There are 11 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2002 Ford Mustangin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHEN THE CAR IS TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS YOU HEAR A RUBBING NOISE OF SOME SORT, ONLY AT LOW SPEED GOING LEFT OR RIGHT. SOUND IS FROM THE REAR END. 2002 MUSTANG GT 5 SPEED, 42,000 MILES. *NM
LEMON LAW VEHICLE. 2002 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, CLUTCH AND BRAKE PRESSED CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE APPROACHING TRAFFIC, LEAVING THE CONSUMER WITH NO STEERING OR BRAKE POWER TO HANDLE THE CAR. CAR IMPACTED SUV. VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALER.*AK
THROW OUT BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED 1 TIME. THE SECOND TIME, FORD MOTOR COMPANY 800 NUMBER WAS CALLED AND REPORTED. DEALER HAD CAR ALL DAY. AT 4:00 PM WE WERE CALLED AND INSTRUCTED THE CAR WAS READY-- COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE SQUEAL WAS GONE. RETURNED LAST IN THE WEEK. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THROW OUT BEARING AGAIN. CAR NOW HAS 40,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE BEARING WILL BE REPLACED. CAR DRIVEN 80% ON INTERSTATE BY MIDDLE AGED WOMAN. *NM
2002 FORD MUSTANG 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE TREMEC 3650 TRANSMISSION HAS A FLAW TERMED "COLD GEAR CLASH" WHICH RESULTS IN GRINDING, HARD SHIFTS. HUNDREDS OF MUSTANG OWNERS ARE GETTING THE RUN AROUND BY FORD. WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THIS IS "NORMAL." "NO EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE OR DURABILITY." *AK
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS ALOUD NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN ANY GEAR AND THEN THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE CONSUMER ALSO BELIEVED THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS LOOSE, THE TAIL LIGHT LENS HAD CONDENSATION, THE WINDOW SEAL TRIM CAME OFF AND THE WINDOWS MADE UP WHEN UP OR DOWN. *JB *NLM
MANUAL TRANSMISSION STICKS, IT WON'T GO INTO TO GEAR OR COME OUT OF GEAR. ESPECIALLY FIRST, SECOND, AND REVERSE. WE HAVE BEEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUR CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAVE AT TIMES, HAD TO SPEND 5 MINUTES TRYING TO GET OUR CAR IN REVERSE. ALREADY CAUSED ONE ACCIDENT, AND MANY MORE NEAR MISSES. ALSO TICKING/RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM CLUTCH AT ALL TIMES. DEALERSHIP IS COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEIR IS NO PROBLEM.
THE AXLE BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO FALL OFF, CONSEQUENTLY THE DRIVER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
TRANSMISSION WILL DRAG ON DECELERATION AND THEN FREEWHEEL. EXAMPLE: GOING 60 MPH, TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR THE CAR WILL FREEWHEEL UNTIL IT HITS 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION THEN ENGAGES, LIKE THE BRAKES WERE PUT ON LIGHTLY, AT 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AND THE CAR THAN FREEWHEELS AGAIN. A VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES( AT 50 MPH ) AND IS MORE PRONOUNCED AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS ACTION SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 3 OR 4 TIMES AND I AM TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, THAT IS HOW THE TRANSMISSION WORKS. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE DEALER KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT. I THINK THE WARRANTY OF THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE INCREASED BEYOND THE THREE YEARS AS PROVIDED BY FORD. THIS FORD MUSTANG WAS PURCHASED ON OCT. 30, 2001 AND THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT IN OCT. THIS YEAR(2004). THE CAR ONLY HAS 6500 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. THIS IS A 2002 FORD MUSTANG, VIN #[XXX]. *LA UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CAR STALLS OCCASIONALLY WHILE COASTING AND CLUTCH IS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. CAR HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT COULD DIE AT ANYTIME AND IT LOOSES POWER STEERING AND BREAKING BECOMES VERY SLUGGISH. DON REID FORD (MAITLAND, FLORIDA) SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. *AK
PROBLEM WITH TIRES AND TRANSMISSION KEEPS STICKING. INTERIOR PILLAR LOOSE
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