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2002 Ford Thunderbird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

73 reports with mileage · 20 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
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43,700 miles · Oct 1, 2011
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT. MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD BEGAN HAVING THIS PROBLEM AT 43,700 MILES. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND IT WAS INTERMITTENT. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH (SEPTEMBER, 2011), I HAVE PERSONALLY REPLACED ALL EIGHT PLUGS, BOOTS AND COILS. WHILE DO…

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I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT. MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD BEGAN HAVING THIS PROBLEM AT 43,700 MILES. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND IT WAS INTERMITTENT. WITHIN THE PAST MONTH (SEPTEMBER, 2011), I HAVE PERSONALLY REPLACED ALL EIGHT PLUGS, BOOTS AND COILS. WHILE DOING THIS I FOUND THREE PLUGS THAT WERE OIL FOULED. AFTER COMPLETING THIS REPAIR THE CAR CONTINUES TO DRIVE ROUGH. THE TACH WILL RACE, THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY OR AT ALL WHILE TRYING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY AND BEHAVES POORLY ON BOTH NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS AND THE HIGHWAY. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE DEALER MAKE THE REPAIRS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, JUST A WEEK BEFORE I REPLACED THE PLUGS, BOOTS AND COILS, I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALER. THEY CHANGED THE OIL, ROTATED THE TIRES, REPLACED THE OIL FILTER AND AIR FILTER AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THEY CHARGED ME $151 FOR THIS. I THINK THAT IS ROBBERY!! WHEN I CHECKED OUT, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT APPEARS I HAVE A "COIL" PROBLEM. HMMM. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND KNOW THAT FORD WILL NOT ADMIT NOR INCLUDE THE 2002 IN THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM. THIS IS SHAMEFUL! THIS COIL ON BOOT PROBLEM IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND MANY FOLKS CAN BE HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE OF HOW THE CAR BEHAVES WHEN THIS PROBLEM ARISES. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FORD CORPORATE TO ATTEMPT TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON SAID "WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT WITH THIS MODEL". WELL, THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ADMISSION OF GUILT TO ME. I AM HOPING THAT PERHAPS YOU CAN ASSIST ALL OF US WHO OWN 2002 T-BIRDS GET JUSTICE FROM FORD AND HAVE THEM ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND FIX IT! EXTEND OUR WARRANTIES BEFORE ANOTHER OWNER HAS AN ACCIDENT OR DIES AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE 1000S OF US! I'VE OWNED SEVEN FORDS AND NEVER HAVE I HAD AN ISSUE OR TREATMENT LIKE THIS BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10428109

40,000 miles · Jun 18, 2008
Power Train

MOST 2002-2005 THUNDERBIRD HAVE HAS COP IGNITION FAILURES. FORD HAS ISSUED A TSB AND HAS AUTHORIZED FREE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS ON 2003-2005 THUNDERBIRD BUT NOT 2002 MODELS. THERE ARE MORE 2002 MODELS THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, YET FORD IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM. A CHECK ON ANY THUNDERBIRD FORUM WILL SHOW THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM,…

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MOST 2002-2005 THUNDERBIRD HAVE HAS COP IGNITION FAILURES. FORD HAS ISSUED A TSB AND HAS AUTHORIZED FREE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS ON 2003-2005 THUNDERBIRD BUT NOT 2002 MODELS. THERE ARE MORE 2002 MODELS THAN ANY OTHER YEAR, YET FORD IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM. A CHECK ON ANY THUNDERBIRD FORUM WILL SHOW THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM, HTTP://WWW.THUNDERBIRDNEST.COM/FORUMS/FORUMDISPLAY.PHP?F=172 IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. I HAVE HAD 2 REPLACED AND NOW HAVE 2 MORE THAT NEED REPLACING. FORD MUST HE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A POOR DESIGN OR A SUB-STANDARD PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10231483

Official recalls

1

02V169000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Jun 14, 2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CONTACTED THE SEAT RECLINER DURING A 35 MPH NCAP FULL-FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE EDGE OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM CAUSED A PARTIAL CUT IN THE LAP PORTION OF THE WEBBING. IF THE WEBBING IS CUT, IT INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN INSERT BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT LOWER TRIM PANEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 21, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.