1986 Ford Aerostar: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 1986 Ford Aerostar. The newest campaign is 90V021000. NHTSA received the report on 8 Feb 1990. The NHTSA record gives the component Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap. NHTSA has 53 complaints on file for this model year. 17 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 90V021000, in the NHTSA record

Install a revised design grommet.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

7 campaigns, newest first. 3,998,841 units in total.

90V0210008 Feb 1990Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
89V22600018 Dec 1989Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
88V1450002 Sep 1988Seats
88V0910006 Jun 1988Electrical System / Wiring
87V1390004 Sep 1987Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
86V1230002 Sep 1986Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly
86V00600022 Jan 1986Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly

90V021000Received 8 Feb 1990. 91,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Insufficient interference fit between fuel tank filler pipe and grommet could result in an inadequate seal which could allow fuel to seep from the joint.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the presence of an ignition source, fuel leakage could result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a revised design grommet.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 Apr 1990.
89V226000Received 18 Dec 1989. 118,787 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vans were produced without plastic cover designed to cover outboard seat back pivot hinge allowing webbing of front passenger-side safety belts to become abraded or cut due to contact with exposed hinge.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Damage to belt webbing could weaken belts to point offailure increasing risk of injury in an accident or a sudden stop.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install plastic pivot cover; replace belts as necessary.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 26 Jan 1990.
88V145000Received 2 Sep 1988. 90,000 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Wiring for the power lumbar seat system was routed directly beneath the seat cushion springs and may be abraded by the springs.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This could result in a short circuit which may createsufficient heat to start a fire in the seat cushion pad and/or trim cover.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a fuse within the power lumbar electrical circuit.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Oct 1988.
88V091000Received 6 Jun 1988. 60,000 units.
Electrical System / Wiring
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicles equipped with trailer tow package have a trailer taillight relay assembly that contains wires of smaller gauge than the fuse link which protects the circuit.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Should a short circuit occur in the wiring within therelay or if water intrusion occurs the smaller gauge wire in the relay willfunction as a fuse link and overheat. The possibility exists for a fire if thewires are exposed to combustible materials.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Installation of a relay with wires of gauge adequate to protect the circuit.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 1 Jul 1988.
87V139000Received 4 Sep 1987. 3,600,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Coupling could disengage due to fuel pressure,vibration, and engine movements; this would cause loss of fuel which, inpresence of an ignition source, creates a fire risk.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 12 Oct 1987.
86V123000Received 2 Sep 1986. 107 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Fuel tanks may have been scored or penetrated when floor pan mounting holes for the partitions were drilled. Consequence of defect: fuel leakage may occur and in the presence of an ignition source, the potential for a fire would exist.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace fuel tanks as necessary.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Oct 1986.
86V006000Received 22 Jan 1986. 38,947 units.
Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
There may be inadequate welding in some underbody structural areas, including those at the rear suspension attachments, which may cause it to separate. Consequence of defect: if rear suspension attachments should separate from the underbody during vehicle use, the axle could shift during acceleration or braking and may adversely affect the steering control which may lead to an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Reinforce suspect weld locations and modify to prevent weld failure.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Mar 1986.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

53 complaints, 72 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1986 Ford Aerostar
All 1986 vehicles

1986 Ford Aerostar: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1986 Aerostar	All 1986 vehicles	Aerostar, all years	Mentions
Electrical System	319.4	147.2	220.3	23
Engine and Engine Cooling	250	138.3	74.6	18
Power Train	97.2	57.7	139.3	7
Seat Belts	69.4	121.5	43.7	5
Fuel System, Gasoline	55.6	92.1	65.9	4
Steering	41.7	48	36.7	3
Equipment	41.7	18.6	28.9	3
Vehicle Speed Control	27.8	40.3	44.4	2
Latches/Locks/Linkages	27.8	14.3	18	2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	13.9	77.2	105.8	1

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 14.

Complaints that report a crash: 2
Complaints that report a fire: 22
Injuries in the complaints: 1
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 24 Apr 2017

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1986 Ford Aerostar, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1996, with 23 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1986 Ford Aerostar
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
PE91127	Preliminary evaluation	PARK PAWL BENDING	Power Train / Automatic Transmission	16 Sep 1991	8 Nov 1991	91V189000
EA91015	Engineering analysis	LIFTGATE FAILURE	Structure	1 Feb 1991	20 Sep 1991	91V136000
PE91005	Preliminary evaluation	LIFTGATE FAILURE	Structure	18 Oct 1990	1 Feb 1991
EA90042	Engineering analysis	THROTTLE STICKING	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	31 Aug 1990	31 Dec 1991
EA89032	Engineering analysis	SAFETY BELT FRAYING	Seat Belts	3 Aug 1989	5 Apr 1990	89V226000
EA89021	Engineering analysis	WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR	Visibility	23 Mar 1989	4 May 1990
PE89092	Preliminary evaluation	POWER STEERING LOCKING	Steering	23 Feb 1989	20 Jul 1989
PE89021	Preliminary evaluation	SEAT BELT CUTTING	Seat Belts	9 Dec 1988	3 Aug 1989
PE89010	Preliminary evaluation	WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR	Visibility	1 Nov 1988	23 Mar 1989
EA88041	Engineering analysis	FILLER PIPE SEAL	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	15 Sep 1988	11 May 1990	90V021000
EA88033	Engineering analysis	UNDER SEAT FIRES	Electrical System	11 May 1988	23 Jan 1989	88V145000
PE88048	Preliminary evaluation	FUEL LEAKAGE	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	19 Apr 1988	15 Sep 1988
EA88028	Engineering analysis	DOOR FALLS OFF	Structure	23 Mar 1988	31 Jul 1989
EA88027	Engineering analysis	REAR BRAKE LOCKUP	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	4 Mar 1988	15 Sep 1988
PE88026	Preliminary evaluation	CRNKSHFT PULLEY BOLT FAILR	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	9 Feb 1988	27 Apr 1988
PE87052	Preliminary evaluation	REAR BRAKE LOCKUP	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	9 Sep 1987	4 Mar 1988
EA87020	Engineering analysis	ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	7 May 1987	24 Sep 1987	87V139000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1986 Ford AerostarThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1986 Ford Aerostar: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/aerostar/1986/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1986 Ford Aerostar?: 3,998,841 units in 7 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Ford Aerostar have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns for the Ford Aerostar, model years 1986 to 2000. 7 of them name the 1986 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1986 Ford Aerostar name most often?: Electrical System: 23 of 72 component mentions, or 319.4 per 1,000. For all 1986 vehicles the figure is 147.2 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1986 Ford Aerostar open?: No. Each of the 17 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.