2002 Ford Excursion: common problems and reliability

The 2002 Ford Excursion has 174 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and engine cooling and tires. Owners most often flag rust — rocker panels, wheel wells, and floor pans are critical failure points; foil heat shields can trap moisture and hide rust. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2002 model year

174
Owner complaints
5
Recalls
15
Crash reports
13
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2002 Ford Excursion vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

engine and engine cooling
33
tires
29
service brakes
20
vehicle speed control
19
hydraulic
18

Recalls affecting the 2002 Excursion

exterior lighting:tail lights

Campaign 11V352000

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RANGER TRUCKS BUILT FROM JANUARY 25, 2011, THROUGH APRIL 25, 2011 AT THE TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND SERVICE PARTS DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERS FOR CERTAIN 2004 THROUGH 2011 MODEL …

vehicle speed control

Campaign 06V286000

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

vehicle speed control

Campaign 09V399000

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER…

engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel

Campaign 07V553000

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.

What owners say across generations

Owner sentiment is strongly positive regarding the vehicle's core purpose: immense size, robust towing capability, and durability. The Excursion is consistently praised as the largest SUV ever produced, offering unparalleled interior space and cargo capacity f

  • Rust — Rocker panels, wheel wells, and floor pans are critical failure points; foil heat shields can trap moisture and hide rust. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Engine-Specific Problems (Gas) — Exhaust manifold studs/bolts are prone to breaking. Spark plug thread issues: early models (up to 2002) have minimal thread engagement leading to plug ejection; 2004-2005 models have problematic two-piece plug designs that can seize and break. Frequency: very frequent for manifold studs; recurrent for spark plug issues.
  • Engine-Specific Problems (Diesel 6.0L) — Requires extensive "bulletproofing" (head studs, EGR cooler, oil cooler, etc.) for reliability; stock engines are prone to head gasket failure and other costly issues. High-pressure oil pump (HPOP) causes oil shear. Factory-spec coolant can clog coolers. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Age-Related General Failures — At 20+ years old, components like window motors, seals, relays, and electronics begin to fail regularly. The battery saver relay is noted to cause erratic window and radio operation. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Poor Fuel Economy — Gasoline models (V10) report 9-14 MPG in mixed driving, dropping to 6-7 MPG when towing. Diesel models offer better efficiency but at a higher fuel and maintenance cost. Frequency: very frequent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Excursion.

Typical used price

Used Excursion listings typically run $11,294–$19,994 across 2000 to 2005 model years.

Other Excursion model years

2001 Excursion2000 Excursion
Full Ford Excursion owner reportCompare against another car