1996 Ford Falcon Reviews

Ford ruled the road when the EL Falcon was launched in 1996. The company had assumed the top sales spot in the early 1980s and cruised into the 1990s still comfortably ahead of archrival Holden, which was recovering from its financial meltdown in the mid-1980s.The EL was the last in the line of aerodynamic Falcons that began with the EA in 1988, and arguably the best. It was also the last model before the ill-fated AU, which sent Ford into a financial tailspin that rivalled Holden’s of a decade earlier.MODEL WATCHFord spent $40 million on what was a comprehensive facelift designed to fix the problems that had plagued the all models of the Falcon since the EA, including the EF that immediately preceded the EL.Compared to the EF there was a number of relatively minor cosmetic changes, including new grilles, headlamps, bumpers, tail lights and wheel trims.Thicker, tinted glass and added dash insulation reduced noise inside the Falcon, while new seats increased headroom, which made it more comfortable for taller drivers.While the external changes were welcome the big improvements on the EL were underneath where changes to the suspension and steering dramatically improved the handling.The EF had been criticised for a handling imbalance that made it seem as though the front and rear were having a domestic dispute and weren’t talking to each other.The problem was that the rear suspension roll rate was markedly different to the front roll rate which manifested itself in the feeling that the car was lurching into oversteer when changing direction. The perception was worse than the reality, but it was enough for many customers to feel uncomfortable and the complaints rolled in.Ford responded by lowering the rear roll centre and altering the geometry of the front suspension to improve the steering response. Other changes to the front suspension bushes, shock absorbers, and steering made the handling more linear.It was a major improvement and the EL felt much more stable on the road.Ford offered a choice of two familiar engines. There was the 4.0-litre single overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine that had an alloy cylinder head and fuel injection and produced 157 kW at 4900 revs and 357 Nm at 3000 revs.The other was a 5.0-litre overhead valve V8. It was also fuel-injected and boasted 165 kW at 4500 revs and 388 Nm at 3000 revs.It was possible to link the six to a five-speed manual gearbox, but most buyers opted for the four-speed auto. The only choice for V8 buyers was a four-speed auto.On the road the Falcon six delivered heaps of torque, which made it easy to drive and great for towing, while delivering reasonable fuel consumption for the time. A GLi sedan would typically return around 12.0 L/100 km in city traffic and 8.0 L/100 km when cruising the highway, while the V8 would do 14.5 L/100 km and 9.0 L/100 km under similar conditions.The Falcon model range kicked off with the GLi sedan and wagon, which came with a decent array of standard equipment for the time, including power mirrors, cloth trim, lumbar adjustment in the front seats and remote central locking with an engine immobiliser.Move up the range to the Futura and you got cruise, ABS, and power front windows.Then there was the prestige Fairmont, which came with alloy wheels, auto air, trip computer, six-speaker sound, and power windows front and rear.Next came the Fairmont Ghia that had a more powerful, 162 kW engine, nine-speaker sound system, six-stack CD player, LSD, leather trim and lashings of chrome.IN THE SHOPThe EL is fundamentally sound. Without abusing them it’s really hard to kill them off, but irritating little things that stemmed from questionable build quality and development shortcomings also plagues them.Check everything on the car to make sure they work, from lights to wipers, radio, heater, and air-conditioning.Falcons of the era are renowned for problems with the air-conditioning controls and they’re expensive to replace so make sure all is well there.There are also reports of the door locks opening by themselves on hot days. It was more of a problem on earlier models, but reports still come in about the EL, which suggests it too had problems.The six-cylinder engine is prone to head gasket leaks, even with as few as 50,000 km on the odometer. Water pumps can also be a problem so check to make sure there are no signs of coolant in the oil and the temperature gauge is sitting where it should. Water pumps can give trouble, and oil leaks are common from the rear main bearing seal and the timing cover seal.The four-speed electronic auto transmission is a problem area depending on use. The transmission carries barely enough oil for the job and it’s not uncommon to see them being rebuilt after 140,000-150,000 km. Signs of problems can be flaring on upshifts and a reluctance to engage top gear.Brake wear is a problem. To achieve short stopping distances, most manufacturers, Ford included, fit the cars with hard brake pads and soft disc rotors. This means it’s usually necessary to replace the disc rotors at the same time the pads are replaced, which occurs at intervals of 50,000-60,000 km. Most mechanics replace the factory-fitted pads with softer equivalents, which extends the disc life and makes ongoing maintenance less expensive.IN A CRASHPrimary safety was upgraded in the EL with the adoption of the then latest generation of Bosch ABS anti-skid brakes, which were standard on all models except the GLi where they were optional.An important safety consideration now is that the EL Falcon was the only Australian-built car at the time to feature a driver’s airbag standard on all models, with a passenger’s side airbag available as an option.LOOK FOR• Squeaks and rattles in body.• Noisy suspension.• Floaty ride.• Unreliable electrics.• Auto transmission problems• Engine oil leaks.• Roomy interior and good boot.THE BOTTOM LINEAgeing big car with sturdy fundamentals that make them hard to kill, but they’re let down by small irritating things.RATING60/100

