NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 209 owner complaints for the 2002 Ford Mustang. Most complaints involve engine and engine cooling (40) and air bags (25). The EPA rates it 18–21 mpg combined.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Mustang model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 304 |
| 1997 | 230 |
| 1998 | 320 |
| 1999 | 297 |
| 2000 | 446 |
| 2001 | 280 |
| 2002 | 209 |
| 2003 | 271 |
| 2004 | 130 |
| 2005 | 868 |
| 2006 | 575 |
| 2007 | 615 |
| 2008 | 347 |
| 2009 | 181 |
| 2010 | 261 |
| 2011 | 466 |
| 2012 | 469 |
| 2013 | 271 |
| 2014 | 359 |
| 2015 | 439 |
| 2016 | 380 |
| 2017 | 268 |
| 2018 | 196 |
| 2019 | 152 |
| 2020 | 122 |
| 2021 | 55 |
| 2022 | 50 |
| 2023 | 15 |
| 2024 | 85 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 | 8 |
“I HAVE A 2002 MUSTANG GT BULLITT THAT I BOUGHT IN JULY 2013. SO FAR I HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS WHERE A SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN THE HEAD. THE MOST RECENT WAS YESTERDAY 11/23/2013. ALL I WAS DOING WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A NOISE COME FROM THE SPARK PLUG. TODAY, I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUG AGAIN, AND SO FAR IT IS RUNNING OKAY FOR NOW. BUT A FEW WEEKS AGO, I CHANGED THE SAME SPARK PLUG, THEN IT WORKED FINE, THEN IT WENT OUT AGAIN YESTERDAY. SO, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT IF IT DOES, I WON'T BE SURPRISED. *TR”
“TEN MINUTES PRIOR TO AIR BAGS DEPLOYING I COMPLAINED TO MY TWO PASSENGERS THAT MY EYES WERE BURNING. I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE IN CENTER LANE IN CITY TRAFFIC, WHEN I HEAR A LOUD BANG AND INSTANTLY BOTH AIRBAGS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED. THE NOISE AND FORCE STARTLED ME TAKING MY FOOT OF BRAKE AND ROLLING FORWARD. THE AIR BAGS BLEW BOTH MY PASSENGER AND MY GLASSES INTO THE BACK SEAT OF CAR. THE PASSENGER BAG WAS SMOKING BADLY AND I QUICKLY PUT DOWN BOTH WINDOWS AND I PULLED OFF STREET INTO SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHOM I ROLLED INTO PULLED OVER AS WELL. WE CHECKED BOTH THE FRONT OF MY CAR AND REAR BUMPER OF HER CAR AND BECAUSE NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. I TOOK A PICTURE OF HER BUMPER AND LICENSE PLATE TO SHOW NO DAMAGE. MY PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT WAS BRUISED FROM AIRBAG AS FOR MYSELF AND THE OTHER PASSENGER WE WERE SHAKEN BY THE EXPERIENCE.”
“1 - ENGINE MAKES HORRIBLE SOUND IN COLD WEATHER. ALSO APPEARS TO BE ISSUE WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. VERY BAD GAS MILEAGE - BIG CHANGE IN DECREASED MPG. HAVE ISSUES WHEN TRYING TO FILL UP GAS TANK WHERE FUEL GUN FILLER WONT ALLOW ME TO FUEL AS THE GAS PUMP AT MOST GAS STATIONS WILL IMMEDIATELY STOP AND KICK OUT THE FUELLER GUN AND SPIT GAS OUT OF MY TANK AND SPILL ON MY CAR. THERE IS ALSO OIL ON MY SPARK PLUGS AND PORTS. 2 -POWERTRAIN - POOR STABILITY IN DRIVING AND SQUEAKY NOISES COMING FROM REAREND. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND WENT THROUGH FOUR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, FIRST TIME AT 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER ONLY. FORD REPLACED ALL DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. PRESENTLY I AM RE-EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ALL DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SECOND AND THIRD GEAR TO FINAL INOPERABILITY CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP DEAD WHILE DRIVING. IT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustang Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 27 | 21 | $3,050 | 423 |
| Mustang Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 25 | 20 | $3,200 | 444 |
| Mustang Man 5-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 23 | 19 | $3,400 | 468 |
| Mustang Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,550 | 494 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
6 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 209 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine and engine cooling (40), air bags (25), power train (24). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2002 Ford Mustang at 18–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).