Compare 2002 - 2005 Ford Thunderbird

[ttibbie]

I'm new to the forum and interested in purchasing a
2002 - 2005 Ford Thunderbird but is there somewhere I can find a comparison chart for each the 2002 to 2005 Thunderbird's?

Thanks
Tom T
.

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[Frankie the Fink]

The 02 has some unique components, like the FEM, no later retro FEMs will work; also does not have seat heaters and the instrument cluster is unique as is the convertible top boot cover.

I've owned one for 2-1/2 years now and have worked through the '02 specific issues with 31,000 miles on the car and all is well now.

 

[The Flash]

the 2002 is a one of car, it has a lot of different parts on in than the 03 thru 05. The biggest is the engine performance on the 02 is not very good, lower Torque and HP and slower compared to the newer TB's.
The other draw back on the 02 is the hydraulic driver radiator fan.

 

[biddle]

the 2002 is a one of car, it has a lot of different parts on in than the 03 thru 05. The biggest is the engine performance on the 02 is not very good, lower Torque and HP and slower compared to the newer TB's.
The other draw back on the 02 is the hydraulic driver radiator fan.

Agreed. The Hydraulic Fan is enough reason to avoid the 2002. https://forums.fordthunderbirdforum...erbird-hydraulic-cooling-fan-conversion.8605/

No heated seats available in 2002.

The 2003-2005 Thunderbird also featured a redesigned engine compartment with a different style engine cover and air filter configuration. In addition, there were changes to the design and configuration of the exhaust pipes. As a result there is a different aftermarket Borla exhaust for the 2002 as well as cold air intake filter.

2003 added ‘Select Shift’ transmissions, allowing the driver to choose between fully automatic and ‘manual’ shifting. The 2002 has a different instrument cluster.

Horsepower on 2002 is 252 HP. Horsepower was increased. to 280 horsepower by reprogramming the on-board computer and adding variable valve timing.

As a result of the engine changes so parts vary on the cooling system like the thermostat housing- see

2002 2003 2004 2005 Ford Thunderbird Thermostat Housing Water Pumps

If you are having trouble with your cooling system on your 2002, 2003, 2004 or 2005 Ford Thunderbird here are some useful parts used in the repairs. Note, a 2002 Thunderbird has a different thermostat housing than 2003-2004-2005. The water pump & thermostat are the same. You can upgrade the...

forums.fordthunderbirdforum.com

All posts above that did not answer the OP question were deleted. Let's not muddy the waters.

 

[Gus Gutz]

The body parts are the same. There were different color options but a fender is a fender and the top will fit all years. Each year had a signature car and different colors. There were some small change in trim but not really noticable.

There are almost as many 02's made as the rest of the years combined. So looking for replacement parts and modules may be easier to find an 02.

My 02 was a daily driver until the pandemic hit and I've had my share is issues. But reading all the forums and Facebook pages I think I'm average for a car this old.

 

[biddle]

There are almost as many 02's made as the rest of the years combined. So looking for replacement parts and modules may be easier to find an 02.

To be exact, there were 5,362 less 2002 models than 2003-2005 which means you will have a harder time finding parts for the 2002 than the 2003, 2004, 2005.

If you need parts related to the cooling system that are only on the 2002 like the Hydraulic Fan Pump Actuator Solenoid, you are in big trouble because they are almost impossible to find now. See https://forums.fordthunderbirdforum...c-fan-pump-actuator-solenoid-xw4z3783ca.9518/

 

[Critterpainer]

Some colors are year specific. If you want a specific color then that may control the year that you purchase.

 

[Anewaltj]

I'm new to the forum and interested in purchasing a
2002 - 2005 Ford Thunderbird but is there somewhere I can find a comparison chart for each the 2002 to 2005 Thunderbird's?

Thanks
Tom T
.

I'd recommend a 2004 or 2005....previous post was correct that the later models had many of the earlier issues ironed out. I own a 2005 50th anniversary which I bought as the 3rd owner 4 yrs ago .It has 47k now and I just put $2,700 in it, replaced PCM, power steering pump, ERG valve, plugs and Coils. It runs great.This forum has been very helpful. If you can, try to buy one from a private party that can share the cars history and what has been done to it. Low miles is a plus, expect to replace the COPs, plugs, tires and brakes.....many higher milage ones will need suspension work. These cars are fun to drive and a pretty good value. All the best!

 

[edward301]

I would not worry about the year, and find the T Bird that you like the most, color, mileage, condition, previous care, rust underside,
and simply how much you like it.

The 2002 has the hydraulic fan. On the 2003 to 2005 the variable valve timing can
become expensive after high mileage. A retired Ford mechanic that worked on retro T Birds told me on the hydraulic fan system
all you had to do was keep the hydraulic fluid full, and make repairs if system started leaking. Air and contaminants in the hydraulic
fluid is what killed the system, and damages the hydraulic actuator. He suggested to change the hydraulic fluid after 50 k miles
just to be on the safe side. Two years ago I bought a new fan assembly, a rebuilt pump, and two actuators just to always have the
parts available.

COPS, PCM, suspension is an issue on all years. The 2002 shared many components with the 2000-2002 Lincoln LS so there are
many interchangeable parts. The Jaguar S also shared many parts. For the instrument panel, the 2002 shares the same instrument
panel as the 2000-2002 Lincoln LS, the instrument panel is two pieces, one piece matches the T Bird panel, the other piece is
different, and there are mega thousands of Lincoln LS cars out there.

The body parts are common to all year T Birds, and these are what is getting hard to find.

I have two 2002 T Birds and both are original except for the suspension, and ac compressor on one car, and one fuel pump. I also
have a spare high mileage 2002 with 129987 miles, and hydraulic fan works fine, and is original.

A friend of mine bought a used 2004 T Bird last year after he rode in mine a few times. It is a little faster than mine, but engine
makes more noise than mine. Honestly my 2002 is faster than I have ever needed, I did not buy it to be a hot rod, bought it
to be a cruiser, which it does very well. In the 19 years I have owned it, I have maybe floored it three times. It goes faster than
I want it to go. My friend has already has a few problems with his 2004, where my 2002 has not had problems. That could
simply due to previous owner may not have cared for the car enough.

So find the year you want, and hopefully it has been taken care of. Either you, or a knowledgeable mechanic need to go over the
car top and bottom to make sure you get a good one.

Good luck.