1996 FORD AEROSTAR Complaints

BOTH FRONT WHEELS HAVE CRACKS IN THE FORD MANUFACTURED SPOOK WHEELS. FORD CONTACTED AND HAD NO EXPLANATION AND STATED IT IS MY PROBLEM. ONE FORD MECHANIC CONTACTED AND 4 WHEEL SHOPS CONTACTED AND STATED IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. FORD REPRESENTATIVES HAD NO CONCERN CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE. AS OF THIS DATE FORD WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY LIABLITY.

THREE OUT OF THE FOUR ALUMINIUM WHEELS ON THE AXLE OF THE CAR WHERE CRACKING UNTIL CONSUMER SWITCHED TO STEEL WHEELS AT HIS EXPENSE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT, BUT REFUSED TO HONOR CONSUMERS REQUEST. *AK

COMPONENT #1: RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE....I HEARD A THUMPING NOISE AND PULLED OVER TO CHECK.I FOUND THAT THE TIRE WAS FAILING ON THE INSIDE CAUSING A VERY LARGE BUBBLING EFFECT TO OCCUR WHICH IN TURN WAS BREAKING THE INNER TIRE WIRES AND PUSHING THE TREAD OUT FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO TIRE KINGDOM, SO. US #1, FT. PIERCE, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSE FROM UNEVEN OUTTER WEAR---NOT!---AND THAT SINCE I HAD BOIUGHT THE LOWER PRICED TIRE THAT THAT WAS ALL I COULD EXPECT. I HAD TO BUT A REPLACEMENT TIRE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON 4/17/2001 TO THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE. PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT ALL FOUR OF THE TIRES ON THIS VECHICLE WERE BOUT AT THE DAME TIME AND EXPERIENCE THE SAME WEAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS TYPE OF DEFECT IN THE SAME VEIN AS THE FIRESTONE FAILURES AND THAT HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY I AND ANY PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE INSULT TO INJURT WAS THAT "I SHOULD EXPECT THIS KIND OF FAILURE SINCE I ROUTINELY DO NOT PURCHASE ANY TIRE OTHER THAT THE LOWER MODERATE PRICED ONES. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT NORMAL WEAR HAS TO DO W/TREAD WEAR, NOT INTERNAL FAILURE CAUSING DAMAGE.*AK

1. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT A WHEEL HAS DEVEOLPED A CRACK IN ONE OF ITS SPOKES. 2. A BOLT THAT HOLDS THE FRONTSIDE DRIVER SEATBACK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION SHEARED OFF AND ALLOWED THE SEATBACK TO MOVE FREELY BACK AND FORTH.*AK

MOTOR PINGS UNDER LOAD IN OVERDRIVE WHEN USING A/C AT 40-45 MPH. REQUIRES TAKING OUT OF OVERDRIVE MANUALLY. DEALER REPORTS NO CODES UPON COMPUTER CHECK. ENGINE ALSO PINGS IN WINTER ON LOAD GOING UP GRADE AT 40-45 MPH IN OVERDRIVE. DEALER REPORTED ENGINE COMPUTER INDICATES VERY LEAN CONDITION WHEN FORST PURCHASED....NO CORRECTION AVAILABLE. MILEAGE EXCELLENT 20-21 AROUND TOWN AND 27-30 ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS A GREAT VAN EXCEPT FOR THE PINGING. HAVE TRIED MID RANGE AND PREMIUM FUEL AND PREMIUM WITH NO BETTER RESULTS. MY RESEARCH SHOW A SPARK KNOCK SENSOR IS PRESENT....IS IT SUPPOSED TO SENSE THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECT TIMING OR IS THERE ANOTHER POSSIBLE FIX?*AK

THE METAL PORTION OF POWER STEERING FLUID RETURN HOSE AND ONE OF THE METAL LINES TO THE POWER STEERING GEAR BOX/ACTUATOR ARE MOUNTED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY RUB TOGETHER AND OVER TIME RUB AWAY AT THE METAL AND DEVELOP LEAKS THAT CAUSE THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING. THE ONLY INDICATION OF THIS FAILURE IS WHINING COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK

AS PROMISED, I'M BACK. MAJOR BRAKE FAILURES AT 32,518, 55,638, AND RECENTLY AT 58, 700. I CHECKED YOUR SITE THROUGH THE CARTALK WEBSITE AND FOUND 12 BRAKE PROBLEMS REPORTED OUT OF 79. I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER WHOSE FAMILY IS AT RISK. MOSY RECENTLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL BOTTOMED OUT TWO CONSECUTIVE TIMES AT SLOW SPEED. THE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR SAID THEY SMELLED HEATED BRAKES. I BELIEVE THE CALIPERS MAY BE DRAGGING, OVERHEATING THE BRAKES. I CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE OWNED AN AEROSTAR PREVIOUSLY AND HAD NO SUCH BRAKE PROBLEMS, CERTAINLY NOT A PAD REPLACEMENT AT 32,000. THESE BRAKES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY. ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WE WERE CHARGED FOR PAD REPLACEMENT AND ROTOR RESURFACING. MS BRENNER, THE PRINCIPAL DRIVER NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND WHICH CASED HER TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE. I BELIEVE THE DEALER WAS WRONG TO CHARGE US FOR THIS REPAIR, AS BRAKES DO NOT WEAR THIS QUICKLY. I BELIEVE THAT THE PAD OF CALIPER FAILED, UNRELATED TO THE WEAR. OUR HONEST, COMPETENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, B&M AUTOMOTIVE INMC LEAN, VA (703)356-1532 TELL US THAT THEY SEE MANY PROBLEMS WITH FORD BRAKES. WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE, FOLKS? DOES SOMKEONE HAVE TO LOSE HIS LIFE AT THE HANDS OF FORD BEFORE YOU RECALL THESE CARS?

MY BRAKES FAILED AFTER AN EXTENDED DOWNHILL DRIVE--ALTHOUGH NOT AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE. IN TAKING APART THE DISK BRAKES, MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CALIPERS HAD BECOME BRITTLE (OVER TIME FROM HEAT) AND THEY CRUMBLED IN HIS HANDS. THE PADS HAD WORN DOWN BUT STILL WERE WITHIN AN ACCEPTABLE THICKNESS (BUT AT THE LOW END). THE ROTOR WAS NORMAL. THE MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THESE BRAKES RESULTING FROM A ROTOR THAT IS TOO THIN (NORMALLY) AND AS A RESULT DOES NOT ABSORB HEAT WELL FROM THE PADS. HE HAS OBSERVED THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER AEROSTARS AND HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKES NEED TO BE CHECK EARLIER THAN NORMAL PAD WEAR WOULD INDICATE. HE SAID THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE DID NOT END UP IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK

VEHICLE PARKED. OWNER NOTICED 3 WHEELS WERE CRACKED/BROKEN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE WHEELS REPLACED. MECHANIC GAVE NO INDICATION OF WHAT CAUSED THE WHEELS TO BE CRACKED OR BROKEN. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING HEARD LOUD CLICKING NOISE FROM LEFT FRONT WHEEL, DISCOVERED CRACKS IN LEFT WHEEL, REPLACED THE WHEEL