1996 FORD AEROSTAR Complaints

VAN INVOLVED IN HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE SITTING STILL. SPEED FROM OTHER VEHICLE ESTIMATED AT 40 MPH. AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON COLLISION. IMPACT WAS TO EXTENT OF FRAME BEING KNOCKED OUT OF LINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WILL JERK FORWARD. THIS IS CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS WARPING EXTREMELY. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK THE BRAKE PADS ARE BARELY WORN. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY FORD THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CONSUMER FEELS THE ROTORS WARPED PREMATURELY. *JG

THESE 2 TIRE FAILURES OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CIRUCUMSTANCES ON A VEHICLE THAT IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT THE FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER THAT INSTALLED THE TIRES. FIRESTONE HAS DENIED CLAIM OF VEHICLE REPAIR FROM THE TIRE SEPARATION INCIDENT ON JUNE 16, 2002, SAYING THE 'TIRE WAS IMPROPERLY INFLATED FOR AN UNDETERMINED TIME PERIOD'. THEIR OWN PEOPLE INSPECTED THE TIRES 40 DAYS PRIOR, THE TIME OF THE 1ST TIRE SEPARATION, CLAIMING TIRES TO BE WORTHY, PROPERLY INFLATED ETC. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THESE TIRES MUST HAPPEN, IF IT ISNT ALREADY UNDERWAY. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT FORTUNATELY DID NOT END TRAGICALLY, OTHER THAN DOLLARS SPENT OUT OF OUR POCKET. PLEASE TAKE SERIOUS NOTE TO OUR CIRCUMSTANCE, IT CAN NOT BE COMMON OF TIRES THAT 2 WOULD SEPARATE IN 40 DAYS ON A REGULARLY MAINTAINED VEHICLE ON A CLEAR HIGHWAY AND SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED LIMITS. AFTER THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE, THE SERVICE CENTER MANAGER STATED THAT THE 'TIRE HAD SEPARATED AND FAILED'. AFTER THE SECOND SEPARATION, THE SAME MANAGER HAD THE SAME STATEMENT FOR THE SECOND TIRE. THEY ULTIMATELY WERE WILLING TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES WITH A BRIDGESTONE PRODUCT, FOR US, THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE, WE CHOOSE TO TAKE OUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE (CLEARLY, NOT AN ISSUE FOR THE NHTSA). THOUGH, WHAT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO US IS THE LACK OF URGENCY ON THE PART OF LOCAL FIRESTONE AND CORPORATE FIRESTONE THAT THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH A PRODUCT THEY SELL.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE, AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.*AK

THREE OF ORIGINAL ALUMINUM SPOKE WHEELS HAVE BROKEN ACROSS THE SPOKES. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK *JG

THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAS FATIGUE CRACKS AROUND LUG NUT HOLES, CHP SUGGEST THAT WE CONTACT YOU, COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

3 MONTHS AGO, I BROUGHT OUR VAN TO THE LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY SPARK-PLUG WIRE, WHICH THEY REPLACED AND RESET THE COMPUTER, FOR $130.00. A MONTH LATER, THE VAN STARTED HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS, SO I HAD ANOTHER GARAGE DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, AND POSSIBLY A CRACKED HEAD. I TOOK THE VAN TO A TOP MECHANIC, WHO REMOVED THE HEADS AND HAD THEM INSPECTED. RESULTS WERE THAT THEY WERE BOTH CRACKED. WE NEVER RAN THE VAN HOT, AND KEPT THE VAN IN GOOD RUNNING SERVICE. WE RARELY WENT OUT OF TOWN, SO THE VAN WAS USED ABOUT 20-25 MILES A DAY. MY MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE WAS RUN HOT, AND HE FEELS ALL FORD AEROSTARS HAVE AN INHERENT PROBLEM OF RUNNING TOO HOT, OVER TIME, DUE TO THE AIR/FUEL MIX DURING COMBUSTION. OUR VAN IS THE 5TH AEROSTAR THEY'VE REPLACED HEADS ON IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. WE'RE OUT $1400.00 FOR THIS REPAIR.

ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND DIMMER SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. CONSUMER NOTED THAT HEADLIGHT SWITCH CURRENTLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 50-55 MPH. CONSUMER STOOD ON BRAKES, WITH BOTH FEET. VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. CONSUMER THEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF ENGINE.THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 50 MPH. WHEN DRIVING BELOW 30 MPH VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CASTING ON ALLOY WHEELS FAILED. OF SEVEN SPOKES ON WHEELS THREE HAD BROKEN. WHEELS WERE FALLING OFF THE AXLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND FORD. FORD STATED DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON ALLOY WHEELS. DEALER STATED WILL NOT REPLACE WHEELS UNLESS UNDER WARRANTY.*AK