IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH WHEN CONSUMER TURNS ON SIGNAL SWITCH UPON MAKING A TURN OR JUST CHANGING LINES, SIGNAL SWITCH WON'T HOLD, AND CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD IT MANUALLY. *AK
1996 Ford Aerostar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 14 of 104 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.
- Wheels. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
104 reportsAS THE SLIDING DOOR WAS BEING OPENED THE BOTTOM TRACKS HAD SEPARATED FORM THE DOOR. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TRANSFER CASE BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP MOVING WHILE ENGINE REMAINED ON. OWNER COULD NOT SWITCH GEARS. DEALER SAID VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSFER CASE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS NOT SERVICED WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR RECALL REPAIR, DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER WORK WAS COMPLETED. (IGNITION SWITCH)- (99V-029) MJS.
THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A SMALL VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, IT INCREASED AS TIME WENT ON, WHEN EXAMINED WAS FOUND PADS CAME APART-SHIFTING ON RIVETS. THIS HAPPENED BOTH TIMES, IT HAS STARTED IT AGAIN, ONLY MINOR AT THIS TIME. WHEELS NOT PULLED YET.
REQUIRES A SHIFT INTO 'NEUTRAL' TO DISENGAGE MAXIMUM THROTTLE DURING A PASSING MANUVER. SEEMS TO BE TORQUE RELATED. OCCURS INDEPENDENT OF 'CRUISE CONTROL' BEING ON OR OFF. APPLYING BRAKES OR TURNING CURISE TO OFF DOES NOT RELEASE THROTTLE. VEHICAL HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER WHO SOLD VEHICLE AND ACCESSORY AT LEAST TWICE. CRUISE …
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REQUIRES A SHIFT INTO 'NEUTRAL' TO DISENGAGE MAXIMUM THROTTLE DURING A PASSING MANUVER. SEEMS TO BE TORQUE RELATED. OCCURS INDEPENDENT OF 'CRUISE CONTROL' BEING ON OR OFF. APPLYING BRAKES OR TURNING CURISE TO OFF DOES NOT RELEASE THROTTLE. VEHICAL HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER WHO SOLD VEHICLE AND ACCESSORY AT LEAST TWICE. CRUISE CONTROL HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT PROBLEM RECURS.
FRONT AXLE BROKE CAUSING WHEEL TO COME OFF, AND DAMAGING OTHER COMPONENTS.
SIMILAR TO SAFETY RECALL # 97S83 FOR WHICH SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, BUT AFFECTING FRONT SHAFT AND TRANSFER CASE INSTEAD OF REAR. HAD SEAL LEAK ON FRONT TRANSFER CASE UNDER 30K MILES WARRANTY. TRANSFER CASE BEARING FAILURE ON FRONT DRIVE SHAFT IN TRANSFER CASE RUINED TRANSFER CASE AT A COST OF $1,985.00 TO REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE H…
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SIMILAR TO SAFETY RECALL # 97S83 FOR WHICH SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, BUT AFFECTING FRONT SHAFT AND TRANSFER CASE INSTEAD OF REAR. HAD SEAL LEAK ON FRONT TRANSFER CASE UNDER 30K MILES WARRANTY. TRANSFER CASE BEARING FAILURE ON FRONT DRIVE SHAFT IN TRANSFER CASE RUINED TRANSFER CASE AT A COST OF $1,985.00 TO REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TREATED VERY WELL, WITH NO HEAVY LOADS OR TOWING OF TRAILERS.
SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING SOUND AND THE SOUND WENT AWAY. DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER DUE TO THE WHEELS VIRBATING. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHEEL, AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. TOOK VEHICLE T…
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WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING SOUND AND THE SOUND WENT AWAY. DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER DUE TO THE WHEELS VIRBATING. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHEEL, AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CONSUMER RAN SOMETHING OVER, AND THE THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL WAS BENT. *AK
Official recalls
499V029000 · 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.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
96V070000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 22, 1996
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
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
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