Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Ford Mustang problems

Owners filed 209 complaints about the 2002 Ford Mustang with NHTSA between Jul 2001 and Mar 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (40).

Complaints
209
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
11
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling40
  2. Air bags25
  3. Power train24
  4. Seat belts21
  5. Vehicle speed control18
  6. Suspension17
  7. Structure15
  8. Electrical system14
  9. Fuel system, gasoline12
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic11
  11. Tires10
  12. Visibility10
  13. Engine9
  14. Equipment7

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20013
200231
200326
200418
200530
200616
200724
20089
20098
20109
20116
20122
20137
20145
20153
20163
20171
20182
20192
20201
20212
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

40 reports2 crashes
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2013Engine and engine coolingODI 10553626

Air bags

25 reports16 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2019Air bagsODI 11278233

Power train

24 reports3 crashes1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, EngineCrash reportedFire reportedODI 10568663

Seat belts

21 reports4 crashes
“I RECENTLY WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE LATE AFTER WORK ON INTERSTATE 10 AT 60 MPH WHEN I WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL , HIT A GUARD RAIL AND THROWN INTO ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AS STATED IN POLICE REPORT. BOTH FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE HOWEVER NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING FACIAL TRAUMA SEATBELTS FAILED, AS IT DID NOT HOLD MY 100 LB BODY IN PLACE.CAUSING INJURY. FROM BEING THROWN ALL OVER THE CAR CAUSING LOSS OF CONCIOUSNOUS. BACK DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AND HUB WAS TORN OFF FROM IMPACT AND AXLE WAS BROKE. CAR HAD 96 K MILES AND WELL MAINTAINED.AND CARED FOR. HOWEVER THIS CAR HAS FAULTY AIRBAGS, SEATBELTS, AMONG OTHER ISSUES THAT CA RESULT IN A HUMAN LIFE!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2018Seat belts, Structure, WheelsCrash reportedODI 11061482

Vehicle speed control

18 reports1 crash1 fire
“FIRST INCIDENT: I WAS APPROACHING MY MAIL BOX TO STOP AND GET MY MAIL OUT, WHILE BRAKING INSTEAD OF STOPPING THE CAR ACCELERATED AND WENT RIGHT PAST MY MAILBOX. I DROVE INTO MY STONE DRIVEWAY, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY EVEN THOUGH I HAD STOPPED, THE TIRES WERE SPINNING SO FAST THEY MAD RUTS IN MY DRIVEWAY. EVEN SITTING THERE IN PARK, THE RPM NEEDLE WAS RACING UPWARD. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS GO ON. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. NEXT DAY I WENT OUT, AND CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING WITHOUT ME STEPPING ON THE GAS. SCARED TO DRIVE IT, I HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER. THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK AND A HALF, NEVER HAPPENED FOR THEM, AND SAID UNLESS IT HAPPENS WHILE THEY HAVE IT, COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. (ALTHOUGH THEY DID MENTION A FEW POSSIBILITIES: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, LEAKAGE, COMPUTER) AS I WAS TAKING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP ON 8/9/13 FOR OTHER SERVICE, I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID ALSO UNLESS THE CAR DID IT WHILE IT WAS THERE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CHECK IT OUT. SECOND INCIDENT: WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, PROBABLY ABOUT 55-60 MPH, THE CAR ON ITS OWN SPED UP, THE RPM NEED SEEMED STUCK AT 3, EVEN THOUGH I WAS BREAKING THE CAR WASN'T…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2013Vehicle speed controlODI 10545310

Suspension

17 reports
“2002 FORD WINDSTAR REAR AXLE PROBLEM WE WERE DRIVING ON 78E AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE ALLENTOWN. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A CRACK, SMELLED SMOKE, AND HEARD METAL SCRAPING. THE CAR STARTED FISHTAILING AND MY HUSBAND VIRTUALLY HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR AS THE WINDSTAR REPEATEDLY CROSSED 2 LANES AND ALMOST HIT THE MIDDLE BARRIER AND THEN FISHTAILED TOWARD THE OTHER SIDE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS OR TRUCKS IN FRONT OR IN BACK OF US AND WE WERE AT A SLIGHT UPHILL. FINALLY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VAN AND PULL OVER TO THE SMALL SHOULDER WHICH WAS BARELY BIG ENOUGH TO FIT THE VAN. WE CALLED 911 AND AAA. WHILE WE WAITED ON THE SIDE, WE FEARED THAT WE COULD GET HIT IN THE EVENT THAT A TRUCK OR CAR SWERVED TO THE SIDE. WE WERE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED AND THE REAR TIRES WERE CAVED IN. MY AUTO DEALER GILBOY IN WHITEHALL OFFERED TO TOW AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY AT MY EXPENSE. FORD EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE WAS NO COVERAGE FOR THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY AND THERE CURRENTLY IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. BOTH GILBOY AND FORD TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2010SuspensionODI 10346993
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.