Ford Mondeo Problems

It is not unusual for the engine fan to run for a short time after the engine is turned off, although it's more common on engines with turbochargers, and it's done to cool the turbocharger before it's shut down. I don't believe there's anything untoward happening with your car.

The Mondeo is generally reliable, but the dual-clutch automatic transmission has been troublesome and I wouldn’t buy one myself. Manual no problem, but not the auto. If, as you say, it is under warranty take it back to where you bought it and have them investigate the noise you hear.

If you can hear the pump start running when you hit the tank then it could be an earthing or a connection problem, but it could also be a blockage. It's a good idea to refill your tank before the fuel level drops close to empty when there is a much higher chance of the pump picking up rubbish on the bottom of the tank.

Delivery delays are common on all cars coming from overseas unless you choose something sitting on the showroom floor, which can often mean a better deal. It's something we all have to accept.

Getting Ford to do anything for you is going to be very difficult. The first thing to do it to request the dealer to ask Ford to cover the cost of replacing the transmission, or at least part of the cost. If that fails go direct to Ford's customer service people and make you request directly. If that also fails, as I suspect it will, talk to the people Bannister Law (ph: 03 8899 6050) who are conducting a class action suit about problems with this transmission.

The Mazda6 is the best choice but could stretch your dollars. The i30 wagon also gets The Tick, so choose the one that works best for your budget.

The demand for manual gearboxes is so low today that it’s not worth car companies doing all the compliance work needed when they know they would only sell a handful of cars. You might have to loo at something like a Holden Commodore.

To have a transmission fail after just 100,000 km is not acceptable, particularly when it hasn't been used for towing. I assume it's a dual-clutch automatic, which has been troublesome in many Fords around that time. Ford should be showing some interest in fixing it for you; at the very least they should be offering you part compensation for a replacement transmission. If you can't get any help from Ford's customer service people, go to the Victorian government's consumer affairs department, or think about going to VCAT.

The i40 is a good choice; it ticks most of the boxes. It’s well equipped, well built, reliable and durable. You could also look at wagons like the VW Passat, Ford Mondeo and Mazda 6, but it’s hard to go past the i40.