IllustrationWHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG ODOR COMING FROM THE AIRBAG, CONSUMER STARTED SNEEZING. THEN THE SNEEZING GOT WORSE, AND CONSUMER BLACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE BAG WAS LEAKING. *AK
1994 Ford Aerostar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 15 of 257 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 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
Air Bags complaints
44 reportsTHE 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
THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONTINOUSLY ALTHOUGH THE AIR BAG DOES NOT DEPLOY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO FLASH INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKING ON AND OFF. *ET
AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT, AND HORN MALFUNCTION, HAPPENED AT SAME TIME. DEALER TOLD ME THAT A COMMON CIRCUIT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE PROBLEM. TOLD ME THAT AIR BAG, AND HORN WOULD NOT WORK UNTIL STEERING COLUMN REMOVED, AND CIRCUIT FIXED. CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH HORN NOT WORKING. FEEL UNSAFE WITH AIR BAG NOT WORKIN…
Read full complaint
AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT, AND HORN MALFUNCTION, HAPPENED AT SAME TIME. DEALER TOLD ME THAT A COMMON CIRCUIT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE PROBLEM. TOLD ME THAT AIR BAG, AND HORN WOULD NOT WORK UNTIL STEERING COLUMN REMOVED, AND CIRCUIT FIXED. CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH HORN NOT WORKING. FEEL UNSAFE WITH AIR BAG NOT WORKING. TOLD THAT AIR BAG WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 50,000 MILES. WHEN DEALER ASKED FOR POSSIBLE "GOOD WILL" REPAIR, TOLD NO! FEEL THAT ONLY WAY TO GET ANYWHERE IS THROUGH NHTSA, SINCE BOTH PROBLEMS ARE SAFETY RELATED. THANK YOU.
REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. *YC
COMPLETE RADIATOR FAILURE, TOLD EPOXY BROKE LOOSE, REPLACED WITH NEW, SUSPECT OVERHEATING OF WIRING HARNESS CAUSED RELAY OR FUSABLE LINK FAILURE IN COLUMN/DASH INTERMITTENT LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL, THEN FULL LOSS, HORN LASS AT SAME TIME, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AT SAME TIME. *AK
HAD TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. SINCE THIS IS PART OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM THIS ITEM SHOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST. SINCE ITS NOT A MOVING PART THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR IT TO GO BAD. WENT BAD AFTER THE HARNESS RECALL WAS DONE. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CLOCK SPRING ON THE AIR BAG WIRING WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE, CAUSING THE AIR BAG/CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *AK
Official recalls
399V028000 · 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
5PE02076 · 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.
EA99002 · 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
RQ98012 · Transfer Cases And Rear Driveshaft
Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Jan 7, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:transfer Case (4-WHEEL Drive)
There is no summary currently available
EA98016 · Fuel Sender Assembly Fires
Opened Jul 14, 1998 · Closed Feb 12, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE98010 · Fuel Sender Assembly Fires
Opened Feb 13, 1998 · Closed Jul 14, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
OWNERS ALLEGE THAT FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER CONNECTOR RESULTS IN SHORT CIRCUIT THAT HAS RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRES.SYMPTOMS INCLUDE ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE OPERATION, , SMOKE FROM THE DASH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN (FUEL PUMP FUSIBLE LINK) AND PASSENGER SIDE (FUEL PUMP INERTIA CUTOFF SWITCH), INTERMITTENT STALL AND NO START CONCERNS, AND A BURNING ODOR. SEVERAL INCIDENTS HAVE RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO PLASTIC FUEL TUBES AND/OR FUEL SUPPLY/RETURN TUBES.