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Air bagsPart report

2002 Ford Mustang Air bags Problems

Complaints
20about this part
Share
17%of 118 total for the year
Median mileage
35,600miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 20 complaints about the air bags of the 2002 Ford Mustang, 17% of the 118 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 35,600 miles. 15 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“There was a vehicle in front of me. Both vehicles were traveling at the same speed. The car in front of me anchored the brakes. I was 3 car length behind. Th ABS failed and did not allow the brakes to resume. We hit the back end of the car in front at 35mph. The passenger seatbelt broke ending my fiance head into the windshield. The airbags did not deploy car was totaled and the toyota did not have a scratch: myself and my girl are both injured. I purchased this car 5/14. I believe there may not be airbags and I also think this car escaped having to have a salvage title. …”

NHTSA complaint #10654900, filed 2014-11, 146,000 miles

“I own 2 / 2002 Ford mustangs. My son has been in 2 accidents with his within the last year and in both incidents his airbag did not deploy. The first accident may have a reasonable explanation but the 2nd one was an accident that involved him hitting a concrete barrier at better than 40 MPH. I had the airbag tested when repaired on the 1st accident and approved. I am very concerned about future protection from this device and Ford actually expects me to pay for additional testing. Can you help?”

NHTSA complaint #10028552, filed 2003-07, 27,000 miles

“I am a cosigner on a 2002 Ford Mustang-daniel barker cosigner was brandon vick, also, on my insurance. On 04-16-2005 brandon was driving southbound on highway, 6 a major highway running through bcs between navasota and heampstead, he drove over a bridge which changed textures, or slopped down and the airbags in deployed. Brandon pulled over slowly and came to a stop, pulled out the airbags and drove away. 04-18-05-brandon talks to insurance agent who calls varsity Ford about fixing this since it is under warranty. They just say no, it will be $2,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10118745, filed 2005-04, 35,600 miles

“Subject:airbag failure comments: twice now my son has had an accident with his 2002 Mustang and the airbag did not deploy. Fortunately he was not hurt. My major concern is that I had the airbag specifically tested at the repair shop at the last repair before accepting delivery of the car. I was told someone is hired by the repair shop to come out and run tests by hooking up instruments to the car and getting a read out. To the best of my knowledge this was done but my son just had his 2nd accident and his car hit a concrete barrier at better than 40 MPH and the airbag still did not deploy. …”

NHTSA complaint #10023237, filed 2003-06, 26,000 miles

“While my daughter was driving on a in town road she came upon construction, all traffic was stopped because the 2 lanes were down to 1. As she was waiting for traffic to start moving her boot got caught under seat lever (thigh high boots flap got caught) and it made her foot slip from brake, she then bumped into the van in front of her, less then 5mph and both which there was no passenger or anything on her seat airbags deployed destroying her colume. Absolutely no front end damage, no damage to other vehicle, car still runs and seatbelts still work. Having it checked for malfunctions.”

NHTSA complaint #11196165, filed 2019-04, 98,000 miles

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202478%
202317%
202212%
202124%
202087%
201911%
201821%
2017104%
2016154%
2015235%
201424568%
201314554%
201215834%
201112527%
201017969%
200913575%
200824069%
200734857%
200622854%
200523533%
200498%
2003118%
20022017%
20012615%
20004214%
19993215%
1998156%
199763%
1996219%
1995274%
19943510%
19931616%
1992812%
199179%
1990911%

Other parts of the 2002 Ford Mustang

Engine cooling
22 complaints
Vehicle speed control
15 complaints
Seat belts
13 complaints
Brakes
10 complaints
Body and structure
10 complaints
Electrical system
9 complaints
Fuel system
9 complaints
Tires
8 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
7 complaints
Other or unknown
6 complaints
Suspension
5 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2002 Ford Mustang

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology