1986 Ford Aerostar recalls & complaints

1. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR INADEQUATELY TESTED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LEAK.

What could happen: A LEAKING FUEL PUMP COULD CREATE A VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD.

The fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 07E064000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. INSUFFICIENT INTERFERENCE FIT BETWEEN FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE AND GROMMET COULD RESULT IN AN INADEQUATE SEAL WHICH COULD ALLOW FUEL TO SEEP FROM THE JOINT.

What could happen: IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

The fix: INSTALL A REVISED DESIGN GROMMET.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 90V021000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. WIRING FOR THE POWER LUMBAR SEAT SYSTEM WAS ROUTED DIRECTLY BENEATH THE SEAT CUSHION SPRINGS AND MAY BE ABRADED BY THE SPRINGS.

What could happen: THIS COULD RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH MAY CREATESUFFICIENT HEAT TO START A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION PAD AND/OR TRIM COVER.

The fix: INSTALL A FUSE WITHIN THE POWER LUMBAR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 88V145000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

What could happen: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.

The fix: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 87V139000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The fix: INSTALLATION OF A RELAY WITH WIRES OF GAUGE ADEQUATE TO PROTECT THE CIRCUIT.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 88V091000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. 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.

What could happen: LOSS OF BRAKING CAN RESULT.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 98E010000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. VANS WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT PLASTIC COVER DESIGNED TO COVER OUTBOARD SEAT BACK PIVOT HINGE ALLOWING WEBBING OF FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE SAFETY BELTS TO BECOME ABRADED OR CUT DUE TO CONTACT WITH EXPOSED HINGE.

What could happen: DAMAGE TO BELT WEBBING COULD WEAKEN BELTS TO POINT OFFAILURE INCREASING RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT OR A SUDDEN STOP.

The fix: INSTALL PLASTIC PIVOT COVER; REPLACE BELTS AS NECESSARY.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 89V226000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. FUEL TANKS MAY HAVE BEEN SCORED OR PENETRATED WHEN FLOOR PAN MOUNTING HOLES FOR THE PARTITIONS WERE DRILLED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE WOULD EXIST.

What could happen:

The fix: REPLACE FUEL TANKS AS NECESSARY.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 86V123000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Suspension

What's wrong, in plain English: Parts can break and cause loss of control. THERE MAY BE INADEQUATE WELDING IN SOME UNDERBODY STRUCTURAL AREAS, INCLUDING THOSE AT THE REAR SUSPENSION ATTACHMENTS, WHICH MAY CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF REAR SUSPENSION ATTACHMENTS SHOULD SEPARATE FROM THE UNDERBODY DURING VEHICLE USE, THE AXLE COULD SHIFT DURING ACCELERATION OR BRAKING AND MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT THE STEERING CONTROL WHICH MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

What could happen:

The fix: REINFORCE SUSPECT WELD LOCATIONS AND MODIFY TO PREVENT WELD FAILURE.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1986 AEROSTAR.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 86V006000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Electrical system (23), Engine (18), Transmission / drivetrain (7), Fuel system (5), Seat belts (5).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.