1994 Ford Aerostar

VAN HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS OR SO, AROUND THE LOCAL CITY COMMUNITIES. VAN HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES, WHEN NEIGHBORS NOTIFIED ME OF FIRE. INTENSE FIRE WAS COMING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE/WINDSHIELD/IGNITION/FRONT SEAT AREA, EVENTUALLY CONSUMING ENTIRE INTERIOR OF VAN. NORFOLK FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, OR SO, STATION ONLY ABOUT 150 YARDS FROM MY RESIDENCE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OR SO, BUT THE VAN WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY FIRE AND TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THEN. VAN WAS JUNKED/SALVAGED. PAID ONLY $100.00 FOR SALVAGE/JUNK/TOWING, ETC. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MY VAN. VAN ONLY HAD 93000 MILES. HAD PURCHASED NEW FROM FREEDOMS FORD IN NORFOLK, VA. INFORMED BY ASSOCIATE THAT I SHOULD REPORT THIS "FIRE HAZARD/PROBLEM," BECAUSE OTHER 1994 FORD AEROSTAR VANS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR "FIRE PROBLEMS/INCIDENTS/REPORTS," AND THE LIKE. PLEASE INFORM ME OF WHAT ACTIONS I NEED TO TAKE TO RECOUP SOME MONETARY VALUE FOR THIS "FIRE INCIDENT," ETC. MY VEHICLE PAPERWORK WAS BURNED/DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. HOWEVER, THE NORFOLK FIRE DEPARTMENT DID MAKE AN "OFFICIAL FIRE REPORT/RECORD" OF THE INCIDENT, ETC. ALSO, MINOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ALUMINUM SIDING OF MY HOUSE FROM THE VEHICLE FIRE. *TR

WE WERE BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE LOSS OF POWER. THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WAS CHANGED. WE ARE STILL GETTING INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER, BUT WHAT MY CONCERN IS THAT I SAW A RECALL ON NHTSA: 99V028000. I WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS RECALL WHEN I VIEWED AN EPISODE OF COPS WHERE AN AEROSTAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I CALLED FORD IN TEMECULA CALIF AND NOW THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF ANY RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR OF AEROSTAR 1994 I DO HAVE KIDS AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SAFETY MATTERS REMAIN ON THIS VAN. *TR

FRONT COIL SPRINGS SNAPPED, HAD TO REPLACED WITH READING SPRING WORKS, THEY HAD TO SEND THE SPECKS TO CHICAGO. MY FORD AERO STAR 4 WHEEL DRIVE & 4.0 V6 IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM AFTER MARKET. THE ONLY OPTION IS TO BUY NEW OR USED FORD SPRINGS WHICH ARE MADE IN CHINA. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER ADMITS REPLACING COIL & LEAF SPRINGS ON SEVERAL MODELS. MIDAS WAS SO BUSY REPLACING FORD SPRINGS, THEY COULD NOT SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO INSTALL SPRINGS EVEN IF I HAD THE SPRINGS. *TR

CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, UNTOUCHED, FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS. FIRE ERUPTED ABOUT 7:00 AM. FLAMES WERE COMING THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD. SEEMED TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. CAR IS COMPLETELY ORIGINAL (NO ELECTRIC ALTERATIONS). CAR HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS SO ANY RECALL WORK SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED 1994, FORD VAN CAUGHT ON FIRE ON THE FREEWAY ON 8-8-05. SHE WAS NOT HAVING PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE SEEMED TO BE ELECTRICAL AND ORIGINATED UNDER THE HOOD. *AK *JB UPDATED 2/7/2006 - THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 97V204000 ON NOV 13, 1997 FOR THE TRANSFER CASE/DRIVESHAFT BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. THIS FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM NHTSA ON TWO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. ONE WAS 99V028000 FOR THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE HOOD AND THE OTHER ONE WAS 99V029000 FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE HORN WILL NOT WORK. THE PROBLEM STARTED WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THE AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK AS LONG AS THE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WAS ON. ALSO, THE DEALER TOLD HIM HE HAD A BROKEN WIRE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. HE HAS NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. THE AIR BAG PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. THEREFORE, E THE MANUFACTURER WILL OFFER NO FREE REMEDY. *AK

THREE DAYS AFTER I HAVE THE VANS WIREING DONE BECAUSE OF A RECALL, MY HORN STOPPED WORKING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND MY BRAKE LIGHTS STARTED STAYING ON. I CALLED JIM WILSON FORD WHO DID THE REPAIRS I WAS TOLD BY THE HEAD MAN AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS NOT THERE FALT AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. EVERYTHING WORKED FINE UNTIL THEY DID THE RECALL WORK.*AK

THE ACCESSORIES IN MY DASH AND STEERING COLUMN ARE SHORTING OUT, AND I SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE WHEN MY VAN WAS MADE. I DON'T CARE WHY I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AND BACK AND NOT HAVE MY VAN CATCH ON FIRE. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT ALREADY WITH A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. ALSO, THE FUEL PUMP IS ACTING UP ANDI WAS TOLD IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT IS SHORTING OUT!. AGAIN NOT THE RIGHT MONTH BUT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS SO THE WAY I SEE IT IS THAT FORD MESSED UP AND SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, PERIOD. I PLAN TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS AND TO RIGHT TO MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY SHOULD NOT BE DETERMINED AS TO HOW LOUDLY PEOPLE COMPLAIN, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE VEHICLES THAT ARE COVERED WERE THE GREATEST RISK TO THE COMPANY. *LA