Before the hot XR6 was unleashed in 1992, fast Fords were V8-powered. So the six-cylinder sports sedan came as a surprise to everyone. The XR6 was a bent-eight beater, but it was much more than that.  It was not only fast, it also handled beautifully and was comfortable.Had we known then what we later found out about Tickford, now called Ford Performance Vehicles, it wouldn't have been such a surprise.  The EBII XR6 was the first glimpse of Tickford's ability to produce a refined sporting sedan that did everything well.  It had often been the case with Aussie-built muscle cars that power was everything.That relentless pursuit often came at the cost of handling, ride and comfort, but Tickford brought a European approach which balanced power and road manners.  Another surprise came in the styling, which was neat and attractive, without being look-at-me in the way of most other muscle cars.  But if the XR6 was rather reserved in appearance terms, there was nothing reserved about it when it hit the road.THE XR6 was based on the EBII Falcon S, a sportier version of the family four-door sedan.  The engine was the Falcon 4.0-litre single-overhead cam unit, an effective but rather harsh and lumbering lump. But it had come under the spell of the engineers at Tickford Vehicle Engineering, Ford's performance partners who started working with the men from Broadmeadows in 1991.By the time Tickford was finished tinkering with the Falcon's head, cam, valves, valve springs, exhaust system and electronics, the fuel-injected six was slamming out a massive 161kW at 4600 revs and 366Nm at 3650 revs. And all of that while running on regular unleaded.It was enough to have the 1529kg sedan sprinting to 100km/h in 7.5sec. The standing 400m sprint was covered in 15.5sec and it had a top speed of 223km/h.They were numbers that had the V8 brigade looking back in horror, but they didn't tell the whole story, which was that the XR6 had plenty of low-end and mid-range punch which made it very driveable.Gearbox choices were a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto which delivered the power to the live axle LSD rear end running a low 3.45-ratio axle which helped it jump out of corners.Back in 1992 Ford was committed to a live rear axle, but Tickford's engineers managed to tame it quite effectively. The XR6 rode lower and had a package of gas shocks, stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars front and rear which, coupled with revised front-end settings, made the steering precise and responsive and brought an assured balance to the handling.Despite still having 3.1 turns lock-to-lock, the Falcon could be pointed at corners with confidence it would hold its line right through to the exit. There was still some evidence of the roll oversteer associated with the Ford rear end, but it would quickly settle under power.To match the go power, the XR6 was equipped with decent disc brakes, which worked in tandem with ABS. The XR6's rolling stock consisted of 15-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and 205/65R15 Michelin tyres. It stood out from the Falcon crowd with body-coloured bumpers and mirrors, red rub strip inserts and a small rear wing.Inside there were reshaped sports front seats which were more supportive and comfortable than the regular Falcon ones. They had velour facings, were highlighted with red piping, and there was also a leather-trimmed Momo sports steering wheel and gear shift knob.ALL alloy-headed Falcon sixes have a problem with head gaskets. It's not unusual to blow them at any time, but they seem to be more prone to it from about 80,000km onwards.Cylinder head reco experts say there is a problem with coolant circulation, which leads to a steam pocket at the rear of the head which can then lead to gasket failure and cracking of the head.Some even relieve the problem by tapping into the head and allowing the coolant to flow from the problem area through an external pipe.  Suspension bushes can be a problem at higher mileage, and require replacement to restore the XR6's renowned handling.Falcon electrics can also be troublesome. Body control modules are a headache and replacements are expensive, so check the system's operation as thoroughly as you can.  Engine oil leaks are also a common problem. Look at the front cover and power steering pump.MARK Harris bought his white XR6 new in 1993 and has driven it sparingly. It has just 51,000km on the odometer and is driven only on weekends, when he enjoys it very much.  Dion Coughlan bought his three years ago when it had done 175,000km. He has added another 80,000km, and says he drives it hard.It has had a near-death experience when it was hit by a bus. Despite a few rattles, Dion says it still performs well. Apart from minor things such as a fan belt, the only things Dion has had to replace are the front suspension bushes.