Total Complaints
72 filings
FORD AEROSTAR · model year
1986 FORD AEROSTAR
72 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986FORDAEROSTAR carries 72 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 26 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1986 AEROSTAR is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 12 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:switch (8) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (7). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1986 AEROSTAR, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
72
Complaints
3
Crashes
26
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 12 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 7 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170424FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE GROMMET IN THE FUEL TANK IS LEAKING. FUEL IS ESCAPING FROM THE TANK AND MAY CAUSE A FIRE. THERE IS A CONSTANT ESCAPE OF FUEL MOVING OR STATIONARY. THEREFORE THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT PASS SMOG BECAUSE WHEN PRESSURIZED, IT WILL NOT HOLD AIR. THIS IS A CALIFORNIA REQUIREMENT. IT IS ALSO MOST DANGEROUS. FORD MOTOR CO. WILL NOT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE 9 RECALLS FOR THIS MODEL IS ON YOUR SYSTEM.
Mileage: 300,000
20010321POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT 3 YEARS AGO AT FORD DEALER, THEN, IN OCT 2000 WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN. *AK
20000310FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
TRIED TO START VAN AND FIRE STARTED. *AK
19991029ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN FIRE. NLM
19991029ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN FIRE. NLM
19991029ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
POSSIBLE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN FIRE. NLM
19991005POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN APPLYING GAS THERE IS NO POWER, AS IF VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE HAS THE WRONG TRANSMISSION IN IT. *AK
19990930FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE IS RELATED TO PAST RECALLS. NLM
19990730SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE DUE TO A FAULTY BOLT IN THE HINGES. *AK
19990622ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THIS VAN HAS FAILED ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND OUT OF THE 1.5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP I DROVE IT FOR 2 MONTHS AND NOT EVEN 6000 MILES .IT WAS PUT IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES, AND FINALLY BURNT UNDER THE HOOD AND DOG HOUSING. *AK
19990523ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT OF STARTER CRACKED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. *AK
19990217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ENGINE STALLING UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN NORMALLY. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
19990121FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
HAD FILLED VEHICLE WITH GASOLINE. NOTICED THAT THE TANK HAD STARTED TO LEAK AFTERWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD IT CHECKED. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK IN & AROUND THE SEAM AREA.*AK
19980925POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISION HAS FAILED ON FIVE OCCASIONS.
19980407FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING FIRE.
19980407SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED.
19980205POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
19980130FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
SMOKE EMMITTED FROM IGNITION SWITCH.
19971120FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE.
19970822FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO REASON. THIS WAS THE SECOND FIRE THAT HAS OCCURRED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
Compare 1986FORDAEROSTAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 FORD AEROSTAR have?▼
The 1986 FORD AEROSTAR has 72 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 26 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 FORD AEROSTAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 FORD AEROSTAR is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1986 FORD AEROSTAR safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1986 FORD AEROSTAR; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.