Ford Fairmont 2003 Problems

If it’s three years since it was installed it probably needs a service, the rough idle, stalling and popping and banging are symptomatic of an ignition problem. We ran your problem past the guys at Impco and they suggested fitting genuine Ford gas spark plugs as well as checking the ignition leads.

FIRSTLY, you have a responsibility to read and understand the warranty that comes with the new car, which covers it for three years or 100,000km, whichever comes first. There's no point arguing the toss later when the car is outside the time boundary of the warranty. Ford has also come to the party by covering part of the cost of the second repair, so they have honoured their part of the deal. That said I do have a problem with the way many car companies deliver service. They do seem to have an us-versus-them attitude once you've bought the car. You appear to have been messed around by the dealer who couldn't solve the issue with the gearbox.

IT'S not a problem, but normal wear and tear I would suggest. I would guess your discs are in need of machining, or even replacement.

We have had a number of reports on the effects E10 has on cars, and yours is similar to others we’ve received. Rougher idling is an expected outcome with the fuel, even the biofuels people admit to that, and other owners have reported starting problems. It’s still early days for E10, so it’s advisable to be cautious until we know more about it.

Leaking injectors is a relatively common problem when the kays get up a bit, so check that again, but also check the fuel pressure relief valve to make sure it’s functioning correctly.

The battery is being drained, so you need to trace the cause to be able to fix it. You have done the most obvious checks without finding it, but keep looking. If ultimately you can't find it you could install an isolator switch to the battery, which effectively disconnects it and should stop the problem.

YOURS is the sort of car private buyers seek and are often prepared to pay a little extra for, but don't expect to get any more from a dealer than you would for a higher-mileage car in lesser condition. If you advertise it privately, try for $17,500 -- a dealer would probably offer you $12,000 as a trade-in.

Those old Fords are renowned for failing body ECUs, but there would have to be an underlying problem to cause three failures in quick succession like that, so I would call in an auto electrician to sort it out.

This version of the Ford 5.4-litre V8 is not universally admired by mechanics. It can tend to run hot, and it’s quite common for this unit to suffer from stretched timing chains, worn chain tensioners and guides. Any problem in the area of the timing chains can lead to a misfire or stumble, and it can be worse when the engine is hot and the oil pressure that powers the timing chain mechanisms starts to fall away.

The best advice is to have the car electronically scanned. This might pinpoint the problem by throwing up a fault code that a mechanic can decipher (including the camshaft timing fault we’re talking about). Don’t continue to throw new parts at the engine; that’s a great way to waste time and money and still not fix the problem.