THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN STEERING COLUMN. WIRE RIBBON RING THAT'S INSIDE OF STEERING COLUMN, WHICH GIVES POWER TO AIR BAG/ CRUISE CONTROL, AND HORN HAS CRACKED AS A RESULT OF RIBBON BEING TOO SHORT AND FOLDED OVER, VEHICLE HAD NO HORN/NO CRUISE CONTROL OR AIR BAG.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
1996
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
3 MONTHS AGO, I BROUGHT OUR VAN TO THE LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY SPARK-PLUG WIRE, WHICH THEY REPLACED AND RESET THE COMPUTER, FOR $130.00. A MONTH LATER, THE VAN STARTED HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS, SO I HAD ANOTHER GARAGE DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, AND POSSIBLY A CRACKED HEAD. I TOOK THE VAN TO A TOP MECHANIC, WHO REMOVED THE HEADS AND HAD THEM INSPECTED. RESULTS WERE THAT THEY WERE BOTH CRACKED. WE NEVER RAN THE VAN HOT, AND KEPT THE VAN IN GOOD RUNNING SERVICE. WE RARELY WENT OUT OF TOWN, SO THE VAN WAS USED ABOUT 20-25 MILES A DAY. MY MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE WAS RUN HOT, AND HE FEELS ALL FORD AEROSTARS HAVE AN INHERENT PROBLEM OF RUNNING TOO HOT, OVER TIME, DUE TO THE AIR/FUEL MIX DURING COMBUSTION. OUR VAN IS THE 5TH AEROSTAR THEY'VE REPLACED HEADS ON IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. WE'RE OUT $1400.00 FOR THIS REPAIR.