1994 Aerostar
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Joined: Feb 2012
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1994 Aerostar
My 1994 Aerostar, with 100,000 miles on it, started lurching at highway speeds. Weeks before this, the airbag light began blinking. The transmission man said it felt like it was shifting into overdrive, then out, then into overdrive, then out, etc.,etc. About this time, the cruise control quit being reliable. Dealership said codes didn't show a problem, "I must be mistaken". Then they said it sounded like a fuel filter. Any suggestions from the real experts!
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,013
Likes: 205
From: SoCal
Could be the infamous clock spring. A lot of signals are conducted through the clock spring, including the air bag and cruise control. An intermittent short could be sending strange signals to the cruise control that causes it to do weird things with the throttle. Search on this forum for clock spring to see what others have done (I don't have one in my earlier model).
A clogged fuel filter could cause luurching as well. Since you have so much mileage on your van, you might want to replace it if you have not before. It is cheap, and pretty easy to do. Just have something ready to catch the fuel that will leak out when you disconnect the lines; you can expect at least 8 ounces to come out of the line and filter.
A clogged fuel filter could cause luurching as well. Since you have so much mileage on your van, you might want to replace it if you have not before. It is cheap, and pretty easy to do. Just have something ready to catch the fuel that will leak out when you disconnect the lines; you can expect at least 8 ounces to come out of the line and filter.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,529
Likes: 35
From: Kansas
Another vote for changing the fuel filter.
Since I hit a cow with my Aerostar and totaled it, my primary drive has been a '96 Jeep Cherokee. (Sorry, still looking for a replacement Aerostar) Anyway, it had some hiccups when it was cold and I did the initial morning startup. I replaced the fuel filter and when I tipped the old fuel filter over, out came a dark black liquid that was darker than a glass of cola.
It runs good again. (BTW, Ford had a better fuel filter design of that era as compared to this Jeep. The replacement fuel line cost me $15 plus the cost of the fuel filter)
I'd also suspect the clockspring. A lot of Ford vehicles from that era have blinking air bag lights because the clockspring needs replacing.
Since I hit a cow with my Aerostar and totaled it, my primary drive has been a '96 Jeep Cherokee. (Sorry, still looking for a replacement Aerostar) Anyway, it had some hiccups when it was cold and I did the initial morning startup. I replaced the fuel filter and when I tipped the old fuel filter over, out came a dark black liquid that was darker than a glass of cola.
It runs good again. (BTW, Ford had a better fuel filter design of that era as compared to this Jeep. The replacement fuel line cost me $15 plus the cost of the fuel filter)
I'd also suspect the clockspring. A lot of Ford vehicles from that era have blinking air bag lights because the clockspring needs replacing.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 411
Likes: 7
From: Proctorsville VT
I know there was a recall on the cruise control on my '95 XLT 4.0L. Not the same condition you describe, mine would be an intermittent sudden acceleration. Fortunately, applying the brakes disengaged the cruise control. Depressing the accelerator pedal would cause the runaway to resume. Ford claimed that no problem could be pin pointed but that service under the recall was performed.
This is just a heads-up that problems did exist with cruise control on this vehicle.
This is just a heads-up that problems did exist with cruise control on this vehicle.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 86
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From: Des Moines, IA
Our '93, 3.0, started doing this - the lurching - several years ago, and my '94 Explorer does it too, but not as bad. When the Aerostar first did it, I went to this forum or another and read that it's not the transmission even though that's the way it feels. It's related to outside air temp (cool, but not cold), and running the defroster/heater. At a certain temp range, something gets confused and causes the a/c to start cycling on and off, which loads the engine intermittently causing it to feel like it's shifting back and forth. Listen to the engine. In our case, the rpms don't change like it would when it shifts, but it does sound and feel different. With my Explorer, this usually happens around 35 mph, not highway speeds. I turn the defroster off, and it smooths out.
Sounds strange, I know. Wish I could remember where I read about this problem. No idea what is going on with the other problems you're having or if they're related.
Sounds strange, I know. Wish I could remember where I read about this problem. No idea what is going on with the other problems you're having or if they're related.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 437
Likes: 4
From: SE Missouri
the cruise control, horn and air bag flashing is the clock spring. I have had to put two of them in my 93 and each one at about 100,000 miles. Yes I have 327,000 miles on my van.
I have never had the lurching problem so can't help you there
I have never had the lurching problem so can't help you there
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