2002 Ford Mustang problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags:frontal (10) · Vehicle Speed Control (8) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline (7)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford Mustang model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
53 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (72)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine 2007-10-01 · 07212 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. updated 2/23/10. *pe
Power Train:axle Assembly 2006-01-01 · 06216 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers. *tt
Engine And Engine Cooling 2005-11-14 · 041601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
Seat Belts:front:retractor 2005-06-07 · 042421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
safety belt retraction speed. *tt
Seat Belts 2005-02-21 · 05310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
safety belt web stop button service. *eh
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) 2004-12-13 · 042107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
general (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt
Showing the 6 most recent of 72 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2023-03-31 · Service Brakes“on or about 01/28/2023 i purchased a 2002 ford mustang gt for a n.j. used car dealer. i was assured by the sales person that the mustang had been thoroughly inspected and there were no mechanical problems whatsoever. upon delivery of the mustang, that had only 68,886 miles, i took the mustang for a required virginia safety inspection and learned …”
2021-03-31 · Fuel/Propulsion System“the fuel pump in my 2002 3.8l mustang stopped working. when i lowered the gas tank to replace it, i found that the plastic part the fuel pump/sending unit sets down into is offset from the hole and the fuel pump/sending unit can not be removed without breaking the part that it sets down into. so not only do i have to replace the pump, i have to buy…”
2020-12-26 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 150,000 mi“while idling my car suddenly had cylinder #3 misfire and the spark plug blow out of the cylinder head.…”
2019-11-05 · Air Bags · 1,128,000 mi“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. th…”
2019-04-14 · Air Bags · 98,000 mi · 💥 crash“while my daughter was driving on a in town road she came upon construction, all traffic was stopped because the 2 lanes were down to 1. as she was waiting for traffic to start moving her boot got caught under seat lever (thigh high boots flap got caught) and it made her foot slip from brake, she then bumped into the van in front of her, less then 5…”
2018-05-30 · Service Brakes · 70,000 mi · 💥 crash“tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford mustang. while driving approximately 35 mph, the brakes failed when the brake pedal was depressed. the contact stated that the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard and, as a result, the contact rear ended another vehicle. there were no injuries and a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to an undisclosed…”
2017-03-07 · Air Bags · 115,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford mustang. while driving 35 mph, the air bags deployed without warning or impact. the steering wheel and dashboard were damaged due to the deployment. the contact took the vehicle to an auto repair facility where it was diagnosed as an air bag failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was unknown.…”
2015-05-18 · Engine · 72,500 mi“while in drive, with the car stopped, the car tries to surge forward by itself. you have to be weary that you keep additional pressure on the brake or the car will burst forward. …”
2014-11-14 · Service Brakes · 146,000 mi · 💥 crash“there was a vehicle in front of me. both vehicles were traveling at the same speed. the car in front of me anchored the brakes. i was 3 car length behind. th abs failed and did not allow the brakes to resume. we hit the back end of the car in front at 35mph. the passenger seatbelt broke ending my fiance head into the windshield. the airbags d…”
2014-07-11 · Structure:body · 148,000 mi · 🔥 fire“my wife was pulling in to the drive way on her way from doing some errands a drive of less than 5 miles and its a rural road where you cant drive more than 30 miles an hour when she smelt like something was burning. she checked the gauges and everything seemed fine and then saw smoke coming off the hood. she only had time to park the car and get of…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.