The 1994 Ford Aerostar has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 860,298 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 384 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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.
Consequence
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.
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…
Consequence
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.
POWER TRAIN97V2040001997-11-1375,000 affected
Defect
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. …
Consequence
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.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
28
2crashes1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
23
5fires
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
16
15crashes9injuries1deaths
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
15
1fires1injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
14
1fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
12
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
12
2crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
11
5fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
9
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
8
2crashes2injuries
Total complaints384
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Airbag (code 13 and 51) lights flashing”
“Airbag (code 13 and 51) lights flashing”
“Van had been driven for approximately two hours or so, around the local city communities. Van had been parked for approximately five minutes, when neighbors notified me of fire. Intense fire was coming from driver's side/windshield/ignition/front seat area, eventually consuming entire interior of…”
“We were beginning to experience loss of power. The fuel pump and filter was changed. We are still getting intermittent loss of power, but what my concern is that I saw a recall on nhtsa: 99v028000. I was made aware of this recall when I viewed an episode of cops where an aerostar's electrical…”
“We were beginning to experience loss of power. The fuel pump and filter was changed. We are still getting intermittent loss of power, but what my concern is that I saw a recall on nhtsa: 99v028000. I was made aware of this recall when I viewed an episode of cops where an aerostar's electrical…”
“Car was parked in driveway, untouched, for at least 24 hours. Fire erupted about 7:00 am. Flames were coming through the drivers side windshield. Seemed to be electrical in nature. Car is a total loss. Car is completely original (no electric alterations). Car had been to the dealer within the last…”
“All electronics on steering column don't work. Air bag system flashes 3-2. No airbag (presumably), cruise control or horn function. *tr”
“All electronics on steering column don't work. Air bag system flashes 3-2. No airbag (presumably), cruise control or horn function. *tr”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA98016 Opened 1998-07-14 · closed 1999-02-12
FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY FIRES
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationEA98016 Opened 1998-07-14 · closed 1999-02-12
FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY FIRES
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationEA99002 Opened 1999-01-07 · closed 2000-11-14
TRANSFER CASES AND REAR DRIVE SHAFT
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE02076 Opened 2002-10-10 · closed 2003-03-10
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR DROPS ABRUPTLY
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS RESULTING IN MINOR TO MODERATE PERSONAL INJURIES THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ABRUPT DOOR DROPS OVER THE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT - TWELVE YEAR PERIOD OF PRODUCT USAGE AND EXPOSURE (1991-1995 TO 2003).MOST OF THE INJURY INCIDENTS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A FRACTURE OF THE GAS FILLED LIFT…
InvestigationPE98010 Opened 1998-02-13 · closed 1998-07-14
FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY FIRES
OWNERS ALLEGE THAT FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER CONNECTOR RESULTS IN SHORT CIRCUIT THAT HAS RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRES.SYMPTOMS INCLUDE ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE OPERATION, , SMOKE FROM THE DASH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN (FUEL PUMP FUSIBLE LINK) AND PASSENGER SIDE (FUEL PUMP INERTIA CUTOFF SWITCH),…
InvestigationRQ98012 Opened 1998-07-31 · closed 1999-01-07
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1994 Ford Aerostar as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.