Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Aerostar, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Wheels23
- Service brakes, hydraulic16
- Electrical system12
- Power train12
- Steering9
- Air bags6
- Latches/locks/linkages6
- Tires5
- Vehicle speed control4
- Structure4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 7 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 1996 Aerostar vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Ford Aerostar failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 150,000 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 12.9–15.1 L/100 km (about 16–18 mpg US), CO₂ 297–347 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerostar Van · Van: Cargo · Regular gasoline | 14.7 | 10.7 | 12.9 |
| Aerostar Wagon · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 15.9 | 11.1 | 13.7 |
| Aerostar Wagon · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 16.7 | 11.9 | 14.5 |
| Aerostar Wagon AWD · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 17.4 | 12.3 | 15.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Ford Aerostar.
| 2001193 16 Jul 2001 | Other Certain vehicles, from Ontario to Newfoundland, could experience a corrosion related failure of the spare tire winch cable. If the cable breaks while the vehicl… |
| 1999032 2 Mar 1999 | Electrical On certain vehicles, a short circuit could occur at the A2 accessory terminal in the ignition switch of these vehicles when the switch is in the "on" position c… |
| 1997207 20 Nov 1997 | Powertrain On certain Aerostar AWD vehicles, extended operation at speeds of over 130 kph may result in structural failure of the transmission/transfer case assembly. This… |
| 1997042 20 Feb 1997 | Emissions THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INCORRECT MASS AIRFLOW SENSORS INSTALLED IN THE EMISS… |
| 1996071 9 May 1996 | Structure THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S 206 - DOOR LATCHES, HINGES AND LOCKS. THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY N… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1996 Ford Aerostar: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637922 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 9/15/2001 MAY EXHIBIT LOW LINE PRESSURE READINGS WHILE IN DRIVE, NO 2ND GEAR, NO 3RD GEAR, NO ENGINE BRAKING IN MANUAL 1ST AND SLIPPING SHIFTS AND / OR DELAYED ENGAGEMENTS. *TT |
| 637755 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A NO 1-2 UPSHIFT, NO 2-3 UPSHIFT, A NO ENGINE BRAKING CONDITION IN MANUAL 1 OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0732 (GEAR 2 INCORRECT RATIO) OR P0733 (GEAR 3 INCORRECT RATIO). *TT |
| 635998 | LOW LINE PRESSURE READING AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE (WOT), SLIPPING SHIFTS AND / OR DELAYED ENGAGEMENTS WITH POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0732, P0733, P1762 SET ON VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 12/1/2001. *TT |
| 635982 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND A 4.0L OHV ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A NOISE / VIBRATION, NO DRIVE, UNUSUAL NOISE DURING CRANKING OR A NO CRANK CONDITION. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 627752 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.0L OHV ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE NOISE WHICH MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THE CUSTOMER AS A PISTON / ONNECTING ROD BEARING KNOCK. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 622665 | ON SOME VEHICLES, ENGINE OIL MAY CONTINUE TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE OIL PAN GASKET AREA AFTER AN ENGINE OIL PAN GASKET REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED. *TT |
| 616522 | SUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM. *TT |
| 613621 | INFORMATION REGARDING PUMP ALIGNMENT TOOLS. **MR |
| 613348 | WHEN REPLACING AN INTERNAL WIRING HARNESS ON 4R44E/4R55E TRANSMISSIONS BUILT BEFORE 11/30/95 WITH A NEW HARNESS, THE FLUID PAN MUST BE REPLACED ALSO. FAILURE TO CHANGE OVER OR CONVERT THE FLUID PAN MAY RESULT IN A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK OR A DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS. *TT |
| 613340 | EXPERIENCING A RAPPING OR CLANGING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED RAPIDLY OR WHEN TURNING ON A BUMPY ROAD SURFACE. *TT |
| 613023 | THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS SERVICE TIPS WHEN SERVICING ANY BRAKE RELATED ROUGHNESS / PULL CONCERNS. *TT |
| 612203 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS |
| 6091931 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE NOISE WHICH MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THE CUSTOMER AS A PISTON / CONNECTING ROD BEARING KNOCK. *TT |
| 6090873 | LOCKS FAILED. YD |
| 6090538 | INFORMATION REGARDING CAMSHAFT POSITION (CMP) SENSOR ALIGNMENT TOOL CHART. *MJS |
| 6090310 | SOME SERVICE MANUALS MAY LIST THE INCORRECT CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ALIGNMENT TOOL FOR VEHICLES WITH VARIOUS ENGINE SIZES. *TT |
| 6090184 | INFORMATION ON REPLACING AND / OR REPAIRING MALFUNCTIONING (DOOR, IGNITION AND DECKLID) LOCKS. *TT |
| 6090136 | DURING EXTREME COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AND UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, MOISTURE IN THE CRANKCASE MAY ENTER THE PCV SYSTEM, FREEZE AND CAUSE PRESURE IN THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. THE PCV FITTING IN THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD MAY FREEZE OR THE FRESH AIR LINE MAY BECOME BLOCKED. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE, BUT LESS LIKELY, THAT ICE MAY BUILD UP ON THE THROTTLE PLATE OR THE THROTTLE BODY AND CAUSE THROTTLE STICKING. *TT |
| 6090087 | INFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY, AND PERFORMANCE CONCERNS IF INSTALLED IN FORD A/C SYSTEMS. *TT |
| 6090082 | INFORMATION FOR SERVICING AND DIAGNOSING BRAKE VIBRATION, BRAKE INSPECTION, AND BRAKE FRICTION MATERIAL REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 6090051 | SERVICE TIP INFORMATION ON REVISED OIL PAN GASKET REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
TRANSFER CASES AND REAR DRIVE SHAFT
TRANSFER CASES AND REAR DRIVESHAFT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation