IllustrationEXCELLERATED AT HIGH SPEED THROWING DRIVER BACKWARD IN BELTED SEAT, HAD TO STRUGGLE TO BRAKE
1989 Ford Aerostar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Ford Aerostar do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 135.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Aerostar years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 260 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 91 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports79 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
260 reportsAFTER RECALL REPAIR THE FUEL TANK FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. NLM
DAUGHTER WAS IN THE MINIVAN WHEN SHE ACCIDENTLY HIT THE GEAR SHIFT. THE GEAR WAS SUPPOSELY IN PARK WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE CAR WAS ON AN INCLINE. IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD AND EVENTUALLY HIT A TREE ACROSS THE ROAD ON MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY. MY DAUGHTER HIT HER HEAD AND MY SON HAD JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR WHEN…
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DAUGHTER WAS IN THE MINIVAN WHEN SHE ACCIDENTLY HIT THE GEAR SHIFT. THE GEAR WAS SUPPOSELY IN PARK WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE CAR WAS ON AN INCLINE. IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD AND EVENTUALLY HIT A TREE ACROSS THE ROAD ON MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY. MY DAUGHTER HIT HER HEAD AND MY SON HAD JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR WHEN IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE REAR BUMBER AND DOOR WAS DAMAGED. THE REAR WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. MY NEIGHBOR'S TREE WAS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS SUPPOSE TO BE IN PARK. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT IT OUT OF PARK UNLESS THE PAWL WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. LUCKY THERE WERE CARS COMING OR PEDESTRIANS WALKING IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY WHEN THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *AK
CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 98V190000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98M03/ FUEL TANK CRACKS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR OVER TWO MONTHS IN WHICH THE DEALER HAS YET TO DO REPAIRS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK (APROX 10 MIN DRIVE) AND PARKED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN MY SON NOTICED THE VAN WAS ON FIRE, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT THE FRONT THRU THE RADIATOR OPENING, BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VAN WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FRONT OF THE VAN IS NOW UNRECOGNIZABLE AND A …
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THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK (APROX 10 MIN DRIVE) AND PARKED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN MY SON NOTICED THE VAN WAS ON FIRE, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT THE FRONT THRU THE RADIATOR OPENING, BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VAN WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FRONT OF THE VAN IS NOW UNRECOGNIZABLE AND A TOTAL LOSS. IN ADDITON, WE LOST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN PERSONAL EFFECTS. *AK
STRONG FUEL VAPOR ODOR AND MINOR LEAKAGE FROM TOP PORTION OF GAS TANK AFTER FILL UP, DIMINISHES TO HARDLY NOTICEABLE WITH PARTIALLY FILLED TANK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V190/FORD RECAL NO. 98M03 FOR VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT MISSOURI REGISTERED VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED ACCORDING TO YOUR MAP. DO NOT UNDERSTAND. CONTACTED D…
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STRONG FUEL VAPOR ODOR AND MINOR LEAKAGE FROM TOP PORTION OF GAS TANK AFTER FILL UP, DIMINISHES TO HARDLY NOTICEABLE WITH PARTIALLY FILLED TANK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V190/FORD RECAL NO. 98M03 FOR VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT MISSOURI REGISTERED VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED ACCORDING TO YOUR MAP. DO NOT UNDERSTAND. CONTACTED DEALER AFTER SAW THIS RECALL NOTICE ON YOUR WEBSITE BUT SAID MY VIN NUMBER NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. THIS IS SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM, AND IF AMBIENT TEMP RELATED, LIVING IN MID-MO NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN UPPER ARK. DO NOT UNDERSTAND. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK
THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. IT FAILED IN A WAY THAT IS EXTREMLY DANGEROUS. THE BRAKES APPLIED THEMSELVES CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP IMMIDEATLY ON THE ROAD. IF THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE OCCURED ON WET PAVEMENT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEEN AN ACCIDENT. I LOOKED FOR ANY RECALLS AND CAN'T FIND ONE. THE PUBLIC MUST …
