Ford Falcon 2009 Problems

I WOULD take it back to the dealer you bought it from and ask them to fix it under the warranty but, as it's a problem that goes back to Ford, they might have you take it back to the Ford dealer that sold it in the first place. Don't pay to repaint it yourself, as Ford knows there is a problem and you will have lots of trouble getting your money back once you've outlaid it.

I AGREE with you no car is totally without problem, but to justify problems Falcons and Territorys are suffering by referring to cars that are now up to 30 years old -- as in the case of the HQ Holden -- is silly. Surely Ford is now capable of designing and building better cars than the old models to which you refer? The wear rate on Territory ball joints is not only excessive it's dangerous and we have had a number of reports from readers of ball joints actually failing; we've also heard from an insider who worked on the Territory front end who told us that Ford has known about the problem from very early on in the program. I believe this is a safety issue and warrants a recall just as much as the brake hoses do. Same goes for the Falcon, we have numerous reports of failed front brake hoses and were told by respected members of the trade that front hose failures are relatively common. The issue with Shockwave Blue Falcons is more to do with the inconsistent approach to owners than the paint itself.

BEFORE I changed the transmission I'd be carefully checking the whole driveline because it's not only the tailshaft balance that could be the problem. It could be the driveline angles that are out. It could also be the transmission mount -- all manner of things. The problem with our large cars is that the tailshaft is a long, heavy component that's very hard to balance.

THE Jackaroo should be OK, but I'd look at a Pajero, which I think would be a better choice. As for the Falcon, the cars you are looking at have to be seen in isolation because of their age and kilometres. The Falcons are generally tough, but are known to have problems with radiators and head gaskets. At that number of kilometres I'd have the auto transmission carefully checked, particularly if you intend to tow.

IT WAS wrong you weren't told the tonneau wasn't covered by the factory warranty if that's the case, though I doubt Ford would sell a product on a new car that wasn't covered. I suggest you follow Ford's suggestion and see the dealer from whom you bought the car and have them both fix it and explain their poor communication.

WHEN cars are fixed under warranty Ford pays the dealer for the work done, and usually approves the work before it's carried out, hence the dealer's reluctance to go ahead without first getting the nod from Ford. In that sense I don't think the dealer did anything wrong. As for the so-called fix, that's another thing altogether. They clearly didn't fix the problem to your satisfaction, so the first course of action is to take the car back to the dealer and ask them to do what they said they would do when you first took the car in. They accepted the job and told you they fixed it, so to now come up with the excuse that the car had been in a crash and that was the reason for the problem is a bit lame. If they persist with the argument, ask them to show you what is causing your problem and prove that it is the result of the crash.

RUST is clearly a problem in many Fords. We have heard from many owners, particularly owners of the Territory, who complain about rust in their cars.

I HAVE driven several E-Gas Falcons from Ford and have observed the vibration you talk about in at least one of them, a one-tonne cab-chassis. My reading of the vibration was that it was definitely driveline-related and I would have had the tailshaft checked if it was my car. You could have the driveline inspected by an independent mechanic, but that will cost you money, so I would keep up the pressure on Ford.