1991 Ford Aerostar problems & reliability
223 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford Aerostar. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
14 complaints report injuries (25 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 67 | 30% |
| Power Train → | 49 | 22% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 31 | 14% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 23 | 10% |
| Equipment → | 14 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 13 | 6% |
| Structure | 9 | 4% |
| Steering | 7 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 3% |
| Visibility | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I had my starter replaced breaks and relay and it still having problems with the electrical system I cannot even turn on my headlights”
Electrical System · filed Jun 11, 2017
“I owned a 1991 ford aerostar which burst into flames and was destroyed. I have been bounced around trying to get satisfactions but since there was an ongoing class action law suit have not received any compensation. The consumers wife noticed smoke coming from the steering column. The consumer pulled over, ran to call…”
Electrical System · filed May 16, 2005
“The front brake rotors warped, causing the vehicle to shimmy. Dealership repaired the problem twice, but the consumer was still having the same problems. *ak”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Aug 6, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TRANSFER CASES AND REAR DRIVE SHAFT
Engineering Analysis EA99002 · opened Jan 7, 1999 · closed Nov 14, 2000 · led to recall 99V094000
- PARKING PAWL
Recall Query RQ97015 · opened Oct 29, 1997 · closed Apr 1, 1999 · led to recall 91V189000
Technical service bulletins
48 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford Aerostar. The 10 most recent:
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
02142 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2002
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
01197 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2001
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
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
01124 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Service tip information on revised oil pan gasket replacement procedure. *tt
99183 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 1999
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Ford Aerostar in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Ford Aerostar?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.