1988 FORD AEROSTAR — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
230
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
2
Service Bulletins
3
Investigations
Overview of the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
The 1988 FORD AEROSTAR has received a total of 230 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION. 2 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Fuel System Gasolinestoragetank Assembly (38 complaints), Seat Beltsfrontbuckle Assembly (19 complaints), and Electrical Systemignitionswitch (17 complaints).
Recalls for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR, potentially affecting up to 8,235,500 vehicles.
Recall 98V190000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
| 140,000 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA (10 SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN BERNADINO, SAN DIEGO, RIVERSIDE, VENTURA, SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, IMPERIAL, AND KERN), FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA (CLARK COUNTY), OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TEXAS, AND IN THE U.S. TERRITORIES COVERED BY THE FEDERAL...
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE, THROUGH MARCH 31, 2002. THIS COVERAGE WILL ONLY BE FOR STRUCTURAL CRACKS AT THE TOP OF THE TANK AND WILL NOT INCLUDE OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT OR ROAD DEBRIS.
View full details →Recall 98E010000 — SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
| 23,500 vehicles affected
Defect: EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET BRAKE ROTORS FOR USE ON CERTAIN FORD AND MAZDA TRUCKS. CRACKED CASTINGS CAUSED CRACKS TO APPEAR ON THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE ROTOR HAT OR AROUND THE STUD HOLE.
Consequence: LOSS OF BRAKING CAN RESULT.
Remedy: AIMCO WILL REIMBURSE CONSUMERS/INSTALLERS FOR THE COST OF REPLACEMENT ROTORS AND INSTALLATION. CONSUMERS ARE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO THE LOCATION WHERE THE ROTORS WERE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED/INSTALLED FOR REPLACEMENT.
View full details →Recall 96V071000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
| 7,900,000 vehicles affected
Defect: THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
View full details →Recall 91V136000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
| 112,000 vehicles affected
Defect: SOME LIFTGATE GAS CYLINDER-TO-BODY ATTACHMENT BALL STUDS MAY FRACTURE IN EITHER THE OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION.
Consequence: IF A BALL STUD FRACTURES, THE LIFTGATE WILL NOT REMAIN INTHE OPEN POSITION. BODILY INJURY COULD RESULT IF THE LIFTGATE DROPS WHILESOMEONE IS UNDER IT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE GAS CYLINDER-TO-BODY ATTACHMENT BALL STUDS.
View full details →Recall 88V091000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
| 60,000 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TRAILER TOW PACKAGE HAVE A TRAILER TAILLIGHT RELAY ASSEMBLY THAT CONTAINS WIRES OF SMALLER GAUGE THAN THE FUSE LINK WHICH PROTECTS THE CIRCUIT.
Consequence: SHOULD A SHORT CIRCUIT OCCUR IN THE WIRING WITHIN THERELAY OR IF WATER INTRUSION OCCURS THE SMALLER GAUGE WIRE IN THE RELAY WILLFUNCTION AS A FUSE LINK AND OVERHEAT. THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR A FIRE IF THEWIRES ARE EXPOSED TO COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.
Remedy: INSTALLATION OF A RELAY WITH WIRES OF GAUGE ADEQUATE TO PROTECT THE CIRCUIT.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
230 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
GAS TANK WAS RECALLED 12/98 UNDER 98MO3. GAS TANK DID DEVELOP CRACKS AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD IN 8/01. REPLACEMENT GAS TANK DEVELOPED CRACKS IN 9/03. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED ORIGINAL WARRANTY WORK STATES THE REPLACEMENT GAS TANK HAS FAILED BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. BUT FORD REFUSES TO REPLACE GAS TANK AGAIN, EVEN KNOWING THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIP STATES THIS IS A FORD PRODUCT DEFECT. BASICALLY, FORD REALIZED IT HAD A DEFECTIVE PART (GAS TANK), OFFERED A REMEDY TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE PART, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED IN THE SAME WAY AS THE ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE PART. FORD SAYS IT IS NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK AND THAT I COULD GET IN IT AND DRIVE TO FLORIDA RIGHT NOW. WELL IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK AND SO FAR THE SHOCK MOUNT IS BUSTED (WAS BROKE BEFORE I EVEN BOUGHT THE TRUCK) VALVE COVER GASKETS ARE LEAKING, POWER STEERING BOX BLEW OUT AND THE FLOOR OF THE TRUCK IN THE CAB IS ALL ROTTTED AWAY. THERE IS A HUGE HOLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TO WHERE I COULD PUT BOTH MY LEGS THROUGH AND HE WOULDN'T GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK FOR THE VEHICLE. I TOOK PHOTOS OF ALL THIS TO PROVE MY DEFECTS OF THE TRUCK.
I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK AND THAT I COULD GET IN IT AND DRIVE TO FLORIDA RIGHT NOW. WELL IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK AND SO FAR THE SHOCK MOUNT IS BUSTED (WAS BROKE BEFORE I EVEN BOUGHT THE TRUCK) VALVE COVER GASKETS ARE LEAKING, POWER STEERING BOX BLEW OUT AND THE FLOOR OF THE TRUCK IN THE CAB IS ALL ROTTTED AWAY. THERE IS A HUGE HOLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TO WHERE I COULD PUT BOTH MY LEGS THROUGH AND HE WOULDN'T GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK FOR THE VEHICLE. I TOOK PHOTOS OF ALL THIS TO PROVE MY DEFECTS OF THE TRUCK.
THE CONSUMER STATED SHE NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE # 98V190000. THE RECALL WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK CRACKING. THE DEALER STATED THIS RECALL EXPIRED ON MARCH 31/02 AND WILL NOW COST $700.00 TO FIX IT. *NLM
THE VAN WAS UNABLE TO PASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO A GAS LEAK FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THERE WAS A FUEL TANK CRACK RECALL, BUT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *JB *MR *NM
View all Fuel System Gasolinestoragetank Assembly complaints →
Safety Rating for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
Ford Motor Company has issued 2 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
98M03 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM INVOLVING THE FUEL TANK ON AFFECTED VEHICLES WHICH CAN DEVELOP CRACKS AT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TANK AS A RESULT OF EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO VERY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TT
9888 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC
NHTSA Investigations for the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations into potential safety defects in the 1988 FORD AEROSTAR.
Other Model Years of the FORD AEROSTAR
- 1986 FORD AEROSTAR — 72 complaints
- 1987 FORD AEROSTAR — 140 complaints
- 1988 FORD AEROSTAR (current)
- 1989 FORD AEROSTAR — 328 complaints
- 1990 FORD AEROSTAR — 254 complaints
- 1991 FORD AEROSTAR — 282 complaints
- 1992 FORD AEROSTAR — 439 complaints
- 1993 FORD AEROSTAR — 541 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints