There are 20 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2002 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE PRESENT IN AN AROUND THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE CONTACT FILLED UP THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL, HE NOTICED A STRONG FUEL ODOR. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED AND NEARLY FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
MECHANIC IDENTIFIED FUEL TANK FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED TANK REPLACEMENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE PRESENT IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL LEAK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FRACTURED IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP, FILTER, AND FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.
THE VEHICLE HAS AN OVER WHELMING GAS SMELL, STARTED OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE NOW INSIDE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS NEITHER CAN EXPLAIN WHERE THE SMELL IS COMING FROM. SMELL IS SO POWERFUL IT MAKES YOU SICK. *TR
THE SEAL LEAKS ON THE FUEL TANK. *TR
A FUEL TANK MOUNTING STRAP FAILED ON MY 2002 FORD TAURUS DURING NORMAL DRIVING IN WALTON HILLS, OH. THE STRAP WAS PAINTED REGULAR STEEL AND BADLY CORRODED. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO BE IDENTICAL TO THE AUGUST 2011 RECALL OF F150 AND F250 TRUCKS FOR POTENTIAL FUEL TANK STRAP FAILURE. THE STRAP WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED ASAP AND I WILL SEE IF THE OLD STRAP CAN BE SAVED. *KB
GAS SMELL BACK SEAT PASSENGER SIDE, NO ONE CAN SIT IN BACK SEAT OR THEY GET OVER POWERED BY GASOLINE SMELL, 2002 FORD TAURUS I KNOW OF FIVE OTHER CARS IN MY AREA (SAME YEAR AND MAKE) WITH SAME EXACT ISSUE. *KB
WHILE DRIVING AT POSTED SPEED LIMIT, ENGINE STUTTERED AND DIED IN TRAFFIC. BATTERY LIGHT LIT UP. AUTO CLUB RESTARTED CAR AND STATED "NO BATTERY FAILURE".DROVE CAR ALL DAY AND NEXT DAY FOR APPROX. 3 HOURS WHEN SAME ENGINE STUTTER AND DIED IN TRAFFIC OCCURRED. THIS TIME,BESIDES "BATTERY LIGHT" THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT"CAME ON. AGAIN AUTO CLUB WAS ABLE TO RESTART. DROVE CAR TO REPAIR SHOP,WHO PERFORMED A "DIAGNOSTIC TEST" AND REPLACED A "FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR". I RETAINED THE OLD PART. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AT RECOMMENDED INTERVALS BY SELLING DEALER. THIS ENGINE FAILURE IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS TO ME AND FAM.,BUT ALSO TO THE SURROUNDING TRAFFIC AT THE TIME FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. GETTING THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, DUE TO INABILTY TO USE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES,BEING THAT IT HAPPENED ON AN INCLINE. I SINCERELY HOPE THIS INFORMATION IS RELEVANT TO YOUR RESEARCH. *TR
DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND LOST COMPLETE POWER; ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON; NO GAS PEDAL AND NO STEERING. THE TEARRAIN WAS ROLLING HILLS. WE HAD JUST UNDER A HALF A TANK OF GAS. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE IT JUST WENT INTO THESE SYMPTOMS. IT HAPPENED FIVE MORE TIMES AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING BEFORE SHE COULD GET INTO A SAFE AREA. SHE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. EACH TIME SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAIT ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND TRY TO START THE VEHICLE (DIDN'T ALWAYS START AT FIRST) SHE WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING AND EXPLAINED THE SYMPTOMS AND THEY REPLACED OUR "FB SENDER AND PUMP ASY" 2F1Z-9H307-FB (REPLACED FUEL PUMP) AND OUR "IN LINE FUEL FILTER" YF1Z-9155-CA(FILTER 1767). WE HAD THESE SAME SYMPTOMS IN SEP 05 ODI NUMBER 10141907. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IDENTIFIED FOR THE 2000/2001FORD FOCUS; PROGRAM 03N01. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. ON 10-05-05 HE TOOK VEHICLE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE FUEL FILTER CHANGE. ON SATURDAY 10-08-05 THE CAR WOULD NOT START. HE SAW A PUDDLE OF GAS BY THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. HE GOT DOWN AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR, AND SAW THE HOSE THAT GOES FROM THE TANK TO THE FILTER LOOSENED. HE PUSHED IT BACK ON. BUT ON 10-10-05 HE WENT TO A GAS STATION TO HAVE A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. THE LINE CAME OFF THE FRONT OF THE FILTER WAS ON , BUT THE LINE COMING FROM THE GAS TANK ON THE REAR WAS ABOUT TO COME OFF AGAIN. THE MECHANIC PUSHED IT BACK ON SECURELY. HE DROVE THE CAR HOME AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THAT SAME DAY THE LINE CAME OFF AGAIN. (FROM THE GAS TANK TO THE FILTER). HE PUT IT BACK ON AND DROVE OUT TO THE DEALER. WHEN THE MECHANIC CAME OUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE GAS WAS POURING OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THE LINE HAD COME OFF AGAIN. THE MECHANIC WENT AND GOT SOME NEW CLIPS AND PUT THE NEW CLIPS ON. HE HAS NOT HAD THE PROBLEMS SINCE THE CLIPS WERE PUT ON. HE IS NOT SURE IF THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART OR IF MAYBE THE MECHANIC THAT ORIGINALLY REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER DID NOT PROPERLY FOLLOW FORD'S PROCEDURES. *AK
