AI Damage1987 Ford Aerostar: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Ford Aerostar filed 114 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 114
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 32% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 16% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 4% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 36 complaints (32% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 23 complaints (20% of all).
- Seat belts: 18 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 15 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 7 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 114 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
September 11, 2000. No safety defect mentione din summary.
While driving 50 to 55 mph steering wheel locked up, causing vehicle to roll over. Also both rear seats in vehicle became disconnected in accident. Cause unknown.
Driving at approx 28-29mph ,when another vehicle came out unexpectedly, hitting vehicle, seatbelt which are on reels and suppose to lock on impact , did not, causing passenger to hit windshield , driver hit steering wheel due to defect , dealer has been notified, cannot do anything about problem ,refuses to look at…
Advanced to stop light, applied brake, brake pedal went to the floor. Ran into several cars.
Transmission jumped out of park, causing vehicle to roll into a tree, severely damaging the rear end.
Two bench seats broke loose after vehicle lost control resulting in accident w/slight slow roll. Please describe details. Tt
Passenger's seat back failed, staying in the reclining position due to metal frame inside seatback breaking. Please describe details.
The driver side seat belt buckle disenages from the locking mechanism.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,262 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Aerostar has 145 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 114, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- Aerostar 198653 sources
- Aerostar 1988177 sources
- Aerostar 1989260 sources
- Aerostar 1990195 sources
- Aerostar 1991223 sources
- Aerostar 1992317 sources
- Aerostar 1993374 sources
- Aerostar 1994257 sources
- Aerostar 1995157 sources
- Aerostar 1996104 sources
- Aerostar 199763 sources
- Aerostar 19984 sources
- Aerostar 19997 sources
- Aerostar 20006 sources
- Aerostar 99995 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Ford Aerostar?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, seat belts. Total complaints: 114. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (39%), seat belts (13%), stalls while driving (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Ford Aerostar?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Ford Aerostar from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.