IllustrationCONSUMER WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY OFF OF A SMALL STREET, APPLIED BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN. RPMS WENT UP, AND THE REAR TIRES WERE SPINNING. VEHICLE HIT A GARAGE WALL AND DOOR. *AK
1997 Ford Aerostar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 11 of 63 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 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
63 reportsVEHICLE WAS BROUGHT UP TO 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND PLACED UNDER CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL TO SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 90MPH, AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE THROTTLE OR CRUSISE CONTROL. VEHILCE SLOWED DOWN TO SAFE SPEED BY CONSTANT BRAKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES UNTIL "SAFE" AREA …
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VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT UP TO 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND PLACED UNDER CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL TO SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 90MPH, AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE THROTTLE OR CRUSISE CONTROL. VEHILCE SLOWED DOWN TO SAFE SPEED BY CONSTANT BRAKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES UNTIL "SAFE" AREA TO EXIT WAS FOUND. ATTEMPTS TO BRING VEHICLE TO STOP BY BREAKING, DOWNSHIFTING, APPLYING EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED BY TURNING IGNITION SWITCH OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROX 25 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO CHEROKEE FORD IN WOODSTOCK. PROBLEM REPORTED TO BE MALFUNCTION OF ACCELERATOR CABLE. DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLE COMPONENTS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL SET AT APPROX 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 75 NORTH OF ATLANTA. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ACCELARATED OUT OF CONTROL TO APPROXIMATELY 90 MPH AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO DEACTIVATE CONTROL BY BRAKE, OR CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL VEHICLE WHILE THE THROTTLE WAS WIDE OPEN AND BRAKES FIRMLY APPLI…
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CRUISE CONTROL SET AT APPROX 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 75 NORTH OF ATLANTA. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ACCELARATED OUT OF CONTROL TO APPROXIMATELY 90 MPH AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO DEACTIVATE CONTROL BY BRAKE, OR CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL VEHICLE WHILE THE THROTTLE WAS WIDE OPEN AND BRAKES FIRMLY APPLIED FOR SEVERAL MILE TO FIND SAFE PLACE TO ATTEMPT STOPPING IT WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP BY COMBINATION OF BRAKING, DOWNSHIFTING, AND FINALLY TURNING OFF IGNITION SWITCH ON AN EXIT RAMP. ONCE STOPPED EXAMINATION OF ACCELATOR PEDAL SHOWED IN WAS STILL BEING HELD TO THE "FLOOR" BY CABLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CHEROKEE FORD DEALERSHIP IN WOODSTOCK GA AT APPROX 8:00 PM AND KEYS WERE LEFT IN DROP OFF BOX AT SERVICE AREA. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN FALL 1997 AND AM NOT SURE IF 36 MONTH WARRANTY HAS BEEN EXCEEDED. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING COLLISION WAS AVOIDED BUT AT UNKNOWN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. *AK
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INVOLVING THE HORN CONTINUALLY FAILS. THE HORN REGULARY GOES OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH HORNS, THE LOW AND HIGH FREQUENCY. I HAVE REPLACED THE HORN RELAY. WITH EACH REPLACEMENT, THE HORN BURNS OUT BECAUSE IT IS OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS BECAUSE IT IS SET OFF BY SOMETHING …
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THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INVOLVING THE HORN CONTINUALLY FAILS. THE HORN REGULARY GOES OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH HORNS, THE LOW AND HIGH FREQUENCY. I HAVE REPLACED THE HORN RELAY. WITH EACH REPLACEMENT, THE HORN BURNS OUT BECAUSE IT IS OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS BECAUSE IT IS SET OFF BY SOMETHING IN THE SYSTEM. THIS USUALLY OCCURS AT NIGHT.
REAR PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT HAVE A CHILD SAFETY LOCK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *YC
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ENGINE BELT NOISE. NLM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF TRUCK. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
TRANSMISSION.
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #97V204000. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TRANSFER CASE. AFTER REPAIRS, PICKED VEHICLE UP. HAD PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. WAS A LOUD BANG. THIS CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IN REAR END. DEALER REFUSED TO HELP W/PROBLEM.ALSO, REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS HAD CRACKED. IT SOUNDED LIKE METAL ON METAL. *…
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RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #97V204000. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS FOR TRANSFER CASE. AFTER REPAIRS, PICKED VEHICLE UP. HAD PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. WAS A LOUD BANG. THIS CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IN REAR END. DEALER REFUSED TO HELP W/PROBLEM.ALSO, REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS HAD CRACKED. IT SOUNDED LIKE METAL ON METAL. *AK
KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
Official recalls
300V425000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables
Dec 26, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. AN ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS KINKED DURING INSTALLATION, CAUSING THE CORE WIRES TO EVENTUALLY FRAY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD INCREASE THE FRICTION IN THE CABLE, CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO BE SLOW TO RETURN TO IDLE. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ACCELERATOR CABLE.
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
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