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THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. IT FAILED IN A WAY THAT IS EXTREMLY DANGEROUS. THE BRAKES APPLIED THEMSELVES CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP IMMIDEATLY ON THE ROAD. IF THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE OCCURED ON WET PAVEMENT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEEN AN ACCIDENT. I LOOKED FOR ANY RECALLS AND CAN'T FIND ONE. THE PUBLIC MUST BE INFORMED OF SUCH A POTENTIALY LETHAL SITUATION. WHEN I SAY THE BRAKES APPLIED THEMSELVES, I MEAN THIS AEROSTAR STOPPED RAPIDLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. TALKING TO ANOTHER DRIVER OF THE AEROSTAR IT HAS DONE THIS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS SITUATION I HAVE EVER HEARD OF. I HOPE THIS LETTER ISN'T THROWN AWAY BEFORE IT'S READ. I AM ALSO TRYING TO CONTACT FORD TO UNDERSTAND WHY DRIVERS AND OWNERS OF THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE HAVEN'T BEEN WARNED. THANKS RICHARD. *AK
AFTER FILLING UP THE FUEL TANK AND THEN DRIVING, FUEL WILL LEAK FROM TOP OF TANK. CONSUMER BELIEVES TANK IS CRACKED, AND THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE LEAKAGE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY CONSUMER STOPPED. THEN, WHEN CONSUMER WAS TALKING OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE, SMOKE AND FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES THE VEHICLE BURNED DOWN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ML
THE SECOND ROW RIGHT SIDE CAPTAIN CHAIR ROCKS AND SHAKES IN ITS MOUNT. MANUFACTURING DATE IS APRIL 1989. *AK
Official recalls
598V190000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Aug 11, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA (10 SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN BERNADINO, SAN DIEGO, RIVERSIDE, VENTURA, SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, IMPERIAL, AND KERN), FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA (CLARK COUNTY), OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TEXAS, AND IN THE U.S. TERRITORIES COVERED BY THE FEDERAL STATUTES. THE UPPER PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK CAN DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS DUE TO EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO VERY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. FUEL VAPOR OR LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR AT THESE CRACKS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE, THROUGH MARCH 31, 2002. THIS COVERAGE WILL ONLY BE FOR STRUCTURAL CRACKS AT THE TOP OF THE TANK AND WILL NOT INCLUDE OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT OR ROAD DEBRIS.
96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
91V189000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 4, 1991
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARK PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ABUT OR ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER MAY BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARKWHEN THE GEAR IS NOT TRULY ENGAGED. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OFGEAR UNINTENTIONALLY, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHEN PARKED ON A SLOPED SURFACE, ANDINADVERTENT MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW PARK PAWL.
91V164000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Sep 20, 1991
SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE BAR FOR REAR SOFA FAILED TO SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 210.
Remedy: REPLACE NONCOMPLYING SOFA BAR WITH BAR THAT MEETS REQUIREMENTS.
90V144000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
Aug 6, 1990
THE SECOND ROW RIGHT HAND SEAT ASSEMBLY HAS A TILT FORWARD FUNCTION. A LATCH RETAINS THE SEAT IN THE NORMAL RIDE POSTION, AND THIS LATCH MAY RELEASE UNDER SEVERE FRONTAL IMPACT CONDITIONS, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO PIVOT FORWARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT COULD PIVOTFORWARD, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: REPLACE SEAT PAWL ASSEMBLY WITH A REVISED DESIGN ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
9EA96030 · Cracked Fuel Tanks
Opened Dec 20, 1996 · Closed Aug 13, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
CRACKED FUEL TANKS ARE LEAKING FUEL
PE96050 · Cracked Fuel Tanks
Opened Aug 6, 1996 · Closed Dec 20, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
CRACKED FUEL TANKS ARE LEAKING FUEL
EA94025 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Jul 19, 1994 · Closed Sep 30, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
PE94021 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Mar 4, 1994 · Closed Jul 19, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
PE91127 · Park Pawl Bending
Opened Sep 16, 1991 · Closed Nov 8, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available
Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available
EA91015 · Liftgate Failure
Opened Feb 1, 1991 · Closed Sep 20, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91005 · Liftgate Failure
Opened Oct 18, 1990 · Closed Feb 1, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
EA90042 · Throttle Sticking
Opened Aug 31, 1990 · Closed Dec 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE89092 · Power Steering Locking
Opened Feb 23, 1989 · Closed Jul 20, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SUMMARY:THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT POWER STEERING WAS STIFF ORSTEERING LOCKED.FORD HAS ISSUED TWO SERVICE BULLETINS:ONE ON LEAKINGSEALS AND ONE ON COMPLAINTS OF STIFF STEERING.===