1997 Ford Aspire

1997 Ford Aspire 4-DR.

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

TIRES

CAR SUDDENLY STARTED VIBRATING VIOLENTLY. CAUSE WAS A SIX INCH SECTION OF TREAD APPEARED TO HAVE SEPARATED INTERNALLY. STOPPED BEFORE TIRE FAILED COMPLETELY. 30,000 MILES ON A TIRE GUARANTEED FOR 75,000 MILES. DEALER SAID 62% OF WEAR HAD OCCURRED. *TR

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND FLASHES FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS. DOES IT MEAN AIR BAGS ARE OUT OF SERVICE, MALFUNCTIONING? THE VEHICLE HAD NO ACCIDENTS, AND IN GOOD MAINTAINED CONDITION. *JB

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

INCIDENT LIKE MANY OTHERS I HAVE HAD MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION XLT BLOW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE AND TROUBLE FREE WHEN A POP FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND A LOUD BANGING NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP ; WHO IN TURN CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THE REPLY WAS THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. MY LOCAL SERVICE TECH SAID THE REPAIR KIT ALONE WOULD COST $1,000,00. TO REPAIR IT HE SAID THAT FORD HAD ONLY USED 3 THREADS IN THE HEAD THAT FAILED, BUT ARE NOW REPLACING THEM WITH A 7 THREAD HEAD., THIS TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT ARE WILLING TO LEAVE THEIR CUSTOMERS OUT TO DRY.. I GUESS THE SCARY PART ABOUT THAT IS I STILL HAVE 4 MORE 3 THREAD SPARK PLUG HOLES TO WORRY ABOUT BLOWING OUT,.I ABSOLUTELY FEEL THIS SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO IS LOOKING FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO BUY IT'S TRUCKS. DAMAGE RESULTING IT WILL COST ME AS LITTLE AS $2,500.00 TO REPAIR THE CURRENT PROBLEM ( AND NO GUARANTY IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN). OR UP TO $5,500.00 TO REPLACE THE BUILT TOUGH 5.4 TRITON ENGINE. *TR

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I OWN A 1997 FORD ASPIRE AND I WAS DRIVING THE OTHER DAY AND I STOPPED AT THE STORE. WHEN I LEFT THE STORE AND GOT IN MY CAR TO CRANK IT UP THE CAR SPUTTERED AND SHOOK THEN STOPPED RUNNING. I LIFTED UP THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS POURING OUT GAS. I CALLED A MECHANIC TO COME AND FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH COST ME 300 DOLLARS. WHEN I TOLD THE MECHANIC ABOUT THE PROBLEM, HE SAID THAT THIS WAS RECALLED ON THE 1994 MODEL YEAR OF THIS CAR, BUT MY CAR IS A 1997, WHICH MEANS THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED ON FUTURE CARS. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED SINCE IT WAS RECALLED ON A EARLIER MODEL, BUT I STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN A LATER MODEL CAR. *JB

STEERING

DRIVER SIDE TIE-ROD SEPERATION '97 FORD EXPEDITION WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON HIGHWAY. LOSE OF STEERING CONTROL. SERIOUS ACCIDENT AVOIDED ONLY BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY BRAKING.

WHEELS

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL HUBS, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL HUB WERE CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE .*AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1997 EXPEDITION SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DRIVEWAY 45 MINUTES AFTER IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE CAME AND PUT OUT WHAT WAS ALMOST A CATASTROPHIC HOUSE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING COMPARABLE WE BOUGHT A 99 EXPEDITION. WE WERE OUT $8000 IN THE TRADE. THE OLDER EXPEDITION HAD ONE CAR PAYMENT LEFT ON IT BEFORE THE FIRE. NOW I AM HORRIFIED THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER ON IN THE DRIVEWAY.*AK

AIR BAGS

DURING A CRASH INTO A LIGHT POLE AT 25 MPH THE AIR BAGS IN OUR 1997 FORD ASPIRE EXPLODED INTO THE FACE OF MY 15 YEAR WHO WAS FULLY RESTRAINED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE IS 5'11" AND 168 LBS. HE IS SUFFERING FROM "BURNS" BRUISING, SEVER MOUTH LACERATIONS (HE HAS BRACES). HE IS ALSO UNABLE TO SEE IN THE EYE THAT WAS HIT, DUE TO THE IMPRINT OF THE BAG SCORED INTO HIS CORNEA. THE 17 YEAR OLD DRIVER HAS A CRACKED RIB.

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CODE 32 ALL THE TIME. WILL STOP ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. HAVE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR AND SEEMS TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAVE NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT.*AK

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

PROBLEMS WITH RUBBER HOSE, RUST AND CORROSION TO THE METALLIC BRAKE LINES.*MR *CB