Electrical System. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports27 fire reports23 injury reports

What owners actually said

257 reports

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2000

Air Bags

THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING. THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A BROKEN CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CLOCK SPRING HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF CHARGE TO OWNER. ALSO, TIRES NEED REPLACING, BUT WARRANTY NOT IN EFFECT UNTIL TIRES ACTUALLY GO BAD. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #857902

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2000

Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE MAKING A STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHEN CONSUMER TAKE FOOT OF THE PEDAL, VEHICLE WOULD TAKE OFF, FAST IDLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855914

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2000

Exterior Lighting

RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO A SHORT WITHIN THE SWITCH. ALSO, PROBLEM WAS INTERMITENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855824

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2000

Power Train

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THIS AEROSTAR VAN HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY GOOD VEHICLE UNTIL WE RECENTLY STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT TRANSFER CASE. WE RECEIVED A RECALL IN 1998 FOR THE TRANSFER CASE, ALTHOUGH ALL THAT WAS REPLACED WAS THE REAR CASE. ABOUT 1 YEAR LATER WE STARTED HAVING LEAKAGE FROM THE FRONT TRANSFER CASE. WE RETURNED THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THIS CRACK REPAIRED. WE WENT TO SEVERAL TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITIES AND THEY INDICATED THAT THEY SEE THIS CRACK IN THE FRONT CASE FREQUENTLY IN THE AEROSTAR VAN. WE HAVE HAD IT WELDED, BUT WILL NOT TAKE THE VAN OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WANT IT REPLACED AND IF IT IS HAPPENING AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY SAY, IT IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717622

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2000

Exterior LightingVisibility

HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED ON 2 OCCASIONS WHERE EITHER THE HEADLIGHTS OR THE TAILLIGHTS WILL NOT WORK TOGETHER. -- WIPER SWITCH DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK SOMETIMES THE INTERMITTENT SETTING WORKS AND SOMETIMES NOT AND SOMETIMES THE HIGH LOW SETTINGS WILL NOT WORK. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS? *AK

NHTSA ODI #717370

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2000

Power Train

TRANSFER CASE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (97V-204)LEAVING CONSUMER AND FAMILY STRANDED. DRIVESHAFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO AN ALUMINUM ONE AT TIME OF RECALL REPAIR OF THE TRANSFER CASE TO FULLY REMEDY THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER IS HEARING TRANSMISSON NOISES AGAIN. NLM

NHTSA ODI #550308

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2000

Power Train

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THIS VAN RELEASES AUTOMATIC TRANS. FLUID FROM THE SEAL BETWEEN THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE TRANSMISSION BODY. IT DOES THIS WHEN HOT (BUT NOT OVERHEATING), IN THE SUMMER, WHILE TOWING A LIGHT WEIGHT CAMPING TRAILER (LOAD WITHIN FORD TOWING LIMITS). THIS OCCURS TYPICALLY WHILE CLIMBING, BUT ALSO ON A FLAT GRADE AT HIGH SPEEDS (65-70 MPH) IN HOT TEMPERATURES (85F +). THE FLUID SQUIRTS ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE, RELEASING LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL ON THIS VAN FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH RELEASING TRANS. FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE, AND I HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE, BUT IT INVOLVED THE TRANSFER CASE AND DRIVESHAFT, NOT THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO TRANSMISSION SEAL. I HAVE HAD A LARGE AFTERMARKET TRANS. COOLER INSTALLED AS WELL AS A TRANS. FLUID TEMP. GUAGE. THE ENGINE COOLANT AND TRANS. FLUID ARE WITHIN NORMAL TEMP. LIMITS WHEN THESE INCIDENTS OCCUR. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE SEAL; THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE BECAUSE OF COMPONENT LIMITATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS HAVE NOT BEEN DETECTABLY MECHANICALLY DAMAGED BY THESE INCIDENTS, THE INCIDENTS ARE A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF THE FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL IF THE DRIVTRAIN COMPONENTS WERE TO FAIL PRECIPITOUSLY. WHEN THESE INCIDENTS OCCUR, I HAVE TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND LET THE TRANS. COOL FOR A TIME, AND THIS IS ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ALWAYS A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. I BELIEVE THAT THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THIS (OR A SIMILAR) PROBLEM DID NOT RESULT IN AN ADEQUATE FIX AND THAT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED. THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT NOTED ON THIS REPORT WAS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ODI #716941

