE HOUR WITHOUT STALLING. CURRENT CPS WAS FROM FORD DEALER (THE GREY ONE) BUT APPARENTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ONE INVOLVED IN NHTSA ID: EA06012 RECALL FROM 2006 IS STILL A PROBLEM. IT COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND CAUSE A SERIOUS CRASH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE!!

NHTSA ID

11271348

Incident

Oct 27, 2019

Mileage

162,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD F-250. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS IN COLD TEMPERATURES AND CONNECTED TO THE BLOCK HEATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,700.

NHTSA ID

11172110

Incident

Jan 17, 2019

Mileage

177,700 mi

ON NOVEMBER 26TH 2017, MY TRUCK STARTED HAVING A SIGNIFICANT MIS-FIRE IN CYLINDER #4. TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 30 MPH ON CITY STREETS; THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ALTHOUGH DIFFICULT TO LIMP THE VEHICLE HOME AS IT DID NOT ACCELERATE WELL. UPON REMOVING THE SPARK PLUG; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD THREADS IN THE SPARK PLUG PORT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN EJECTED SPARK PLUG HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED. SINCE THIS IS THE 3RD DIFFERENT CYLINDER THIS HAS OCCURRED ON WITH NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM MULTIPLE OWNERS OF THE SAME ENGINE DESIGN BY FORD; I HAVE DECIDED TO FILE THIS REPORT. THIS IS THE 2ND REPORT I HAVE FILED WITH THE NHTSA. THE FIRST REPORT I FILED WAS BECAUSE THE 2ND TIME THIS OCCURRED; A SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE #3 CYLINDER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN SPEED IN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. THAT OCCURRENCE ALSO CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION AND HAD TO BE PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT REPORTS TO FORD AND DOCUMENTED OCCURRENCES DATING BACK TO 1997; FORD CONTINUES TO SAY THAT BECAUSE NO "SAFETY ISSUES" HAVE RISEN OR BEEN PROVEN TO BE CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE THAT IT IS NOT THERE PROBLEM. I WILL ALSO BE FILING REPORTS WITH BBB, CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER REPORTS.

NHTSA ID

11051574

Incident

Nov 26, 2017

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V553000 (ENGINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ID

10970059

Incident

Mar 31, 2017

Mileage

117,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND AS SOON AS THE ENGINE BECAME HOT, A BURNING OIL ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000.

NHTSA ID

10949722

Incident

Sep 15, 2016

Mileage

86,000 mi

MY 2002 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY 5.4 GASOLINE ENGINE HAD A SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT AT AROUND 165,000 MILES. I HAD PULLED OVER TO TAKE A CALL TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP IT WAS MAKING A LOUD POPPING SOUND, MY MACHANIC SHOP WAS NEXT DOOR TO WHERE I WAS SO I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE.

NHTSA ID

10874039

Incident

Jun 6, 2016

Mileage

165,000 mi

OIL PAN RUSTED OUT.

NHTSA ID

10562748

Incident

Feb 3, 2014

Mileage

185,500 mi

THE #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ENGINE. BY BLOWING OUT, IT IS A FIRE HAZARD ,AS THE ENGINE STILL PUMPS GAS THROUGH THIS PISTON. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX AND FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS BAD HEAD PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10478498

Incident

Oct 2, 2012

Mileage

156,000 mi

ON 03/16/2012 AT 10:30PM WHILE ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, I CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN. TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE. AS I PULLED AWAY FROM THE STOP SIGN AND ACCELERATING I HEARD A LOUD POP AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD. I FOUND THAT THE COIL ON THE #3 SPARK PLUG WAS OUT AND THE EXHAUST SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE HOLE WHERE THE SPARK PLUG SHOULD HAVE BEEN. ONLY LIVING 2 MILES FROM WORK, I DROVE THE TRUCK HOME AND PARKED IT TIL MORNING. IN THE MORNING I WENT OUT AND TRIED TO PUT THE PLUG BACK IN AND REALIZED THERE WERE NO THREADS TO THREAD THE PLUG INTO. THIS IS VERY DISCONCERTING REALIZING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME MAJOR WORK NEEDING TO BE DONE ON THE TRUCK BEFORE I CAN DRIVE IT AGAIN. NOT TO MENTION COST. UPON SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE FORD TRUCKS AND THAT FORD IS REFUSING TO DO A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK ON 03/12/2012 AND CANNOT DRIVE IT ANY MORE. I WILL NOT DRIVE IT ANY MORE DUE TO THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE FUEL VAPORS COMING OUT OF THE HOLE AND POSSIBLY CATCHING FIRE FROM THE SPARK PLUG WIRE STILL ARCING. LEAST OF ALL THAT IT WILL CAUSE MORE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE BEFORE IT CAN BE REPAIRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER AND I AM HOPING THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT WILL MAKE FORD DO A RECALL ON THESE TRUCKS AND GET THE PROBLEM FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452118