I OWN A 2002 FORD TAURUS WHICH I BOUGHT FROM MY FATHER. IT ONLY HAS 27320 MILES. ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, I HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR. ONCE STARTED, IT WOULD NOT RUN VERY LONG. LUCKILY, I WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM A FORD DEALER. I LEFT IT TO BE CHECKED. THE DEALER CALLED AND SAID THE FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS COST ME $100 DEDUCTIBLE SINCE IT WAS PAST THE TIME LIMIT OF THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY BUT UNDER THE MILEAGE. I OWN A 2001 MERCURY SABLE WITH 65000 MILES, ON ITS 3RD FUEL PUMP AND I ALSO OWN A 2002 FORD TAURUS WITH 27000 MILES, ON ITS 2ND FUEL PUMP. *JB
DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 74 MPH AND THE CAR STARTED HESITATING AND SURGING AND THEN WE LOST COMPLETE POWER; NO GAS PEDAL AND NO STEERING. THE TERRAIN WAS ROLLING HILLS. WE HAD JUST UNDER A HALF A TANK OF GAS. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE IT JUST WENT INTO THESE SYMPTOMS. IT HAPPENED FOUR MORE TIMES AS WE WERE DRIVING BEFORE WE COULD GET IT TO OUR DEALER. EACH TIME WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAIT ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND TRY TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND TRAVEL ABOUT 15 MILES. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SYMPTOMS AND THEY REPLACED MY "IN LINE FUEL FILTER" YF1Z-9155-CA(FILTER 1767). *JB
THE SMELL OF GAS WAS LIGHT AT FIRST BUT KEPT GETTING STRONGER. I FINALLY TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED REPAIR STATION. THE SERVICEMAN SAID THAT THE GAS LINE WAS MOUNTED SO CLOSE TO THE EXAUST SYSTEM THAT THE GAS LINE MELTED AND STARTED LEAKING. HE SAID THAT IF I HAD WAITED ANY LONGER, THE GASOLINE LEAK MAY HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE.
DT: 2002 FORD, TAURUS SE 4 DOOR. EVERY TIME VEHICLE WAS STARTED CONSUMER SMELLED GAS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GARAGE WHERE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT GAS LINE ABOVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BEEN RUBBED UNTIL IT BEGAN TO LEAK. GAS LINE WAS MADE OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN METAL. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT HIS MECHANIC HAD SAME TYPE VEHICLE AND WAS ALSO SMELLING GAS. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO USE FORD PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC REROUTED THE GAS LINE AROUND CATALYTIC CONVERTER USING METAL LINE FOR THE GAS LINE. CONSUMER STILL HAS GAS LINE THAT WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER WILL SEND LINE TO ODI. CONSUMER WANTED A REFUND FROM FORD DUE TO THE POOR LOCATION THE FUEL LINE WAS IN. *NM *JB
THE SEAM ON OUR GAS TANK HAD SPLIT, CAUSING IT TO FLOW INTO THE OUTER GAS COMPARTMENT & CORRODED THROUGH. WE HADN'T HIT ANYTHING AND EVEN IF WE DID IT SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED SUCH AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. *NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS ONLY GETTING 8 MILES PER GALLON. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY CAN SMELL FUMES COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITION WHILE DRIVING.*JB
WHEN CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE & GETS HOT, THEN YOU STOP AND GET BACK INTO IT AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND START IT BACK UP, THE CAR DOES NOT WANT TO RUN. IT'S LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING ANY GAS. IT WILL TRY TO DIE AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT, AND WILL CHOKE AND SURGE & BOUNCE UPON ACCELLERATION. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS AUTO ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR REPAIRS, THEY HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT, THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP RECORDS SOMEHOW ONLY SHOW I'VE HAD THE CAR IN THERE 3 TIMES, I HAVE PROOF THAT I WAS IN THERE 4 TIMES. I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, I AM AFRAID FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY IF IT STALLS OUT PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME ANYTHING FROM MAYBE IT'S MY DRIVING STYLE, TO MAYBE IT'S "WINTER BLEND" GAS, TO PUSH THE THROTTLE DOWN 1/4 WAY WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE (I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH STARTING THE CAR), TO ONCE I START THE CAR, PUSH THE THROTTLE ALL THE WAY DOWN A COUPLE TIMES TO "CLEAN OUT ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE STUCK IN THERE". I NEED A DEPENDABLE SAFE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR UNLESS I ABSOULTLY HAVE TO.*AK
THE CAR IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE GAS TANK I FOUND OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR ON THE INTERNET.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026