Your vehicle report
1994 Ford Aerostar
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 257
- Received Jan 1995 to Oct 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Vehicle catches fire from wiring20 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Horn fails with airbag warning light18 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Seat belt fails to latch or retract14 complaints · 5.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #99V028000Vehicle description: mini vans. Heat generation in the wiring harness to the fuel pump/sender assembly can cause an electrical short. The vehicle could experience a loss of power and become immobilized and the fuel gauge may be erratic.
- Recall #99V029000Vehicle 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 22 crashes, 28 fires, 33 people injured, 4 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 22 |
| 1996 | 23 |
| 1997 | 30 |
| 1998 | 30 |
| 1999 | 64 |
| 2000 | 31 |
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 257 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 20 | 7.8% | – | NHTSA recall #99V028000 |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 18 | 7.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 14 | 5.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 14 | 5.5% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 12 | 4.7% | – | |
| Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly | 11 | 4.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 10 | 3.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 3.5% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 3.5% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 7 | 2.7% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 2.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 4 | 1.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #99V028000February 9, 199923,097 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring: front underhood
Vehicle description: mini vans. Heat generation in the wiring harness to the fuel pump/sender assembly Can cause an electrical short. The vehicle could experience a loss of power and become immobilized and the fuel gauge may be erratic.
Heat damage, including melting or charring of the fuel pump and sender assembly wire harness and associated wiring harnesses Can also result. The short circuit could also have the potential for a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a fused jumper harness in the fuel pump ground circuit that will be installed at the fuel pump inertia shut-off switch.
NHTSA recall #99V029000February 9, 1999762,201 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: switch
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #97V204000November 13, 199775,000 vehicles affected
power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1994 Ford Aerostar.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN