1995 FORD AEROSTAR Electrical System Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD AEROSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE EXTREMELY HOT BEFORE THEY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BURNED RIGHT HAND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V028000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING: FRONT UNDER HOOD). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

DT: THE CALLER SAID IGNITION FAILED. SHE SAID A YEAR AGO THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED BY ITSELF WITHOUT A KEY. SHE STATED THAT CURRENTLY SHE HAD INTERMITTENT TROUBLE STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WILL COME ON BUT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALER SAID VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. THEY WILL NOT HELP HER FOR FREE. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK *NM

Mileage: 111,000

THE INTERIOR OF THE DASH BOARD CAUGHT FIRE ON ITS OWN, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER. *NM

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VEHICLE RECALL 99V029000 REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE DEALER KEPT GIVING THE CONSUMER EXCUSES WHY THEY COULD NOT FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 151,000

WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL BEGAN SMOKING AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER PUT OUT THE FLAMES, BUT THE PANEL KEPT SMOKING. THE GROUND WIRE TO THE POWER WINDOWS HAD TO BE CUT TO STOP THE PANEL FROM SMOKING. *JB THE BURNED SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS REPAIRED ON THE LEFT SIDE DOOR. *SCC

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF POWER AND FUEL GAUGE BECOMES ERRATIC. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK ALL THE GAUGES QUIT WORKING AND THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO MAIN DASH WIRING HARNESS OVERHEATED AND BURNT. *YH

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF POWER AND FUEL GAUGE BECOMES ERRATIC. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK ALL THE GAUGES QUIT WORKING AND THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO MAIN DASH WIRING HARNESS OVERHEATED AND BURNT. *YH

VAN CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED, WAS TOLD BY THE INSURANCE THAT AUTOMOBILE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER HAD TWO RECALLS ON THIS VAN, AND ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS ONE OF THEM. *AK

ON OUR IGNITION KEY TURN THE IGNITION CAN BE TURNED ON WITHOUT A KEY IN IT AND IT ROTATES ROUND AND ROUND. ON OUR SLIDING DOOR THE SCREWS KEEP FALLING OUT @ THE DOOR KEEPS COMING OFF TRACK AND IT ALWAYS SHOWS DOOR AJAR. I THINK THIS IS UNSAFE AND BOTH NEED A RECALL ON THEM. *AK

ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION/SHORT BEHIND THE DASH WHICH CAUSES THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT AT TIMES WHEN THE DOOR ADJAR LIGHT COMES ON. *MJS

UPON STARTING OF VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT, A BURNING SMELL AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. IMMEDIATELY TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND EXITED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. PREVIOUSLY INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA ON 2 OTHER OCCASIONS, BUT STILL NO RECALL. FORD HAS ASSUMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS! *AK

I ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS FORM EARLIER TODAY, BUT I REALIZED I MADE SOME ERRORS ON THE FORM SO HERE IS AN UPDATED FORM WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION. AS I EXPLAINED ON THE FIRST FORM, THERE ARE TWO RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN OCCURRING WITH OUR FORD AEROSTAR MINI VAN. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS THAT THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY BECAUSE THE DOOR GUIDE-TRACK IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BROKEN AT THE POINT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE VEHICLE BODY BEHIND THE LATCH STRIKE-PIN. WE HAD THIS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 1998, BUT IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN ONLY 15 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST REPAIR. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE DOOR DEFECT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AND MAKES A TERRIBLE GRATING/BUZZING NOISE AND AT THE SAME T IME CAUSES ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, FAN , RADIO, ETC ALL FREEZE-UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, AND TWICE THE IGNITION FROZE AND I COULD NOT START THE VAN. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART IT TO GET EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN. THESE ELECTRICAL FAILURES ARE CLEARLY LINKED TO THE SLIDING DOOR PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT IS FLASHING AND MAKING THAT GRATING SOUND WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED. *AK

I ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS FORM EARLIER TODAY, BUT I REALIZED I MADE SOME ERRORS ON THE FORM SO HERE IS AN UPDATED FORM WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION. AS I EXPLAINED ON THE FIRST FORM, THERE ARE TWO RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN OCCURRING WITH OUR FORD AEROSTAR MINI VAN. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS THAT THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY BECAUSE THE DOOR GUIDE-TRACK IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BROKEN AT THE POINT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE VEHICLE BODY BEHIND THE LATCH STRIKE-PIN. WE HAD THIS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 1998, BUT IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN ONLY 15 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST REPAIR. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE DOOR DEFECT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AND MAKES A TERRIBLE GRATING/BUZZING NOISE AND AT THE SAME T IME CAUSES ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, FAN , RADIO, ETC ALL FREEZE-UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, AND TWICE THE IGNITION FROZE AND I COULD NOT START THE VAN. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART IT TO GET EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN. THESE ELECTRICAL FAILURES ARE CLEARLY LINKED TO THE SLIDING DOOR PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT IS FLASHING AND MAKING THAT GRATING SOUND WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED, OR EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, THE VEHICLE KILLS WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS NO WARNING. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE 1/25/00. SINCE THAT DATE, I HAVE HAD THE VAN IN MY POSSESSION FOR 5 DAYS. THE LONGEST I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VAN AFTER IT HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN FIXED IS 3 DAYS. I AM TOLD THAT THE DEALER CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! *AK

RECALL # 99V029000 FORD/IGNITION SWITCH ELECTRICAL SHORT; DEALER DOES NOT HAVE PARTS TO CORRECT RECALL. OWNER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP IN MAY/SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER. VAN WAS GIVEN BACK TO OWNER WITH THE AIR BAG PULLED OUT AND THE WIRES DISCONNECTED. DEALER STATED THAT PARTS ARE ON ORDER FROM FORD BUT FORD IS NOT SENDING THE PARTS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. *AK

YOU CAN PULL THE KEY OUT AND THE VAN WILL STAY RUNNING. CRANK THE VAN AND ALL THE LIGHTS SUCH AS ABS BRAKE, AIRBAG, OIL, ECT. LIGHTS STAY ON AND YOU HAVE TO TURN THE VAN OFF AND THEN CRANK IT AGAIN AND THE LIGHTS USUALLY GO OFF. *AK

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V029000 IN MAIL. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE ON DATE. MECHANIC REPAIRED VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE RECALL REPAIRS DONE. PRIOR TO RECALL, IGNITION SWITCH WORKED FINE. *AK

UPON GETTING INTO VEHICLE AND STARTING VEHICLE UP, BATTERY BLEW UP. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT PRIOR TO NOTICE RESULTING IN FIRE (99V-029), CONSUMER IS BEING DENIED RECALL CLAIM. MJS

RECEIVED 1ST RECALL NOTICE AND HAD NO TIME FOR REPAIRS. RECEIVED 2ND RECALL NOTICE 99V029000 & NOTIFIED DEALER. TOOK OFF TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER. AFTER ARRIVING WAS INFORMED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. COULD HAVE BEEN TOLD NO PARTS BEFOR MAKING APPOINTMENT. OWNER VERY UPSET. VEHICLE WAS FINALLY REPAIRED. *AK

THE KEY CYLINDER TURNS COMPLETELY AROUND, MAKING INSERTION OF THE KEY DIFFICULT CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APRROXIMATELY 55MPH. STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS, NOTICED FLAMES ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. PULLED OVER & PARKED. TURNED VEHICLE OFF & FLAMES STOPPED. STARTED VEHICLE & THE FIRE REOCCURRED. HAD TO CUT WIRES TO STOP THE FLAMES. *AK

CONSUMER NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO LACK OF PARTS (99V-029). MJS

BATTERY EXPLODED.

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP CAN NOT DO RECALL REPAIR (NOT NOTIFED) BY MANUFACTURER ON REPAIR PROCEDURE. (99V-029) *MJS

DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE FOR RECALL # 99V-029, REGARDING IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK. CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE GO UNDER THE DASHBOARD TO GET THE KEY OUT. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TO GET TWO DIFFERENT SWITCHES PUT ON THE VEHICLE. BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

WE HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING FORD AEROSTARS, MODEL YEAR 1995. THE RECALL WAS FOR IGNITION SWITCH SHORTING OUT. CAN YOU E-MAIL ME WITH INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS RECALL. 99V-029000. THANK YOU. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH WIRING SHORTED OUT, RESULTING IN A FIRE.

STARTED VEHICLE, WITHIN 5 SECONDS VAN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND CAUGHT FIRE UNDER DASH. FINAL DIAGNOSIS FROM SAM SWOPE FORD IN ELIZABETHTOWN IS THAT IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED AND BURNT UP WIRE HARNESS UNDER DASH.

STARTED VEHICLE, NOTICED THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS SLUGGISH - STICKING UPON STARTING VEHICLE. APPROX. 5 SECONDS LATER VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN AND DASH BEGAN TO SMOKE INTENSELY, FILLING VEHICLE WITH SMOKE WITHIN 10 SECONDS. JUMPED FROM VEHICLE AND PUT OUT UNDER DASH FIRE WITH CUP OF COFFEE. FRIGHTENED CHILDREN BADLY.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE DASH AREA OF THE VEHICLE,. ALSO SMOKE FILLED THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. ALSO CONSUMER HAS LOST SOME ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER DETAILS. *AK

UPON STARTING UP THE VAN, DRIVER HEARD A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE DASH. DRIVER LOOKED UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND NOTICED A FIRE IN THE WIRING SYSTEM. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT FIRE. OWNER WAITING FOR WIRING HARNESS TO CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK

ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH NEARLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH HEARD AIR CONDITIONER GOING OFF AND LOSING ELECTRICAL POWER. A WIRE WAS NOT SECURE WHEN CONSUMER SAID IT WAS SMELLING LIKE BURNING WIRES. *AK

MAIN WIRING HARNESS FAILED.

KEY TURNS FREELY DUE TO FAILED CYLINDER ASSEMBLY IGNITION LOCK.

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED FIRE.

WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN OCT OF 96. THE SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 5, 1997. *AK

NO ALARM FOR THE SIDE DOOR ENTRY. SIDE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED WITH A KEY. WHEELCHAIR TIE DOWN SYSTEM IS INSTALLED SIDEWAYS--SHOULD BE FACING FORWARD.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. *DSH