Ford Falcon 2008 Problems

We had quite a number of reports of water leaks into the cabin and the boot with the BA, which had real build quality issues, but we haven't had reports of later models suffering in the same way. I would have a panel beater look at the car to assess where the leakage might be occurring and if that suggests it is a build problem then you could approach Ford for help. But I wouldn't hold out much hope of you getting help with the car being four years old and out of warranty.

Rough running and backfiring are common issues with LPG cars, particularly those running the old technology as your old Falcon is running. It's usually a problem with the ignition system, such as spark plugs or spark plug leads. I would replace them.

It's unlikely that you would be able to get a replacement vehicle, but Ford has an obligation to fix it if it has a problem. Sit down with the dealer, and preferably a Ford factory rep, and work out a plan of action to identify and correct the problem. I would also suggest you have an LPG specialist check it.

There's no system available to do what you want, and with the plastic fittings Ford uses on the heat exchanger it's not an easy thing to develop. And a note of caution from AW Automatics, who have looked at making an aftermarket exchanger, the six-speed auto tends to run a little hot anyway and replacing the factory exchanger that uses water with an aftermarket one that uses air has the potential to cause the transmission to overheat if the replacement exchanger doesn't have sufficient capacity to do the job.

If it's driving well and the only thing that bothers you is the door rattle I wouldn't be too concerned about checking for anything else. The dealer should check the car over in the service and I would expect him to bring any problems to your attention, but it doesn't sound like it has any issues needing attention other than the door.

We also heard from another reader who told us the diff bushes were the likely cause of the knock and that they are a common failure in that model.

It is something we've heard about before. It was debatable whether it was the transmission of the diff, and Ford was replacing diffs that whined and clunked. But we also had owners report that dealers were doing a recal on their transmissions to soften the downshift to alleviate the problem. Ask your dealer about that. You could also try changing the oil in the diff.

Carmakers specify a tyre pressure that gives a comfortable ride as well as safe handling and braking, along with an acceptable life and fuel economy. In a word it's a compromise that results in acceptable all-round performance and in that context 30 psi is fine. Tyre retailers, on the other hand, will tell you to set the tyre pressure a few psi higher than recommended, while doing so will make the ride a little firmer, it will improve the handling and the economy. Running at a higher pressure will help, and it's also worth rotating the tyres more often.