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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension972
  2. Visibility101
  3. Vehicle speed control79
  4. Structure57
  5. Engine and engine cooling55
  6. Air bags51
  7. Power train49
  8. Electrical system44
  9. Tires41
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic35
  11. Equipment30
  12. Exterior lighting24
  13. Fuel system, gasoline20
  14. 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
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
20014
200232
200354
200457
200583
2006107
2007183
2008249
2009181
2010213
2011123
201265
201337
201429
201513
201619
20179
20185
20192
20202
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251
20261

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

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2020Suspension, Service brakesODI 11383037

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2019Visibility, StructureODI 11233130

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2018Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11132160

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2016StructureODI 10908146

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2014Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 10597112

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bagsODI 11173440
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.