2002 Ford F-250 SD problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
245 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 205 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 39 of 245 complaints (15.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 59 | 24.1% |
| Steering behavior | 32 | 13.1% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 6.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 3.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 3.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 39 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 23 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel | 22 |
| Electrical System | 21 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 |
| Tires | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 9 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 8 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 39; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 23; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 22; Electrical System: 21; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12; Tires: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 9; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 35 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 43 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 44 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 43 |
| 150,000 and above | 16 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 35; 50,000 to 74,999: 43; 75,000 to 99,999: 44; 100,000 to 149,999: 43; 150,000 and above: 16
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 40 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 15 |
| 2004 | 31 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 26 |
| 2007 | 40 |
| 2008 | 29 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 32 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
2001: 1; 2002: 5; 2003: 15; 2004: 31; 2005: 18; 2006: 26; 2007: 40; 2008: 29; 2009: 20; 2010: 32; 2011: 6; 2012: 3; 2013: 6; 2014: 2; 2015: 6; 2016: 2; 2017: 3
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 59 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000388 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)
ON DECEMBER 19, 2002 AT 3:30 PM, WITH THE ENGINE WARMED UP AND THE TRANSMISSION INDICATING NORMAL TEMPERATURE, AFTER HAVING DRIVEN FOR 1 HOUR-PROBLEM FREE, I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN IN MY FORD F-250 DIESEL CREW CAB TRUCK AT THE INTERSECTION OF PLUMAS AND MOANA LANE, IN RENO, NEVADA. AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN, IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL ENGAGED TO THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE AS I SLOWED, THE DIESEL ENGINE BEGAN TO LUG DOWN AND JOLT THE TRUCK VIOLENTLY. THE ENGINE WAS ACCELERATING, BUT MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND ON THE B…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,720 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041412 · 2003-10-07 (October 7, 2003)
MY VEHICLE HAS 34000 MILES, IT'S A F250SD 4X4 DIESEL. WHEN BRAKING THE FRONT END SHAKES. THIS HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO ROTOR WARP. DEPENDING ON THE MECHANIC I HAVE BETWEEN 70-90% OF THE BRAKE PADS LEFT. THE VEHICLE DOESN'T NORMALLY TOW OR CARRY A GREAT DEAL OF WEIGHT. I THINK THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS OR SOME MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSES ROTOR WARP SO QUICKLY. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041412 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062486 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)
STEERING INOPERATIVE WHEN PRESSING DOWN HARD ON BRAKE PEDAL. FORD SAYS THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION AND HAVE NO FIX. 2002 FORD F-250 WITH 7.3 DIESEL ENGINE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062486 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062889 · 2004-04-08 (April 8, 2004)
BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE LAST TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW, AND AT 23,000 MILES CONSUMER EXPERIENCED VIBRATION ON STEERING WHEEL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. VEHICLE CURRENTLY IS AT 43,000 MILES AND STILL POSSES THE SAME PROBLEM. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064230 · 2004-03-31 (March 31, 2004)
TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST STEERING AT IDLE. UNABLE TO BACK INTO PARKING SPACE OR ALIGN WITH TRAILER WHILE HOOKING UP. SPEEDING UP ENGINE IN NEUTRAL DOESN'T HELP. STEERING WHEEL JUST COMPLETLEY LOCKS UP. CAN'T EVEN TURN IT WITH BOTH HANDS. FORD SAYS IT'S A "NORMAL CONDITION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064230 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10133478 · 2005-08-18 (August 18, 2005)
MY F-250 SUPER DUTY 4X4 PICKUP RECENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING OFF THE FREEWAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE TRUCK STALLED A SECOND TIME IN TRAFFIC AND A THIRD TIME WHILE ENTERING I15 IN BARSTOW, CA. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO SOUTARS FORD IN BARSTOW, CA. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY SOUTARS REPLACED A CAM SENSOR ASSEMBLY. THE CAM SENSOR WAS COVERED UNDER THE FORD 100,000 WARRANTY WITH $100 DEDUCTIBLE. TWO WEEKS AGO I RETURNED FROM A 4000 TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE AND GLACIER NATIONAL PARKS. ON THIS TRIP I TOWED A 9000 LB 5TH WHEEL WITH MY F250. HAD THE CAM…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,015 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133478 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000386 · 2002-12-26 (December 26, 2002)
ON DECEMBER 13, 2002, AT 5:00 PM, IN A SNOWSTORM IN RENO, NEVADA, FORD F-250 DIESEL CREW CAB WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT; TEMPERATURE WAS 35 DEGREES, TRUCK WAS IDLING NORMALLY; THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP AND THE TRANSMISSION INDICATED NORMAL TEMPERATURE. UPON RECEIVING A GREEN LIGHT, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE DIESEL ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO COMMANDS FROM THE ACCELERATOR-PEDAL. AFTER REPEATED, PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME ACCELERATION FROM THE ENGINE TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION; 20 SECONDS LATER, THE ACCELERATOR RESPONDED…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10138560 · 2005-10-04 (October 4, 2005)
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 2002 FORD F250 HAD TWO WIRES THAT MELTED TOGETHER IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THE ENTIRE CIRCUIT BOARD SHORTED OUT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY TO FIX THE TRUCK. THE OWNER STATED THAT SHE HAD NO MONEY TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138560 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154857 · 2006-04-07 (April 7, 2006)
I HAVE A 2002 FORD F-250 POWER STROKE DIESEL. I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF AS IF I HAD TURNED THE KEY OFF. IT PICKED RIGHT BACK UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED TO RUN FOR ABOUT A MILE. THEN IT SHUT OFF AGAIN AND DID NOT PICK BACK UP. THIS WAS ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT 55-60 MPH WITH NO POWER STEERING AND NO POWER BRAKES ON A 7000# TRUCK. I MANAGED TO COAST INTO A TURN LANE AND GOT IT TO RE-FIRE AND MOVED IT INTO A PARKING LOT. CHECKED ALL OF MY ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS UNDER THE HOOD AND RESTARTED THE TRUC…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154857 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156607 · 2006-05-02 (May 2, 2006)
WITHIN A TOTAL OF 11 MONTHS THE FORD DEALERSHIP HAS HAD TO CHANGE OUT THE FUEL PUMP TO OUR FORD F250. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161426 · 2006-07-05 (July 5, 2006)
WHEN I TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE, THE AUTO TECH NOTICED A FUEL LEAK NEAR THE FUEL FILTER. AGREEING WITH THE TECH THAT THE LEAK WAS FROM THE FILTER, I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME AND REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. ON INSPECTION OF THE FILTER AFTER INSTALLATION, THE TRUCK STILL CONTINUED TO LEAK FUEL. I DETERMINED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM A FUEL RETURN LINE, AT A POINT WHERE THE LINE IS HELD IN PLACE BY A METAL TAB. I TOOK THE TRUCK IN TO THE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE EMPLOYEES AGREED THAT THE LEAK OCCURRED FROM THE METAL TAB WEARING A HOLE IN THE F…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,778 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161426 at NHTSA ↗