Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Mustang, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling22
- Air bags20
- Vehicle speed control15
- Seat belts13
- Structure10
- Electrical system9
- Tires8
- Power train7
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 11 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 67 2002 Mustang vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 57 people died inside them, and 12 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Ford Mustang failed the safety check 1.32% of the time — 34% less often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 97,944 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
26 first registered in 2002 are on Dutch roads; 88% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde16
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen12
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse8
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage8
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm6
- Band onvoldoende profiel6
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht6
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld6
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
10 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 8 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
5 of these cars first registered in 2002 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 114,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
36 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 78% arrived as used imports, 19% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 11.4–13.0 L/100 km (about 18–21 mpg US), CO₂ 262–299 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.5 | 8.8 | 11.4 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 9.5 | 11.9 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 10.1 | 12.5 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 15.1 | 10.5 | 13.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2002 Ford Mustang.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2002 Ford Mustang: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637840 | SOME VEHICLES WITH THE TR6350 MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT TICKING / RATTLE NOISE WHILE DRIVING AFTER A COLD ENGINE START. *TT |
| 637824 | SUBJECT REGARDING INACCURATE SPEEDOMETER. *TT |
| 637480 | SUBJECT REGARDING P0460 DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION. *TT |
| 637436 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A WIND NOISE FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE A-PILLAR AREA. *TT |
| 636339 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPEED CONTROL LAMP. *TT |
| 636265 | SOME COBRAS MAY EXHIBIT A CLUNK NOISE FROM THE DRIVELINE DURING A QUICK ACCLERATION JUST AFTER COAST (TIP-IN CLUNK). *TT |
| 636261 | SOME VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR CONDITION PARITCULARLY FROM A STOP INTO FIRST OR REVERSE GEAR. *TT |
| 636189 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V ENGINE BUILT BEFORE MAY 17, 2002, MAY EXHIBIT AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE CRANKCASE / VALVE COVER AREA. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 636052 | INOPERATIVE OR INACURRATE SPEEDOMETER, 4X4 LAMP ILLUMINATD, AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1635 OR P1639. *TT |
| 636049 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES PROPER PROCEDURES FOR PREPARATION OF SERVICE SHEET METAL PARTS COATED WITH ELECTRO DEPOSITION PRIMER (E-COAT). *TT |
| 636045 | ON SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE, THE FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) BELT MAY HYDROPLANE ON THE WATER PUMP PULLEY WHENTHE BELT IS SPLASHED WITH WATER. *TT |
| 630734 | CONCERNS WITH A TR3650 MANUAL TRANSMISSION EXHIBITING CLASH/GRINDING SOUND DURING THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING. *TT |
| 630569 | CONCERNS WITH VEHICLES EXHIBITING DOOR GLASS INOPERATIVE CONDITION. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630354 | SOME VEHICLES MAY RUN ROUGH AT CRUISE OR MOMENTARILY AFTER STOPPING, A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT,AND P030X CODES. *TT |
| 630138 | SOME CONVERTIBLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LIFTS UNEVENLY. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624571 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FEAD BELT JUMP-OFF TOSS. *YH |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 10023943 | 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation