1996 Ford Aspire Owner Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED, WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH. THE VEHICLE RAN INTO A BRICK WALL AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. ALSO, AT 14,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL ON, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AT 40,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. AT 55,000 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT A FINAL TIME AT 65,000 MILES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

10150215

Incident

Jan 11, 2006

Mileage

83,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LEFT REAR SAFETY BELT DOES NOT STAY SECURELY FASTENED, A CHILD CAN EASILY PULL BELT TO RELEASE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10024537

THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE RIGHT WHEEL HIT A GRAVEL PATCH AND SLID INTO A EMBANKMENT. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10020509

Incident

May 23, 2003

IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON JANUARY 4, 1999. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION. KEY WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION.

NHTSA ID

896735

Incident

Jun 15, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING, NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET.*AK

NHTSA ID

896733

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETLY AS DRIVER WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

741815

Incident

Feb 18, 2001

MY ASPIRE EXHIBITED A NUMBER OF COMPONENT FAILURES, AND I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN INJURED BY THEM. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE DISTRIUBUTOR FAILURE OCCURRED AS I ENTERED AN INTERSECTION, AND AS A RESULT THE CAR STALLED AT THE LIGHT NOT IN THE TRAFFIC LANE. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE, THE STEERING COMPONENT FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION BUT I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. IN THE THIRD INSTANCE, THE FUEL PUMP FAILURE CAUSED THE CAR NOT TO START, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE PART COULD HAVE FAILED DURING OPERATION AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A STALL. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY. DISAPPOINTED IN THE ASPIRE, BUT LUCKY. *AK

NHTSA ID

737677

Incident

Oct 10, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

728725

Incident

Aug 5, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

728724

Incident

Aug 5, 2000

I'VE EXPERIENCED THREE TRANSMISSION FAILURES SINCE I'VE OWNED THE FORD ASPIRE. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE WITHIN MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THIS YEAR (99), IT FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME. IT WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY THE FIRST TWO TIMES IT WENT OUT. THIS CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT WILL CAUSE POTENTIAL ROAD INJURY TO MYSELF AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND OTHER MOTORISTS. IT HAS GONE OUT WHILE MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, SO FAR GOD HAS SPARED OUR LIVES FROM A FATAL ACCIDENT THAT IS WAITING TO HAPPEN. FORD REFUSES TO WRITE THIS CAR OFF AS A LEMON AND/OR SAFETY HAZARD; INSTEAD, THEY WANT TO PUT ME IN ANOTHER USED CAR AND ABSORB THE COST OF THE FORD ASPIRE, PLUS PUT AT LEAST $2,000.00 DOWN. THEY ARE NOT IMPROVING MY SITUATION BY BURYING ME DEEPER INTO ANOTHER USED CAR THAT WILL TAKE ME ANOTHER FOUR YEARS TO PAY OFF, BEFORE I CAN GET OUT OF IT. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT TRYING TO REESTABLISH MY CREDIT, I HAD NO PROBLEM KEEPING THE ASPIRE UNTIL IT BECAME A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET OUT OF THE ASPIRE; EITHER THAT, OR CONTINUALLY MAKE PAYMENTS ON A CAR THAT IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT--AND THAT IS UNFAIR TO ME AS A CONSUMER TO CARRY THE BRUNT OF THIS CAR. FORD DOES NOT STAND BEHIND ITS CONSUMERS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE MY SAFETY IS BEING TAKEN LIGHTLY. THE FIRST TIME MY CAR WAS WORKED ON, A FORD REPRESENTATIVE ASSURED ME IT WAS FIXED--HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE LAST TWO PROBLEMS AFTER THAT? I HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY ASSISTED IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

716119

SON WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON BUSY ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE STOPPED, NO WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

847704

Incident

Sep 10, 1999

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

846766

FRONT WHEELS VIBRATE ON HIGHWAY, DUE TO POSSIBLE FAULTY RIMS. YH

NHTSA ID

547846

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

WHILE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN IT EXPLODED. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED PRIOR TO THIS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

837660

Incident

May 9, 1999

ENGINE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DRIVER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER HAS THE VEHICLE NOW. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

837995

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES. FORD TURNED THE ROTORS, AND STATED ASPIRES HAVE BAD BRAKES. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AS I HAVE OWNED 4 OF THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID

705433

Incident

Apr 8, 1999

CAR SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE MOST OF THE TIME INSIDE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROBLEM FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

832594

Incident

Oct 1, 1998

ROTORS AND PADS EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE WEAR, ROTORS WERE WARPED.

NHTSA ID

542635

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A GAS SMELL AND VAPOR THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE IFIT IS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

830515

Incident

Oct 25, 1998

AT 800 MILES, THE FRONT ROTORS WARPED. THEY HAD TO BE REMACHINED. AT 13,000 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS WARPED AGAIN. THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AT 55 MILES AN HOUR THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. WHEN YOU MAKE A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES MORE. AT HIGHWAY DRIVING, WHEN YOU MAKE A TURN OR CHANGE LANES, THE STEERING IS HARD TO CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

700461

Incident

Jan 9, 1998

WAS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & TOLD THAT ROTORS & PADS WERE WORN EXCESSIVELY. THEY NEEDED REPLACING. PASSENGER FRONT WAS WORSE. THE OTHER 3 WERE WARPED. *AK

NHTSA ID

828989

Incident

Sep 28, 1997

WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTED IT SHATTERED THE WINDOW , CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

825568

Incident

Jul 17, 1998

BRAKES EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.

NHTSA ID

537883

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER (BACK, CHEST, NECK , ARMS, SHOULDERS, FACE).

NHTSA ID

533555

WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE PIVOT ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO FAIL 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

533356

Incident

Mar 23, 1998