2002-2005 Survey of Maintenance Issues by year

[Sharps40]

Just curious. It appears the vast majority of maintenance/how to fix it questions are on 02 models. At least in looking over the first dozen or so pages of the 02-05 forum. Has anybody collated the data here on the board to see if this bears out? Is there a study anywhere that ranks the 11 gen birds maintenance/fix its by year? Sort of a best and worst ranking by model year? Or perhaps a collated list of most prone to fail part by model year?, etc.....

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[gwigg]

Just curious. It appears the vast majority of maintenance/how to fix it questions are on 02 models. At least in looking over the first dozen or so pages of the 02-05 forum. Has anybody collated the data here on the board to see if this bears out? Is there a study anywhere that ranks the 11 gen birds maintenance/fix its by year? Sort of a best and worst ranking by model year? Or perhaps a collated list of most prone to fail part by model year?, etc.....

I have a 2005 and most of my problems have been electronic, ABS, Cops, battery replacement, it’s in the shop now for Instrument cluster (which is unavailable from Ford) rebuild. Mechanical problems have not been a big problem so far.

 

[PrettyInCashmere]

Just curious. It appears the vast majority of maintenance/how to fix it questions are on 02 models. At least in looking over the first dozen or so pages of the 02-05 forum. Has anybody collated the data here on the board to see if this bears out? Is there a study anywhere that ranks the 11 gen birds maintenance/fix its by year? Sort of a best and worst ranking by model year? Or perhaps a collated list of most prone to fail part by model year?, etc.....

Good question. I hope someone can quantify by year. My 05 had a very bad start - Ford Dealer's Used Car 30 day warranty saved me 1000s

Since then she's been really good to us

 

[Gus Gutz]

I've done cops and plugs, alternator, dual coolant control valve, clock spring, FEM, spare tire which popped and some device that tells the fan to spin up when the pcm tells it to. I've replace two batteries and done the brakes. I had to replace the windshield when a stone hit it on the freeway. I have a local garage that does most of my work and they are very reasonably priced.

I've found and purchased original floor mats, trunk mat, cigarette ash cup (that I use for my garage remote and change,) and a hard top. I have a spare chrome 7 spoke wheel and center cap. I also have a used radio that one day I will switch out with mine. I do not have any CDs so I see no reason to do that yet.

As a daily driver, I try to make sure I stay on top of everything. I like to detail. I removed all of the paint swirls and the finish is like glass. I've done a ceramic coating on the paint and the the coating I use on the top even beads water after a year.

Now that I think about it, this thing is expensive.

 

[The Flash]

2003 bought new Nov. 2003,
2005 10,000 miles front brake pads wore out. Install new pads by me.
2006 27,000 miles, headlights, heater core leaked, coolant recovery tank., thermostat housing. all replaced under warranty
2010 ext. warranty A/C hose leaked. O2 sensor
2009 42,000 new tires Falkens
2010 coolant cross over hose replaced by me. warranty Ext XO1 sensor bank 1 and A/C
2012 50,000 miles Ign. coil warranty
2014 52,000 new tires Continental extr. still on the car today at 68,000 miles. 6 year old. 7 Ign coil replaced by me.
2014 A/c seal leaking at compressor install new seal.
2015 50,000 front brakes install Power Stop pads and rotors. thermostat housing leaking.
2016 seal top of R side valve cover leaking, coolant leak top O ring under intake manifold. Water pump replace, OX sensor bank 2 replace.
2017 60,000 miles, power steering pump replaced, Main A/C H/P hose replace
2017 64,000 mile water pump leaking replace, part under warranty.
2019 A/C compressor clutch not working, replace A/C compressor. Coolant recovery tank leaking replace

 

[Frankie the Fink]

In my 15 months of 2002 ownership, I had a door ajar sensor go bad ($18) I replaced, an FEM with a used one ($400), a Bubba-wiring job inside the instrument cluster somebody did to make the instrument lights come on BECAUSE of the bad FEM (pretty dumb workaround) which I fixed myself and an A/C evaporator discharge temperature sensor (about $29). I did tighten up all the "X" bracing chassis mount points to the 46 ft-lbs torque figure (and it was a noticeable difference in the ride) - other than "goodies" like a radio upgrade and nose bra, that's it.

I'm not complaining.

 

[biddle]

At least in looking over the first dozen or so pages of the 02-05 forum.

Please include the model year(s) in the subject on your future posts. I added for you.

 

[edward301]

2002 Whisper White T Bird bought new Oct 2002

2013 replace original battery
2018 replace fuel pump, let car sit to long
2018 replace ac compressor, let sit to long, seals dried out
2018 replace suspension components, still worked but was squeaking
2018 replace clock spring, I broke it
2018 replace original tires
2019 replace battery

That is all to date.

 

[bobsmethers]

Just curious. It appears the vast majority of maintenance/how to fix it questions are on 02 models. At least in looking over the first dozen or so pages of the 02-05 forum. Has anybody collated the data here on the board to see if this bears out? Is there a study anywhere that ranks the 11 gen birds maintenance/fix its by year? Sort of a best and worst ranking by model year? Or perhaps a collated list of most prone to fail part by model year?, etc.....

The vast majority of cars produced (46%) were 2002's. The sales collapsed after just one year. It only makes sense that the majority of questions on anything here will be about 2002's.

 

[Silver Bird]

Original owner, April 2004 (24K mi. to date) - unscheduled repairs/maintenance

1. Replaced OEM radio a few months after delivery - failed to keep proper time/lose 2 min./wk. (dealer/under warranty)

2. Replaced throttle position sensor a few months after delivery - car would stall at traffic light but readily restart (dealer/under warranty).

3. 1-set of tires (replaced OEM Michelins due to age with then current edition Michelins) - circa May 2013

4. Replaced OEM battery with Optima "RedTop" - Oct. 2012

5. Replaced power steering switch (due to messy fluid leak) - Feb. 2017 (local independent service - $190 incl. FoMoCo switch)

6. Repl coil over plug #5 (w/OEM Motorcraft) - Oct. 2018 (DIY - decided against less costly replacement COPs)

7. Repl coil over plug #4 (w/OEM Motorcraft) - May 2020 (DIY - -decided against less costly replacement COPs)
Memo: with two COP failures, 'probably best to replace remaining 6 COPs rather than buy/keep one spare...

Scheduled maintenance/repairs done as specified by FoMoCo

Overall, maintenance/repairs not unreasonable...

Fred Hudspeth
Tyler, TX

(AKA SilverBird)

 

[Sharps40]

The vast majority of cars produced (46%) were 2002's. The sales collapsed after just one year. It only makes sense that the majority of questions on anything here will be about 2002's.

Thanks. More along the lines of what I was looking for. I'd assumed there was no collated data since folks were popping in with their individual maintenance experiences rather than discussing a documented big picture

 

[05Dave]

2005 Original Owner delivered in August complete with hardtop
August 2005 - 2013 normal service including replacement of coolant at 5 year intervals,
2007 - satellite radio installed
2007 - driver head rest cover replaced under warranty
2013 - windshield was replaced
2015 - Sept - replace battery
2016 - tune up - plugs replaced and 2 ignition coils replaced - no warranty
2017 -1 - ignition coil replaced - no warranty
2017 - tires replaced
2018 - balance of ignition coils replaced - no warranty
2018 - hydraulic brake system flushed on recommendation from dealer
2019 - replaced water pump due to over heating - impeller had eroded
2020 - heater dual control valve replaced and AC recharged due to constant high heat output, dual valve had stuck open.

This is a summer only driven vehicle operated mostly in central Alberta Canada, so unless noted most work is done at service time before use in late spring.

All work performed by local Ford dealer

To date car has 90,000 kms or 56,000 miles approx.

Dave

 

[05Dave]

Thanks. More along the lines of what I was looking for. I'd assumed there was no collated data since folks were popping in with their individual maintenance experiences rather than discussing a documented big picture

The only issue I did not discuss or list was the throttle position sensor issue. The dealer could never find anything wrong, but the car would almost quit in the middle of traffic leaving one wondering if it would develop power before causing an accident. I reported it to Ford directly, to give them credit they did do several phone call follow-ups but never made the dealer actually fix the problem. Ford said to get it back to the dealer which we did on several occasions, but the dealer refused to do anything as nothing showed up on a computer check and no codes. The problem eventually went away following a tune up where the dealer did an update on the computer. But a problem with the TPS was a very commonly reported issue in the early years. Ours still has the original one, so I would have to assume it was the programming in the engine computer.

 

[Silver Bird]

Re "throttle position sensor issue. The dealer could never find anything wrong, but the car would almost quit in the middle of traffic leaving one wondering if it would develop power before causing an accident. I reported it to Ford directly, to give them credit they did do several phone call follow-ups but never made the dealer actually fix the problem. Ford said to get it back to the dealer which we did on several occasions, but the dealer refused to do anything as nothing showed up on a computer check and no codes. The problem eventually went away following a tune up where the dealer did an update on the computer. But a problem with the TPS was a very commonly reported issue in the early years.

Same experience with the TPS. Local Lincoln dealer service manager said on at least two occasions that the computer MUST set a code before FoMoCo would honor the warranty. I finally got his message. The third time I took it in, the MIL was in, fact, "on". The service manager then said "now we have something to work with". He had a tech replace the TPS. End of problem, now 16 years ago. Why the Lincoln dealer for engine-related warranty work? They had far more experience with the 3.9L engine than the Ford dealer as the same engine was used in the Lincoln LS.

 

[KSG]

2002 Whisper White T Bird bought new Oct 2002

2013 replace original battery
2018 replace fuel pump, let car sit to long
2018 replace ac compressor, let sit to long, seals dried out
2018 replace suspension components, still worked but was squeaking
2018 replace clock spring, I broke it
2018 replace original tires
2019 replace battery

That is all to date.

Miles, at each interval?

 

[KSG]

I've done cops and plugs, alternator, dual coolant control valve, clock spring, FEM, spare tire which popped and some device that tells the fan to spin up when the pcm tells it to. I've replace two batteries and done the brakes. I had to replace the windshield when a stone hit it on the freeway. I have a local garage that does most of my work and they are very reasonably priced.

I've found and purchased original floor mats, trunk mat, cigarette ash cup (that I use for my garage remote and change,) and a hard top. I have a spare chrome 7 spoke wheel and center cap. I also have a used radio that one day I will switch out with mine. I do not have any CDs so I see no reason to do that yet.

As a daily driver, I try to make sure I stay on top of everything. I like to detail. I removed all of the paint swirls and the finish is like glass. I've done a ceramic coating on the paint and the the coating I use on the top even beads water after a year.

Now that I think about it, this thing is expensive.

Year of T-Bird and miles, at each interval?

 

[Gus Gutz]

Year of T-Bird and miles, at each interval?

Mine is an 02 built in November. I purchased the car with 55k miles in it in early 2017. It now has 85k. I think the FEM was bad when I got it and the spare was popped. The coolant valve died when it overheated because the fan controller went bad. The clock spring went bad from using it I think. The alternator just died recently.

Not sure what the milage was on any of these issues but all within the last 3 years and all between 55 and 85k miles.