AI Damage1998 Ford Aerostar: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Ford Aerostar filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- Air bags: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
A recent accident in las vegas caused a drivers side air bag to deploy which either startled the driver or rendered him daazed. His reaction was to plant his feet firmly, one of which was on the accellerator.
When straightening the vehicle up in a parking space the vehicle was put in reverse and it took off, the vehicle hit a house. The dealer cannot duplicate the problem.
Fuel injection system is experiencing the same problem as mentioned in recall 98-v-190-000; but recall doesn't apply to this vehicle due to vin.
Driving truck and stopped at red light lost power. Heard a popping sound and began smelling something burning. Drove vehicle home and pulled into the driveway, and saw black smoke coming from underneath the hood. The alternator had burned the wiring harness.
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 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Aerostar has 145 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
- Aerostar 198653 sources
- Aerostar 1987114 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 19997 sources
- Aerostar 20006 sources
- Aerostar 99995 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Aerostar?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, fuel system. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (50%), loss of power / limp mode (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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.