AIR BAG LIGHT HAD BEEN ILLUMINATING AND AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DUE TO POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING. *SCC...*AK
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.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
11 reportsCONSUMER 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
THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR A ENGINE CHECK LIGHT 4 TIMES IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. EACH TIME, THE MECHANICS CLAIMED A DIFFERENT CAUSE FOR THE CODES IN MEMORY. THE PROBLEM IS, IF IT IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT 58481 MILES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT TO CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED AGAIN YET,…
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THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR A ENGINE CHECK LIGHT 4 TIMES IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. EACH TIME, THE MECHANICS CLAIMED A DIFFERENT CAUSE FOR THE CODES IN MEMORY. THE PROBLEM IS, IF IT IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT 58481 MILES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT TO CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED AGAIN YET, BUT THE LAST VISIT, NOTHING WAS CHANGED TO REMEDY ANY UNDERLYING PROBLEM. I THINK FOUR TIMES FOR A PROBLEM IS A BIT OUT OF LINE, AND WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM SINCE IT OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY SUPPOSEDLY ENDED. FULL DETAILS OF THE CASE CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, FINANCIAL FRAUD DIVISION IN OREGON.
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
AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES EXTREME NOISE IN THE LOW END CAUSED ME TO PULL INTO LYTHIA FORD OF BOISE, ID. THE ENGINE CONTAINED SUFFICIENT OIL AND THE SOIL PRESSURE INDICATOR WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. LYTHIA FORD INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND AFTER PERFORMING TESTS DECIDE THAT I NEED A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. THEY INDICATEDED …
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AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES EXTREME NOISE IN THE LOW END CAUSED ME TO PULL INTO LYTHIA FORD OF BOISE, ID. THE ENGINE CONTAINED SUFFICIENT OIL AND THE SOIL PRESSURE INDICATOR WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. LYTHIA FORD INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND AFTER PERFORMING TESTS DECIDE THAT I NEED A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. THEY INDICATEDED THAT THE PREVIOUS ENGINE HAD ROD BEARINGS WITH EXCESSIVE PLAY.I BELIEVE THAT HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE THAT THE ENGINE COULD HAVE LOCKED UP CREATING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAYY.*AK
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH GASOLINE FUMES! FIRE HAZARD/ HEALTH RISK/ CANCER RISK!!! FORD IS AWARE THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE BUT HAS REFUSED TO RECALL. FORD HAS A REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE AT NO CHARGE. REFER TO FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ARTICLE 97-13-6 FOR EVIDENCE THAT FORD IS AWARE OF T…
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PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH GASOLINE FUMES! FIRE HAZARD/ HEALTH RISK/ CANCER RISK!!! FORD IS AWARE THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE BUT HAS REFUSED TO RECALL. FORD HAS A REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE AT NO CHARGE. REFER TO FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ARTICLE 97-13-6 FOR EVIDENCE THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM! EVIDENCE THAT FORD KNOWS THE WELDS ON THE VAPOR VENT WELD ARE DEFECTIVE AND FORD HAS A REPLACEMENT PART #F4BZ-9B593-A. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND CAN LEAD TO SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR FORD IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS EITHER INJURED OR KILLED. NHTSA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING A RECALL WHERE A DANGEROUS SITUATION EXISTS TO THE CITIZENS WHO DRIVE THESE VEHICLES AND A SIMPLE REPLACEMENT SOLUTION DOES EXIST!!! ALSO, NHTSA IS CURRENTLY AWARE THAT THIS HAZARD EXISTS, BUT DO YOU EXPECT FORD TO REPLACE THESE PARTS VOLUNTARILY? NOT!!!! I WOULD APPRECIATE ACTION ON THE PART OF NHTSA OR SHOULD I TAKE THIS ISSUE TO THE MEDIA AND LET THEIR CONSUMER ADVOCATES HAVE FUN PUTTING FORD AND THE NHTSA ON THE HOT SEAT IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF VIEWERS? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING GAS FUME IN CABIN OF VEHICLE. NLM
RADIATOR CAP FAILED.
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
Illustration