Faults:

Used Oil (1 Quart per 400 miles)

A/C broken.

Door Ajar light comes on.

Gas gauge intermittent.

General Comments:

Very comfortable van, quiet engine, great seats, great to drive with the hard to find 5 speed manual (supplied by Mazda), used an anti-smoke, anti-oil burning additive at the last oil change and it cured the oil usage problem! Getting 25 MPG mostly highway. Loads of space for hauling stuff. Pretty bad in the snow so I'm considering getting a 4WD one as well!

Faults:

Replaced Complete Brake Assembly.

Transmission Blew.

Alternator Blew.

Heater Core Replaced.

General Comments:

The van was very comfortable to drive, but I couldn't stand the noise of the power steering (whining)

It needs a lot of work done on it and it's just not worth it.

Faults:

This Aerostar has not had a whole lot of problems. The big problem I have now is the front right seal on the transmission. It needs to be replaced because it is leaking.

This car is losing some of its power because of the high miles and I live at a very high altitude.

General Comments:

My dad bought this car in 1996 and then I got it for my birthday in 2002. I have been driving it almost 2 years and I have put almost 25,000 miles on it driving back and forth to Colorado and Kansas City.

This car with its very high miles is still very comfortable and can still get up and go! It's a little bit slower climbing the mountains, but it's fast enough.

I would recommend this van to anybody who wanted a cheap, well made family car or a work van.

Faults:

Common weak areas in order of prevalence would be:

Leaking heater core - fairly inexpensive to replace compared to other models.

Air conditioning system uses standard Ford spring-lock connectors that are prone to leakage.

The 1991 and 1990 years are prone to more problems with the anti-lock braking system. The cure is good preventative maintenance however most systems are severely neglected by their owners.

General Comments:

The 4.0 engine with the electronic all-wheel drive system is the most desirable model. The automatic transmission in those models is the strongest of the various A4LD versions.

The 4.0 engine is robust and will easily achieve 200,000 miles with proper maintenance.

In 45 years of driving, this van is by far the most versatile vehicle we have ever owned. Can haul 7 people and luggage, lumber, 8 foot couches and more.

Reliability is outstanding, never a major component failure. Tremendous all around family vehicle.

Faults:

ABS sensor malfunction at 70000 km, caused by an electrical short.

A great deal of front end work was required at 80000km.

Ventilation system fan quit at 95000km in the middle of a cold snap, leaving the vehicle without heat. The Ford dealer traced an electrical short (unrelated to item above) and replaced a wiring harness for $800.

Air conditioner failed at 105000km during a summer heat wave. At least it wasn't an electrical problem. The Ford dealer wanted more than double what the local repair shop wanted.

General Comments:

This vehicle was extremely well taken care of, but did not repay that care with any degree of long term reliability.

Heavy, underpowered, ponderous handling and uncomfortable seats.

Tons of room.