RoadVitals

1990 Ford Aerostar Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
32
Latest Jul 21, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
16%
of 195 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
9
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Ford Aerostar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

The 25 most recent of 32, in the owner's own words

Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Jul 21, 2004
Crash reported3 injuries reported

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INDICATED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS INCONCLUSIVE. THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION RECALL 91V189000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10079452
Incident
May 14, 2004
Mileage
60,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 27, 2004
Crash reported

TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN PARK AND VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THERE WAS NO NOTICES OF SUCH A RECALL OR ANY OTHER RECALLS, FOR THIS VEHICLE. 1990 FORD AEROSTAR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10078874
Incident
Jan 12, 2004
Transmission
Filed Jul 26, 2003

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10029226
Incident
Jul 15, 1990
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Feb 25, 2002
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. DRIVER TURNED IGNITION AND VEHICLE WAS IDLING WHEN IT STARTED TO REV, SUDDENLY TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND HIT A BUILDING.*AK

NHTSA ID
8004451
Incident
Feb 23, 2002
Transmission
Filed Sep 20, 2000

PLASTIC SNAP RETAINER BUSHING HOLDING THE CLUTCH PUSH ROD NO LONGER HOLDS PUSH ROD.*AK PUSH ROD FELL OFF OF THE STUD MAKING THE CLUTCH INOPERABLE. THE CLUTCH DISCONNECTING IN TRAFFIC MAKES THE VEHICLE HARD TO CONTEROL. *YH

NHTSA ID
871104
Incident
Sep 19, 2000
Transmission
Filed May 22, 2000

WHEN STARTING CAR IT WON'T START, VEHICLE HAS POWER, BUT WON'T TURN OVER. WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THEN BACK INTO PARK, VEHICLE WILL START. CONSUMER FELT SHIFT LEVER WAS NOT LOCKING PROPERLY AND CAR MAY ROLL. *AK

NHTSA ID
862300
Incident
Oct 20, 1999
Transmission
Filed Mar 8, 2000

THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 1992 FORD AREOSTAR FOR ALL WHEEL DRIVE VANS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. RECALL 91V181000/AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
719830
Incident
Feb 3, 1999
Transmission
Filed Jul 16, 1999
Crash reported

HAD PARKED AT GAS STATION & TURNED IGNITION OFF. CHILD HAD SHIFTED LEVER WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION. VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD & DOWN A SLOPE & HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
842472
Incident
May 15, 1999
Transmission
Filed Apr 16, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WITH KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS MOVED BY A CHILD, PUT IN REVERSE WHICH CAUSED A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
836800
BrakesHeating & air conditioningFuel system+1 more
Filed Dec 17, 1998

CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. A/C "O" RINGS LEAKED FREON/FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED ALL AROUND PRIOR TO RECALL 98EO10000)/TRANSMISSION CONTINUOUSLY HUMMING, (MR-91S41)/FUEL STRONGLY SMELLS INSIDE OF VEHICLE, AND ABS LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF SOME PROBLEMS, INDICATED VIN# DOES NOT COMPLY TO THE RECALLS. PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
832436
Incident
Aug 1, 1989
Transmission
Filed Nov 17, 1998

TRANSMISSION DOES SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
830920
Transmission
Filed Jul 27, 1998

VEHICLE ROLLED WHILE IN PARKED GEAR RESULTING IN COLLISION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM.RECALL FOR COMPONENT HOWEVER WORK NOT COMPLETED.

NHTSA ID
542038
Incident
Apr 10, 1998
Transmission
Filed Jan 5, 1998

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ID
527382
Incident
Feb 1, 1995
Transmission
Filed Aug 6, 1997

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
518331
Incident
Nov 1, 1996
Transmission
Filed Dec 6, 1996

POOR TRACTION ON WET PAVEMENT, CAUSING ACCIDENT/ROLLOVER.(MICHIGAN STATE POLICE REPORT)

NHTSA ID
512356
Incident
Jul 15, 1996
Transmission
Filed Dec 4, 1996

TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST, COULD CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
511763
Incident
Nov 17, 1996
Transmission
Filed Nov 14, 1996
Crash reported

WIFE WENT TO WORK AT 8AM, PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK, GOT OUT, SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD NOISE, VEHICLE HAD ROLLED DOWN HILL AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
805056
Incident
Nov 13, 1996
Transmission
Filed Oct 29, 1996
Fire reported

TRANSFER CASE FIRE.

NHTSA ID
510728
Incident
Jul 1, 1996
Transmission
Filed Oct 18, 1996

RECALL RELATED, 91V-189, VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIRS , VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE SAME RECALL RELATED PROBLEM, VEHICLE WILL ROLL WHILE IN PARK. *AK

NHTSA ID
803699
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Transmission
Filed Sep 23, 1996

TRANSMISSION GEAR CAN BE CHANGED WITHOUT KEYS INSIDE IGNITION.

NHTSA ID
509002
Incident
Sep 15, 1996
Transmission
Filed Jul 11, 1996

THE FLOOR SHIFT INDICATOR CAN BE MOVED WHEN THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986776
Incident
May 1, 1996
BrakesElectricalEngine+5 more
Filed May 15, 1996

REPLACED ENGINE BELTS.

NHTSA ID
504603
Incident
Feb 20, 1996
Transmission
Filed Apr 5, 1996
1 injury reported

TRUCK WAS IN PARK POSITION AND JUMPED OUT OF PARK POSITION, INJURING CONSUMER. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
982394
Transmission
Filed Mar 6, 1996

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED BADLY PRIOR TO LOSING REVERSE GEAR, ALSO WILL NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR. *DSH

NHTSA ID
502049
Incident
Feb 8, 1996
Transmission
Filed Dec 11, 1995

TRANSMISSION PARK LOCK OUT. *DSH

NHTSA ID
490548
Incident
Jun 1, 1990

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .