Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Ford Thunderbird problems

Owners filed 93 complaints about the 2002 Ford Thunderbird with NHTSA between Aug 2002 and Sep 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (24).

Complaints
93
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling24
  2. Electrical system21
  3. Air bags13
  4. Engine12
  5. Vehicle speed control11
  6. Steering4
  7. Exterior lighting4
  8. Structure4
  9. Seat belts3
  10. Fuel/propulsion system2
  11. Fuel system, gasoline2
  12. Power train2
  13. Seats2
  14. Tires1

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 6, 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
20022
200314
20041
20054
20061
20072
200811
20099
20105
20119
20126
20134
20143
20153
20165
20175
20184
20193
20200
20210
20220
20232

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

24 reports
“HAD NUMBER 8 IGNITION COIL REPLACED AUGUST 1ST 2011,OTHER PARTS AND LABOR ($1007.02). SEVEN DAYS LATER,AUGUST 8TH 2011 HAD NUMBER 2 IGNITION COIL REPLACED ($210.91). BECAUSE THIS IS A 2002 THUNDERBIRD THESE REPAIRS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEY ARE FOR 2003 UP. WHY? THIS MAKES ME THINK ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER BRAND OF CAR, DON'T THINK IT COULD BE ANY WORSE. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10452291

Electrical system

21 reports
“THE CLUSTER LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHEN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED I REALLY DON'T KNOW SINCE THE CAR IS MAINLY A SHOW CAR AND WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT DUSK COMING BACK FROM A CAR SHOW THE CLUSTER LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. WE PARKED THE CAR AND ONLY DROVE IT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THEN THE FUEL SYSTEM QUIT WORKING SO WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE HEADLIGHT FAILURE, TAILLIGHT FAILURE, TURN SIGNAL FAILURE, TILT STEERING WHEEL FAILURE, PARKING LIGHTS FAILURE, AND DRIVING LIGHTS FAILURE. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT YOU CANNOT TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE RISK OF YOUR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GOING OUT. YOU CAN GOOGLE FORD THUNDERBIRD AND FIND INFORMATION WHERE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. I BELIEVE THIS CAR NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL SINCE THEY CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT OR REALLY ANYTIME. WHICH IS A RISK NOT ONLY TO ME BUT ANY OTHER VEHICLE AROUND ME. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER TO GET THE CAR LOOK AT AND FOR THEM TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A NETWORK PROBLEM AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11244929

Air bags

13 reports2 crashes
“MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON 09 -06 -2016 IN A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY DEPLOY & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED AS A RESULT. SHE WAS ON INTERSTATE 95N NEAR MANNING, SC WHEN A SEMI TRUCK DID NOT SEE HER & CAME INTO HER LANE GRAZING THE CAR. SHE HAD TO GO OFF THE ROAD OR THE TRUCK WOULD HAVE CRUSHED HER. THE THUNDERBIRD ROLLED OVER & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2019Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 11182303

Engine

12 reports
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering suddenly failed and the steering wheel would not turn in either direction, before the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2023Steering, EngineODI 11542652

Vehicle speed control

11 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AFTERWARDS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPERATE PAST APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. AFTER THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL ON PLUG WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT ALL EIGHT VEHICLE COIL ON PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVENTUALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2016Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10872774

Steering

4 reports
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to turn the steering wheel while using excessive force and veered to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled after driving approximately 3-feet. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2023SteeringODI 11542638
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

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