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Ford Falcon Problems

Are you having problems with your Ford Falcon? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Ford Falcon issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Ford Falcon in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Ford warranty issue

We'd like to think that our cars would last longer and not give us trouble, but the reality is quite different to that. The ZF 6-speed gearbox is a troublesome one that can fail, as yours appears to have done. But as Ford has pointed out to you your Territory is out of warranty, although that doesn't end Ford's responsibility to back the product. You could pursue a full payment for replacing the transmission from Ford, but I doubt you would have any success. Should you choose to do that contact your state Consumer Affairs people in Perth for advice and support. But in my view your best course of action would be to accept Ford's offer of part payment.

Ford Falcon 500: Oil leak

The Falcon engine has a cam timing chain, so that's not your problem. If the auxiliary drive belt looks like it might be slipping, it could mean that it's worn, so have it changed. It won't cost you much to have it done. The oil leak could be from the head gasket, it might be sealing correctly. A head gasket change would cost you up to $1000.

Normal fuel consumption for XR6?

Ford's official fuel consumption was 11.3L/100km combined, now that's a blend of city type driving and country driving.

Given that, if you're driving mostly in the city I would expect you to get a little more than 11.3L/100km, so maybe it's not too far from what you should be getting.

It shouldn't be pinging on 91-octane fuel, and I'm guessing the engine is carboned-up.

I would give it a solid blast down the highway and see if you can blow the carbon out. You could also try an engine cleaner in the fuel.

Used Ford Falcon review: 2002-2016

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2015 Ford Falcon as a used buy.

In October 2016 the last Ford Falcon left the assemble line, not long after its 56th birthday in Australia. What does this mean on the used-car scene for the period being examined here, 2002 - 2016?

At this stage the answer is we simply don't know although speculation suggests the sporting models may become desirable as years go by, perhaps even increase in value. That is the Falcon XR6, XR6T, XR8, Sprint, GT, and any with supercharged or turbocharged engines (except for the four-cylinder turbos).

Trouble is, there are so many interesting Falcons out there that rarity any time in the next 20 to 30 years seems unlikely. Standard model prices? Ask me again in 2066, though it's highly unlikely I will be around...

Used Falcons have long been favourites on the secondhand scene, especially with those living in the great Aussie bush. They are ruggedly built, seem to last forever if driven and serviced correctly, and soak up rough and ready backroads far better than hugely overpriced machines from Germany and the UK.

Most Falcons are four-door sedans, station wagons and utes. Two-door hardtops and panel vans were also built back in the old days that are beyond the scope of this article.

Ford Falcons have seating for five adults, but four makes more sense because the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position.

The sedan's boot is relatively shallow, but it's easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. From the BA Falcon model onwards things are better, though the boot's still on the shallow side.

Falcon station wagons are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan. They have a long, wide, practical cargo area. When Falcon was starting to drop off in the sales race Ford made the decision to keep using the rear end of the old AU station wagon in the BA series. As a result there's no FG wagon.

Handling of the Falcon is surprisingly sharp for its size and they hold on when cornering at speeds.

Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. Getting on in years, it wasn't a success and the final Falcon station wagon was built in 2010.

Want a Falcon wagon from 2010 onwards? Ford Territory is based on the Falcon and shares some petrol powerplants. Trouble is it's not as voluminous as the good-old Falcon wagon.

Handling of the Falcon is surprisingly sharp for its size and they hold on when cornering at speeds much higher than is likely to be attempted by most drivers.

Ford's six-cylinder engines in this period all have a capacity of 4.0 litres, but come in several formats, including turbocharged units. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Common in taxis, though less so in private cars (except in Victoria) the factory built editions of this engine are all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive.

The LPG engine is significantly thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.

The V8 engine from the BA Falcon onwards, had a capacity of of 5.4 litres, later reverting to 5.0 litres. The 5.0 has significantly more technology, provides plenty of grunt, and makes the right noises. A supercharged Boss V8 was introduced in the XR8 late in 2014, a brilliant powerplant that will be missed by those who love the sound and fury of a bent-eight, any bent-eight…

The EcoBoost Falcon followed the European engineering route (think Audi, BMW, Mercedes) of having a turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant. It has strong performance and nimble handling, the latter due to the lighter weight of the engine. However, the Falcon EcoBoost didn't have the sales success it deserved and you may be able to pick up a real bargain on the used-car scene.

Four-speed automatic transmissions were gradually phased out and replaced by far better six-speed units, starting in 2004 with the upmarket models and gradually making their way into the rest of the range. The dedicated LPG models had a four-speed auto until the introduction of the FG series in 2011.

Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting models as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.

It will sometimes cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six.

Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are pretty reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a recycler.

These big Fords are relatively simple to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. Having a workshop manual makes a lot of sense if you're doing work for the first time.

Insurance prices are generally reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will sometimes cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and you are likely to be asked to pay more for a turbo six.

Premiums depend not only on the Falcon model but also on drivers' age, experience and claims history. Shop around, but make sure you understand the cover being offered.

Check the cabin for damage caused by bored kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.

Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia.

Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl trim, rather than cloth or leather, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.

Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and smoke from the exhaust and/or the oil filler cap when the engine is revved after it has been idling for more than about a minute.

Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially if they have done a lot of work. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of one that's slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.

Rust is all but unknown in the newer Falcons being reviewed here, if you do find any it's likely the Falcon has been crashed and poorly repaired.

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Best replacement for a Calais

With local production shutting down the big-car choices are getting fewer and fewer, but right now you can still buy a Calais if that's what you like. You can also buy an equivalent Falcon or Toyota Aurion. There are more expensive cars, from the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi etc. that would suit, but they come with a much higher price tag than a Calais. Others you could try are a Skoda Superb, a Honda Accord V6 Luxury if you're prepared to give up a little in size, and there's also the Chrysler 300C.

Ford Falcon: Indicator failure

When a globe in one of the indicators goes out the other indicator on the same side as the one that has failed will flash quickly. At the same time the indicators in the instrument cluster will flash quickly and the audible indicator will click quickly. Turn each of the indicators on and check that they are working. If they aren't it suggests a deeper problem, which could be a fault with the cluster. One thing for sure it won't fix itself. If you want to get a second opinion take it to an auto electrician.

Best car for a family of four from $20,000-$30,000

It's hard to make recommendations without knowing much about what you want. The choices of vehicles for a family of four are many and varied, as you say. I would consider a Kia Sportage SUV, Toyota Camry mid-sized sedan, or a Ford Falcon is you want a large sedan. You would certainly be better off shopping for a one to two-year-old used car.

Which is better: Commodore vs Falcon?

It's very low mileage for a car that is 18 years old, so make sure the odometer is correct. If it is you've most likely got a good buy on your hands. The BA Falcon is a solid and generally reliable car. There's little to worry about with the engine, there can be problems with the automatic transmission, but it shouldn't be a problem if it drives normally when you test-drive it.

Ford Falcon: Differential problems

We have asked Ford for an outlook on the availability of your diff, but so far haven't had a reply. If the diff is being done under warranty then wait it out, but if it's not and you're going to be charged for the diff I would take the car to a diff specialist and have them fix it.

Should I replace my tyres with a different brand?

There’s good reason why you should buy the original fitment tyres, after all they were developed by Ford’s engineers to deliver the best compromise of ride and handling for the FG. Against that, some would say that Ford used the cheapest tyre they could find that gave them the ride and handling they wanted. But you know what the original fitment tyres were like; if you buy other tyres you don’t know what you’re going to get.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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