IllustrationCONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RIMS ON HER VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR. CONSUMER WAS INFOMRED A NEW BATTERY WAS NEEDED, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON.*JB
1997 Ford Aspire
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Ford Aspire do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 54.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Aspire 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: 6 of 60 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 14 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 →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
12 reportsWHILE DRIVING RADIO, AND ALL ELECTRICAL POWERED UNITS WENT OUT. SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, AND THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER HOOD THAT APPEARED TO START NEAR WIRE HARNESS. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. FORD HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR SHORTED OUT/ MULTI FUCTION SWITCH MALFUCTIONED/ ALTERNATOR MALFUCTION ALTENATOR BROKE OFF HOUSING. *AK
HAD BATTERY, FUEL PUMP, AND EVEN STARTER REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE, WORRIED MORE ABOUT MONEY THAN SOLVING PROBLEM.
HAVE HAD RECENT OIL LEAK AND AS OF 08/24/00 WHITE SMOKE BLOWING OUT OF EXHAUST ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES ON.. I HAVE HAD AIRCONDITIONING LEAKING INTO PASSANGER SIDE SO IT CANT BE USED, I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR AT EVERY 3 MONTHS.. THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED FIRST MONTH I OWED CAR AND ONLY WHEN IT RAINED WHICH CAUSED A WR…
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HAVE HAD RECENT OIL LEAK AND AS OF 08/24/00 WHITE SMOKE BLOWING OUT OF EXHAUST ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES ON.. I HAVE HAD AIRCONDITIONING LEAKING INTO PASSANGER SIDE SO IT CANT BE USED, I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR AT EVERY 3 MONTHS.. THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED FIRST MONTH I OWED CAR AND ONLY WHEN IT RAINED WHICH CAUSED A WRECK ON 09/99 DUE TO NO BRAKES AT THAT TIME. HAVE HAD FRONT BREAKS REPLACED. MECHANIC SAID HE COULDNT SEE ANY WEAR ON THEM BUT NEED REPLACED.. MY TURN SIGNALS FUSES REPLACED ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES , 3 WKS AGO HAD THEM REPLACED AND NOW HAVE NO TURN SIGNALS. ..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16570/13 )
HAVE HAD PROBLEM SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THIS CAR, CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS.. AM NOW LEAKING OIL AND LOSING COOLANT
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR AT 15 MPH OR LESS ABS LIGHT & AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. ALSO, RADIO WENT DEAD AND VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. NOTICED SMOKE FROM HOOD. TOWED TO DEALER ,AND WAS INFORMED OF AN ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN. *AK
THE IGNITION SYSTEM INSIDE THE DESTRIBUTOR HAS GONE OUT ON MY CAR 4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED "LOOSE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WHERE THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE GEARS. ALSO, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND DEALER REPLACED IT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. IN ADDITION, KEY BREAKS IN THE DOOR LOCKS/ VEHICLE IDLES AND STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY/DRIVER'S SEAT IS VERY LOOSE, DEALER TIGHTENED THE SEAT,BUT PROBLE…
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VEHICLE EXPERIENCED "LOOSE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WHERE THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE GEARS. ALSO, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND DEALER REPLACED IT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. IN ADDITION, KEY BREAKS IN THE DOOR LOCKS/ VEHICLE IDLES AND STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY/DRIVER'S SEAT IS VERY LOOSE, DEALER TIGHTENED THE SEAT,BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING/, AND ALL DOORS WERE NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. OCCUPANT NEEDED TO SLAM THE DOOR AND CUT HER FINGER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR CAP FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE98040 · Fuel Vapor Valve Leaks
Opened Jul 15, 1998 · Closed Nov 16, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available