1996 Ford Aerostar

A FEW YEARS AGO WE NOTICED THAT 2 OF THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ON OUR 1996 AEROSTAR WERE CRACKED . WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD MOTOR CO.SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE WERE LIVING AT THE TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED THE REGIONAL MANAGER, WHO AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPLACEMENT COSTS. SINCE THAT TIME, 2 ADDITIONAL ALUMINUM WHEELS HAVE CRACKED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FORD WILL NOT REPLACE THESE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT THE CRACKS ARE DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHICH FORD MOTOR CO. SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND CORRECT. WHEELS ARE NOT A NORMAL WEAR ITEM.*AK

IN A MULTIPLE CAR PILE-UP, WITH SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MPH THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG IN OUR VAN (VEHICLE NUMBER #3 OF 4 INVOLVED) DID NOT DEPLOY. OUR VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED ACROSS THE ENTIRE FRONT AND THE ENTIRE BACK BUMPERS (GRILL, HATCH...). MY DAUGHTER WAS EXAMINED BY A PHYSICIAN AND MISSED SOME WORK. IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED SHE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SOME PROTECTION.*AK

I BOUGHT A USED 1996 FORD AEROSTAR AWD VAN FROM A USED CAR DEALER ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO. I HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN IMMEDIATELY BUT THE DEALER DECLINED RESPONSIBILITY. TODAY I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE IN THE VAN NEEDS, MINIMALLY, REPAIR OR TOTAL REPLACEMENT. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A BALL JOINT FOR $320, WHICH THE USED CAR DEALER SAID HE HAD CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. WE ARE RETIREES WITHOUT A HUGE INCOME AND SO WE DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER FORD WAS IN SOME WAY RESPONSIBLE. WE LEARNED THAT A RECALL FOR TRANSFER CASES WAS ISSUED IN 1998 SO MY WIFE CALLED FORD, WHERE SHE WAS, OF COURSE, TOLD THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. I WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN LEARN IF THIS IS TRUE OR WHETHER I CAN MAKE FORD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MAJOR MALFUNCTION. THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE!!!! OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE OWNED MANY, MANY VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BEFORE. BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER CASE, MY FRONT TIRES ARE BALD AND I NEED TWO TIE ROD ENDS AFTER THE TRANSFER CASE REPAIR. MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW I WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THESE REPAIRS. I ALSO STILL HAVE TWO YEARS' CAR PAYMENTS LEFT!!!*AK

MY 1996 FORD AEROSTAR HAS 14X6 ALUMINUM ALLOW WHEEL RIMS. THE RIMS HAVE 7 TRIANGULAR SLOTS AND 7 WIDE/FLAT "SPOKES". ONE OF THESE RIMS IS CRACKING. THE CRACK IS PROGRESSING FROM ONE SPOKE TO ANOTHER. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALL TOGETHER. AFTER ALMOST A MONTH OF SEARCHING FOR A USED REPLACEMENT RIM I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I SUSPECTED THAT THIS MAY BE THE CASE WHEN I COULD NOT FIND ANY ON-LINE COMPANY THAT HAD THESE IN STOCK (USED OR NEW). TODAY I SPOKE WITH A WOMAN AT ACKERWHEELS.COM AND LEARNED THAT THIS RIM CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER. SHE WARNED ME THAT IF I ORDERED ONE FROM THE DEALER TO LOOK IT OVER CAREFULLY FOR CRACKS. I ASKED HER IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. SHE SAID IT WAS AND THAT I SHOULD NOT EXPECT FORD TO RECALL IT. I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF MY OTHER THREE RIMS ARE NOW SUSPECT. WHAT CAN YOU DO? *JB

ONE OF SEVEN SPOKES ON LEFT FRONT ALLOY WHEEL/RIM IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. RIGHT REAR WHEEL/RIM IS STARTING TO CRACK (SHOWING ON TOP SURFACE). LOCAL FORD DEALER SAID THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS ITEM. ONE LOCAL USED AUTO PARTS DISTRIBUTER SAID HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SELL THIS TYPE OF RIM BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL LIABILITY SUITS. ANOTHER USED PARTS DISTRIBUTER SAID HE GETS SEVERAL REQUEST A MONTH FOR THE SAME RIM. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS, FORD SHOULD RECALL THE RIMS BEFORE FAILURES/FATALITIES. *JB

I NOTICED A "PINHOLE" ON MY VIPER GT TIRES, CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT ON A RECALL LIST BUT WOULD REPLACE THEM FOR A "DIFFERENCE" COST. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT 1-2 YEARS EARLIER COOPER (THE MANUFACTURER) GAD A RECALL ON A SIMILAR ISSUE. THE DOT NUMBER OF THE TIRES THAT HAD ON MY VAN WERE AS FOLLOWS: 30 HY UDN2802 - THIS TIRE HAD NO NOTICABLE PINHIOLE 30 HY UDN2401 - PINHOLE WITH VISIBLE WIRE THREADS VISIBLE 30 HY UDN2402 - PINHOLE WITH VISIBLE WIRE THREADS VISIBLE 30 HY UDN3001 - PINHOLE BUT NO VISIBLE WIRES SHOWING YET. *AK

ON 9/17/02 THE RIGHT FRONT ALLOY WHEEL CRACKED WHILE ON VACATION. WE WERE UNABLE TO TRAVEL IN IT. IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO REPLACE. ON 2/1/03 (ALSO OUT OF TOWN) THE LEFT BACK ALLOY WHEEL CRACKED. WE ARE SEARCHING FOR A REPLAEMENT. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND MUST BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE SEVERAL SIMILAIR COMPLAITS PLEASE EVALUATE AS IT COULD CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT.