IllustrationTHE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM TWICE, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK
1991 Ford Aerostar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 2 of 223 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 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.
23 crash reports68 fire reports14 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
31 reportsBRAKES OVERHEAT ON A CURVEY ROAD
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED AND CAUSED A FIRE WHICH MELTED THE REAR TIRES. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELLING APPROX 65MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE.*JB.
IN DAMP OR WET CONDITIONS REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP. TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, INSISTED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. UP OR DOWN SHIFTS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS IS VERY ROUGH AND SLOPPY. ALSO, WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD THE TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT INTO REVER…
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IN DAMP OR WET CONDITIONS REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP. TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, INSISTED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. UP OR DOWN SHIFTS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS IS VERY ROUGH AND SLOPPY. ALSO, WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD THE TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR FORWARD AT TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 68,000 BY THE DEALER AND WITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE SAME PROBLEMS STARTED UP AGAIN. *YH
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION WITH THREE INJURIES, UPON EXPECTION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND RESERVOIR (OSHP UNITS 977), NO PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL AND NO FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS
WHILE GOING IN REVERSE, APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT BRAKES FAILED AND THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD RESULTING IN A MINOR CRASH. UPON INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VAN, THE BRAKE HOSE WAS DANGLING COMPLETELY FREE OF THE VEHICLE. THE HOSE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AT THE SMALL BRACKET…
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WHILE GOING IN REVERSE, APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT BRAKES FAILED AND THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD RESULTING IN A MINOR CRASH. UPON INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VAN, THE BRAKE HOSE WAS DANGLING COMPLETELY FREE OF THE VEHICLE. THE HOSE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AT THE SMALL BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF THE VAN. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE TUBE-LIKE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOSE AND BODY WAS TOO LIGHT-WEIGHT TO TAKE THE CONSTANT STEERING AND VERTICAL STRAINS. *AK *ML
REPLACED ORGINAL MASTER CYLINDER WITH REBUILT FORD MASTER CYLINDER AT APPROX. 100,000 MILES, 8/9/97. REPLACED REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER WITH ANOTHER FORD REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER 3/15/1999. REPLACED BRAKE COMPUTER AND DUMP VALVE JULY-AUG. 1999. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER WITH YET ANOTHER FORD REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER (UNDER WARRANT…
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REPLACED ORGINAL MASTER CYLINDER WITH REBUILT FORD MASTER CYLINDER AT APPROX. 100,000 MILES, 8/9/97. REPLACED REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER WITH ANOTHER FORD REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER 3/15/1999. REPLACED BRAKE COMPUTER AND DUMP VALVE JULY-AUG. 1999. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER WITH YET ANOTHER FORD REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER (UNDER WARRANTY)...FAILED ON FEB. 27, 2000. AUTO MECHANIC PULLS NEWLY REBUILT MASTER CYLINDERS FROM BOXES AND THEY DO NOT WORK. CURRENTLY, AM AWAITING ARRIVAL OF NEW FORD MASTER CYLINDER, IN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT PROBLEM. SINCE THESE PARTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY BY FORD, I FEEL THEY SHOULD COMPENSATE MECHANIC FOR WASTED TIME OF REPLACING CONSTANTLY DEFECTIVE PARTS. MECHANIC HAS WORKED WITH FORD REP IN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS. AS OF TODAY, VAN HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 4 WEEKS (EXCLUDING WEEKEND WHEN IT FAILED AGAIN). MAIN FAMILY TRANSPORTATION TO A FAMILY OF 7. *AK
UPON SHIFTING GEAR INTO DRIVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. LOST CONTROL AND WENT THROUGH A BUILDING. DRIVER HAD FOOT ON THE BRAKES, BUT THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND SAID THAT RAIN GOT INTO THE CRUISE CONTROL BOX, CAUSING IT TO FAIL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER…
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UPON SHIFTING GEAR INTO DRIVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. LOST CONTROL AND WENT THROUGH A BUILDING. DRIVER HAD FOOT ON THE BRAKES, BUT THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND SAID THAT RAIN GOT INTO THE CRUISE CONTROL BOX, CAUSING IT TO FAIL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
LEFT FRONT BRAKE WAS SEIZING AND PULLING VEHICLE TO LEFT, AFTER STOP AND GO DRIVING. I HAD THIS SAME EXPERIENCE WITH A 1982 FORD F-100 PICKUP AND FINALLY CORRECTED IT BY REPLACING "PNEUMONIC" RUBBER DISC BRAKE PISTONS WITH STEEL ONES (CERAMIC WERE AVAILABLE, TOO). I FEEL THESE "RUBBER" PISTONS, IF USED, SHOULD BE RECALLED AND …
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LEFT FRONT BRAKE WAS SEIZING AND PULLING VEHICLE TO LEFT, AFTER STOP AND GO DRIVING. I HAD THIS SAME EXPERIENCE WITH A 1982 FORD F-100 PICKUP AND FINALLY CORRECTED IT BY REPLACING "PNEUMONIC" RUBBER DISC BRAKE PISTONS WITH STEEL ONES (CERAMIC WERE AVAILABLE, TOO). I FEEL THESE "RUBBER" PISTONS, IF USED, SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AT MFR.'S EXPENSE. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED A LOT OF STRESS IN A LONG TRIP IN THE F-150.
THE DEFECTIVE REAR ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUCTIONS, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND SKID, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
Official recalls
396V071000 · 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.
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
2EA99002 · Transfer Cases And Rear Drive Shaft
Opened Jan 7, 1999 · Closed Nov 14, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
RQ97015 · Parking Pawl
Opened Oct 29, 1997 · Closed Apr 1, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARKING PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OF GEAR UNINTENTIONALLY AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO START ROLLING INADVERTENTLY