Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Ford Taurus problems
Owners filed 1,469 complaints about the 2002 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between Jul 2001 and May 2026. The most-cited component is suspension (972).
Complaints
1,469
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
77
Reported by owners
Fires
15
Reported by owners
Injuries
47
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension972
- Visibility101
- Vehicle speed control79
- Structure57
- Engine and engine cooling55
- Air bags51
- Power train49
- Electrical system44
- Tires41
- Service brakes, hydraulic35
- Equipment30
- Exterior lighting24
- Fuel system, gasoline20
- Steering19
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 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
32
54
57
83
107
183
249
181
213
123
65
37
29
13
19
9
5
2
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 32 |
| 2003 | 54 |
| 2004 | 57 |
| 2005 | 83 |
| 2006 | 107 |
| 2007 | 183 |
| 2008 | 249 |
| 2009 | 181 |
| 2010 | 213 |
| 2011 | 123 |
| 2012 | 65 |
| 2013 | 37 |
| 2014 | 29 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 19 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
972 reports8 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO BRAKE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUBURN AUTOMOTIVE (500 S. OPDYKE RD, WATERFORD, MI 48328, (248) 332-9300) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *BF”
Visibility
101 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WAS LOOSENING ON THE UPPER PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS COMING OUT OF THE MOLDING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.”
Vehicle speed control
79 reports16 crashes1 fire
“ON 14 OCT 2017, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED. ON THE DRIVE HOME, THE THROTTLE CABLE BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE CAR TO NOT STOP ACCELERATING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED THE CAR BY CRASHING INTO A DUMPSTER/FENCE AT A SERVICE STATION.”
Structure
57 reports3 crashes
“THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE WILL FREEZE UP ON PARTICULARLY COLD DAYS, AND THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY SHUT ONCE IT HAS BEEN OPENED. CONSEQUENTLY, THE DOOR HAS TO BE TIED SHUT, OR IT HAS TO BE HELD ON TO. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL "SURE" FIXES FOR THE PROBLEM. ONCE THE WEATHER WARMS UP, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY... UNTIL THE NEXT COLD SNAP. IT IS NOT COLD OUT RIGHT NOW, SO I CAN'T DOCUMENT THIS WITH A PHOTOGRAPH. INCIDENTALLY, ALL OF THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES TEND TO STAY IN THE "OPEN" POSITION ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN LIFTED. WE TEND TO GET IN THE HABIT OF PUSHING THEM DOWN AFTER WE OPEN IT, BUT IT SEEMS UNSAFE TO ME.”
Engine and engine cooling
55 reports4 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLOWER RELAY SWITCH CONTINUOUSLY FAILED IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.”
Air bags
51 reports43 crashes1 fire
“TAKATA RECALL: I BOUGHT A CAR FROM A MAN LESS THAN 5 MONTHS AGO AND I SLOWLY STARTED TO NOTICE SOME THINGS. I STARTED OUT WITH 3 WINDOWS WORKING INSTEAD OF FOUR WHICH I WAS NOT TOLD. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T EVEN WORK AND IT STOPPED ABOUT A MOTH AGO. A WEEK BEFORE THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, MY BROTHER WAS ACTUALLLY THE ONE DRIVING WHEN THAT HAPPENED. ALSO, I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD THE WRONG BATTERY IN THE CAR SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER DAMAGE THAT HAS DONE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.