I'm looking at a 91 Aerostar Eddie Bauer with the full digital dah, trip computer, power everything, etc. It has 185000 miles on it, but seems to have been well taken care of. I'm extremely leery of all the electronic stuff, and I'm wondering how much of a problem these things are when they get old. Thanks.

 

I had a 94 EB for several years. It had over 200,000 when I got rid of it. I don't recall any problem with the digital dash or trip computer.

 

My son has 94 EB AWD with no problems with digital dash.

 

I had some electrical problems with the digital dash in my 1990 XLT 4wd. It was bad connections that caused the display to flicker out, and occasionally report no oil pressure (incorrectly). I had to take the dash apart to get at the displays electronics. There were two large integrated modules that I took off the dash circuit board, cleaned the pins, reinstalled, and then everything showed up fine. It wasn't too difficult. This van had other electrical problems as well, but nothing you can't live with. Sometimes the illumination of the overhead trip computer would go out. The auto-tilt rear view mirror stopped working due to the tiny motor driving it jamming up. I took it apart to clean it out a couple times, but it did not last very long each time. Finally, the illumination in the radio has gone out, so I can't see station setting or time on it anymore. That may not be part of the digital instrumentation package.

 

However, this type of problem is not common, and the conventional dash can do the same thing. Overall the digital dash is less troublesome because it has fewer moving parts. Both systems are very reliable.

 

As far as the radio display, there is a light bulb behind the display. It just needs changed. If you can just shine a flash light on it and see it, you know it is working and it is just the bulb.

 

I agree, this should not be a common failure. However, the conventional dash has the conventional plug and socket connection from the car, which the digital dash also has, and connections to each meter, which are usually bolted onto the circuit board. The digital dash also has a second connector that goes to the overhead trip computer, that the conventional dash does not, so that's one more set of connections to get dirty and flaky (which has on mine). The digital dash has those two electronic modules that control all its functions installed into two sockets; another area where connections can get flaky, where my problem was. So I see at least 3 additional sets of connections that rely on spring pressure to maintain connectivity on the digital dash.

The first problem I had was with the oil pressure sensor. It just started to throw an alarm and beep one night after starting the engine. I was going nuts trying to find any kind of problems that might make the engine lose oil pressure. It was amusing to my passengers when it finally dawned on me:

Dash: BEEP...BEEP...

Me: Well, the pressure switch has a good connection...

Dash: BEEP...BEEP...

Me: The dipstick shows plenty of oil...

Dash: BEEP...BEEP...

Me: The oil pump must be working, otherwise the engine would be clacking...

Dash: BEEP...BEEP...

Me: So it must be the instrument panel itself...

Dash: BEEP...BEEP...

Me: WHACK! (a sharp rap on top of the dash)

Dash: silence, and alarm condition cleared.


Yes, I'm sure it' just a bulb, either loose or dead, but the case of the stock radio is held together by blind rivets. I've had to drill one apart before, and had to use some creative fastening to hold it back together. I just didn't feel like doing that again. Now I try to remember which buttons have what radio stations, and I can check my watch for the time.

 

I changed the radio light bulb in my old Escort and the 92 AERO I had. They didn't have rivets so it was pretty easy to do. The 94 and 96 Aero I had was still working so I don't know about the newer ones.