Incident

Mar 16, 2012

Mileage

88,715 mi

HELP! SPARK PLUGS #3 AND #5 HAVE BLOWN IN MY FORD 2002 F250 SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2011. THESE FAILURES HAVE HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS CAUSING ME TO LOOSE POWER ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND NARROWLY AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO NAVIGATE MY WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS FAILURE HAPPENS FREQUENTLY TO A LARGE NUMBER OF FORD VEHICLE OWNERS. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT NHTSA HAS DENIED ANY FURTHER ACTION AGAINST FORD. I FIND THIS DENIAL QUESTIONABLE WITH THE VAST NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING OVER AND OVER. MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS WAS JEOPARDIZED ON BOTH OCCASIONS THAT MY PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10422612

Incident

Jul 28, 2011

RUST OUT OF OIL PAN, 2002 FORD F250 DIESEL CAUSING MAJOR OIL LEAKAGE ONTO EXHAUST. FORD INDICATED THIS IS A COSMETIC PROBLEM BUT ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO DEALERS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY DEALER SINCE NEW. FORD INDICATES THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM AS IT IS COSMETIC. IT COST OVER $1400.00 TO FIX THIS COSMETIC PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED IN TOTALLY OIL COVERED EXHAUST SYSTEM. REPAIR WAS NOT DONE BY DEALER THAT INDICATED THE PROBLEM WAS A PAN GASKET. A SECOND OPINION SHOWED A LARGE HOLE IN THE PAN FROM RUSTING. COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10316085

Incident

Jul 16, 2009

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE HOLE, WHICH CAUSED OIL TO SPRAY ONTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 2/2/09 *CN UPDATED 02/04/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10251042

Incident

Dec 5, 2008

Mileage

160,000 mi

2002 FORD F-250 PICKUP WITH A 5.4 LITRE ENGINE. SPARK PLUGS KEEP BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TELLS ME THEY SEE THIS OFTEN AND THEN PRESENT ME WITH A $400.00 BILL EACH TIME A SPARK PLUG BLOWS LOOSE. I'VE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THIS CAN ALSO RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE BECAUSE THE COMPRESSED GAS AND AIR MIXTURE ARE BEING BLOWN THROUGH THE SPARK PLUG HOLE, WHILE THE LOOSE PLUG CONTINUES TO FIRE NEARBY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10242969

Incident

Sep 19, 2008

Mileage

115,174 mi

FORD F250 TRUCK CUSTOMER STATES THAT FORD IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THE PROBLEM WITH THE SPARK PLUGS BLOWING OUT**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE MOTOR, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10188973

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2002 FORD F250 WITH 100,000 FAILURE MILEAGE AT 55 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH AND IT STARTED TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ALUMINUM HEAD. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHEN THE SPARK PLUG FAILED. UPDATE 4/25/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10184656

Incident

Feb 2, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE LOST COMPRESSION AND SPEED. ALSO, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE HEAD.

NHTSA ID

10176218

Incident

Dec 10, 2006

Mileage

61,399 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED OCCASIONALLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, A NEW CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

NHTSA ID

10167253

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

99,600 mi

(1) FAILED DURING DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON NARROW ROAD WITHOUT SHOULDER. CAUSED COMPLETE AND IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN, LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND SUBSTANTIAL CHALLENGE IN STEERING OUT OF CORNER. (2) FAILURE OF PART: "CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR" ON FORD 2002 7.3L POWER STROKE DIESEL ENGINE IN F-250 SD PICKUP. (3) DEALER REPLACED SENSOR AND ALSO "SYNCHRONIZER ASSEMBLY" UNDER WARRANTY. COST WAS $100 DEDUCTIBLE AND $96.87 TOW BILL. OLD PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166676

Incident

Apr 28, 2006

Mileage

51,390 mi

2002 FORD F-250 ,5.4 LITRE TRITON MOTOR. ORIGINAL DEALER INSTALLED SPARK PLUG BLOWN OUT OF ALUMINUM HEAD BECUASE OF A LACK OF THREAD ENGAGMENT. COST OF REPAIR $3,200

NHTSA ID

10133912

Incident

Aug 21, 2005

Mileage

56,000 mi

COMPLAINT REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH FORD V-10 ENGINE. *MR THE CONSUMER STARTED A PETITION WITH OTHER FORD CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS AS WELL. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WERE: BRIEF TAPPING NOISE AND A POP, THEN A LOUD NOISE LIKE A MANIFOLD LEAK, THE MECHANIC OBSERVED A SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT OF THE CYLINDER AND THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD BROKEN. THE CONSUMER'S CELL# 845 0 438-3527. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10083747

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

THE IGNITION SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS NO CODE FOR THE CHECK ENGINE AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE DIED AND THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DRIFTED INTO THE OTHER LANE. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND THAT THE CAM SENSOR WAS BAD AND THE EXHAUST SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10072187

Incident

May 1, 2004

Mileage

46,000 mi