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2000

Electrical System

VAN IS AT THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM. WHEN CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER, HE CALLED THE DEALER. DEALER SAID BECAUSE THE VAN WAS A HANDICAP USED VAN THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE MORE MONEY. *AK *YC

NHTSA ODI #853653

Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 1999

Air BagsUnknown Or Other

THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONTINOUSLY ALTHOUGH THE AIR BAG DOES NOT DEPLOY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO FLASH INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716294

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1999

Exterior LightingSteering

BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE, GEARS CAN BE CHAGED AFTER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE MAKES LOUD BUZZING NOISE WHEN USING LEFT TURN SIGNAL. YH

NHTSA ODI #549983

Official recalls

99V028000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood

Feb 9, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. HEAT GENERATION IN THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER ASSEMBLY CAN CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THE VEHICLE COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF POWER AND BECOME IMMOBILIZED AND THE FUEL GAUGE MAY BE ERRATIC.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: HEAT DAMAGE, INCLUDING MELTING OR CHARRING OF THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDER ASSEMBLY WIRE HARNESS AND ASSOCIATED WIRING HARNESSES CAN ALSO RESULT. THE SHORT CIRCUIT COULD ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS IN THE FUEL PUMP GROUND CIRCUIT THAT WILL BE INSTALLED AT THE FUEL PUMP INERTIA SHUT-OFF SWITCH.

99V029000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Feb 9, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH A HIGHER THAN SPECIFIED ELECTRICAL LOAD THROUGH THE ACCESSORY POWER FEED CIRCUIT. THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTACT BETWEEN THE B2 (BATTERY), A2 (ACCESSORY), AND P1 (PROOF) CIRCUITS CAN OCCUR, CREATING A SHORT CIRCUIT, ALLOWING CURRENT TO FLOW THROUGH THE GROUND WIRE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE OVER HEATING AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A JUMPER HARNESS WITH A RELAY WHICH WILL RE-ROUTE AND ACTIVATE ALL A2 ACCESSORIES THROUGH THE RELAY.

97V204000 · Power Train:transfer Case (4-WHEEL Drive)

Nov 13, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER MINIVANS. THESE VEHICLES CAN DEVELOP POWERTRAIN BENDING RESONANCE OR TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT SHAFT BUSHING DISPLACEMENT. THE POWERTRAIN BENDING RESONANCE OR THE OUTPUT SHAFT BUSHING DISPLACEMENT CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR TRANSFER CASE. FLUID EXPLUSION, DRIVESHAFT SEPARATION OR LOSS OF VEHICLE DRIVE CAN RESULT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND, IF THE EXPELLED FLUID CONTACTS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW TRANSFER CASE REAR OUTPUT SHAFT BUSHING AND AN ALUMINUM DRIVESHAFT WILL BE INSTALLED.

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

PE02076 · Luggage Compartment Door Drops Abruptly

Opened Oct 10, 2002 · Closed Mar 10, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut

ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS RESULTING IN MINOR TO MODERATE PERSONAL INJURIES THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ABRUPT DOOR DROPS OVER THE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT - TWELVE YEAR PERIOD OF PRODUCT USAGE AND EXPOSURE (1991-1995 TO 2003).MOST OF THE INJURY INCIDENTS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A FRACTURE OF THE GAS FILLED LIFT ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING STUD.STUD FRACTURES HAVE OCCURRED RANDOMLY OVER TIME AND DO NOT EXHIBIT ANY APPARENT TREND RELATING TO DATE OF VEHICLE PRODUCTION OR TIME-IN-SERVICE (EXPOSURE).THE ODI CLOSING REPORT SUMMARIZES THE DETAILS OF THIS INVESTIGATION.