U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Ford MUSTANG problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

118 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 53 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 118 complaints (10.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	24	20.3%
Engine operation	16	13.6%
Steering behavior	8	6.8%
Transmission and shifting	6	5.1%
Fuel system concerns	4	3.4%
Electrical and battery issues	3	2.5%

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.

Air Bags:Frontal

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Air Bags

Seat Belts

Tires

Unknown Or Other

Engine

Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 9; Air Bags: 7; Seat Belts: 7; Tires: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Engine: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 65 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.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2001: 2; 2002: 29; 2003: 17; 2004: 14; 2005: 13; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 5; 2012: 1; 2013: 5; 2014: 2; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 8 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 10019302 · 2003-05-06 (May 6, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE SIDE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019302 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022888 · 2003-06-11 (June 11, 2003)

WHILE PARKED ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE WILL SHAKE AND THE BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016114 · 2003-04-17 (April 17, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT STALLED AGAIN AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT START AT ALL. *NLM THE CONTROL VALVE WAS CHANGED WITH NO CODES SHOWING IN THE SYSTEM. BEFORE, THE MECAHNIC STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE WEATHER AND THE GAS. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL AND WAS REPLACED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 2,548 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016114 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022887 · 2003-07-03 (July 3, 2003)

THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ONE. *AK *CB *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022887 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059592 · 2004-02-23 (February 23, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING NORTH AT 45 MPH A VEHICLE TRAVELING SOUTH HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD ON. FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. DRIVER'S HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT OF NECK PAIN AND INJURIES TO THE LEGS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059592 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10141289 · 2005-10-31 (October 31, 2005)

DT: THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ROADS WERE DRY AND SHE WAS DRIVING 40-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SPIN AND HIT A GUARD RAIL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. SHE WAS UNAWARE IF ANYTHING WAS DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED, AT THE SCENE, IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. SHE WAS UNSURE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10141289 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049152 · 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IN WHICH ENGINE WILL RACE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, AND FOOT OFF OF GAS PEDAL. USUALLY OCCURS WHEN STOPPING AT STOP SIGN OR PULLING INTO PARKING PLACE. CAR WILL COME TO ALMOST COMPLETE STOP AND THEN THE ENGINE WILL RACE AND THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD, AND BRAKES CANNOT STOP CAR. BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT STOPPING VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION.AR IS AT FORD DEALER PRESENTLY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049152 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066031 · 2004-04-13 (April 13, 2004)

MANUAL TRANSMISSION STICKS, IT WON'T GO INTO TO GEAR OR COME OUT OF GEAR. ESPECIALLY FIRST, SECOND, AND REVERSE. WE HAVE BEEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUR CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAVE AT TIMES, HAD TO SPEND 5 MINUTES TRYING TO GET OUR CAR IN REVERSE. ALREADY CAUSED ONE ACCIDENT, AND MANY MORE NEAR MISSES. ALSO TICKING/RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM CLUTCH AT ALL TIMES. DEALERSHIP IS COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEIR IS NO PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066031 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10080955 · 2004-07-13 (July 13, 2004)

I HAVE HAD MY MUSTANG IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES TO REPAIR THE CHECK FUEL CAP LIGHT. THE CAR HAS STALLED ON ME SEVERAL TIMES. SENCE THE LAST TIME I HAD IT IN THE SHOP MY CAR GETS REALY BAD GAS MILEAGE. IT HAS RECENTLTY BEEN GIVING ME A HARD TIME SHIFTING. I HAVE A FEAR OF THE CAR STALLING ON THE FREEWAY OR CATCHING FIRE, BEACAUSE OF THE ELETRICAL PROBLEMS IN THE FUEL TANK. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10080955 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10132720 · 2005-08-13 (August 13, 2005)

STARTED CAR IN PARKING LOT, RUMBLED VIOLENTLY. PUT CAR INTO DRIVE, TURNING OUT OF PARKING LOT CAR DIES AND AM ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FUEL PUMP HAD GONE OUT ON CAR. NEW PUMP DIRECTLY FROM FORD DEALERSHIP WAS PUT INTO CAR. 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, CAR STARTED TO RUMBLE AGAIN, WAS ABLE TO CREEP THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BEFORE CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 49,068 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132720 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10125880 · 2005-07-25 (July 25, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMERS 2002 FORD MUSTANG WAS PARKED AT A CURB AND TURNED OFF WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES. THERE WAS NO CRUISE CONTROL USED. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT INDICATED A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS FAIRLY NEW AND IN GOOD CONDITION. THE AREA AROUND THE BATTERY AND WIRING WAS BURNT. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD MELTED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE INSIDE OF THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125880 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8012173 · 2002-06-19 (June 19, 2002)

WHILE TURNING AT 30MPH, VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK THIS VEHICLE LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING THE IGNITION. THIS VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE POSESSION OF THE DEALER. *JG

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8012173 at NHTSA ↗