Ford Problems

Mazda’s slogan might be “zoom zoom” but it took seven days longer than Ford to announce an identical recall for a jammed throttle -- for a car made on the same production line.Mazda is recalling 26,000 Tribute SUVs made between December 2000 and February 2007 because, according to the Federal Government’s recall website, “the engine be stuck at full power when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed.“A throttle that is stuck fully or almost fully open may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle. This risk exists regardless of whether or not cruise control is being used.” Only models powered by the 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine are affected. There may be inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the cruise control cable, the safety bulletin says.Mazda spokesman Steve Maciver told News Limited: “The reason we took longer was to make sure we had the repair procedures in place … and ensure we had enough parts to supply. “We have sold more than triple the number of cars than Ford in that period.”Ford Australia last week announced a recall of 8798 Escape SUVs built between November 2001 and February 2006. Ford and Mazda, longtime joint venture partners, built the same cars on the same production line in Japan, although the last 2000 Mazda Tributes caught up in the recall in Australia came from a factory in Taiwan. Both Mazda and Ford say there are no reports of cruise control or accelerators jamming on in Australia.In North America, where the recall originated, Ford is recalling 484,000 Escape models while Mazda is recalling 217,000 Tribute SUVs. Both companies say the free repair work takes less than one hour but customers may need to leave their cars for longer to cope with the log-jam.Meanwhile Jeep is recalling more than 900,000 Cherokee 4WDs, including up to 11,000 in Australia sold between 2002 and 2004, because the airbag could go off unintentionally. Safety authorities report there have been more than 200 instances of Jeep airbags going off without warning.The latest recalls pale compared to Toyota’s famous 2010 recall of 9 million cars in North America – the biggest in the automotive industry – because of concerns of stuck accelerator pedals and/or jammed floormats. In May that year, Ford Australia recalled 5000 sets of floormats for its Territory SUV for a similar issue.'

The Ford Fairlane and LTD are luxurious long-wheelbase versions of the Falcon that provide stretch out legroom in the back. They offer excellent value for money for those wanting to transport four adults, or perhaps two adults and a pair of hulking teenagers.They are better suited to four occupants than five because the centre-rear seat’s foot-space is compromised by the transmission tunnel. As all the extra wheelbase has gone into the rear passenger area the boot space is about the same as that of the Falcon. The boot is large, but on the shallow side.Once upon a time Fairlane and LTD had completely different external styling to the Falcon so people didn’t realise where they came from. This lifted them in the prestige stakes and made them big sellers for many years.However, from the launch of the BA models in July 2003, the elongated Fords looked almost identical to Falcons. Potential buyers hated this and many switched to long-wheelbase Holdens instead. Buyers stayed away in droves and the big Aussie Fords tumbled from their position as kings of the market and were discontinued at the end of 2007.Quite a few were in stock as new cars well into 2008 and may be passed off as 2008 models, this isn’t accurate as it’s the year of build that dictates a car’s age, not the date of first registration. Ride comfort is excellent and the big Fords come into their own on rough and ready Aussie country roads.These Aussie machines can show the big name European cars how to soak up harsh road surfaces with a minimum of fuss. Though they are very large cars the limo-like Fords are reasonably easy to drive. They can be out of place on inner city streets and in tight carparks so try that sort of area as part of your personal road test.Sixes and V8 engines are offered in both models with the V8 being the more common in the LTD and the six in the Fairlane. The six-cylinder powerplant is often the better choice unless you are a revhead as it has been significantly upgraded over the years and doesn’t lag all that far behind the V8. Expect a six-cylinder Fairlane or LTD to use about 10 to 15 percent less petrol in the six than a V8.Many drivers just love the lazy, easy-going travel only a V8 provides. The big V8 engine scores in its heavy towing ability, though the six isn't as far behind as you might expect. Engine capacity on the six-cylinder is 4.0 litres, with the engine being revised many times over the years. The V8 had a capacity of 5.0 litres until the launch of the BA series in 2003, when an all-new design went up to 5.4 litres.The newer engine is far superior to its predecessor, in performance, economy and emission levels. A four-speed automatic transmission was used in Fairlanes and LTDs until the BF facelift of 2005 introduced a six-speed unit. The latter is a far better design and combines good off-the-line acceleration with a lazy, mile-eating high-ratio sixth gear.Fuel consumption is markedly lower with the six-speed unit on country trips and on motorways. Many LTDs began their lives as government, fleet or hire cars and will have generally led an easy life in their early years, having been serviced by the book and cared for by professional drivers who took pride in driving them.On the other hand quite a few Fairlanes will have been taxis in their earlier years so may have done a lot of work. The big Fords are relatively easy for an amateur mechanic to work on, though some of the luxury extras are complex so will require a professional operator. Spare parts are very reasonable in price and there are dealers in virtually all areas of Australia, no matter how remote.Insurance costs are low, very low if you compare the local Ford long-wheelbase limos with the upmarket stretched variants from the German marques. We have seen some Fairlanes dressed up to look like LTDs, particularly in the older models, and carrying LTD price tags. If you are in doubt get in touch with your Ford dealer and quote the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) for a confirmation.WHAT TO LOOK FOREarlier Fairlanes and LTDs weren't as well-built as they should have been. Check for parts that don't fit correctly, or rattle and squeak on bumpy roads. Later cars are better, but can still have had a hard life. Don’t forget to check the rear seat area as carefully as you do the front. These cars generally get a fair bit of use back there. All the more so if a Fairlane or LTD has been a taxi at one stage in its career.Check the body for signs of rust, these days this is only likely to be present if previous crash damage repair hasn’t been done correctly. Engines should start within a couple of seconds even when cold and should have a smooth idle straight away.Look for smoke from the exhaust, this will be at its most obvious when the accelerator is floored quickly, and feel for any hesitation under acceleration. Make sure the automatic transmission isn't hesitant about going into gear from Park or Neutral and doesn't make unnecessary changes.Listen for a whine from the differential at moderate urban speeds and when cruising at about 100 km/h to 120 km/h on the open road. It’s usually most obvious when you lift gently on and off the throttle a few timesCAR BUYING TIPBig cars are dirt cheap these days due to their high fuel consumption, but often the low purchase will more than compensate for the extra fuel you need to buy. 

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.NEW - The Fiesta was Ford's attempt to win over small car buyers who shunned recent offerings from the Blue oval brand.The company made a big song and dance about appealing to young women with the Fiesta, but added that the sporting model in the range would appeal to young men. If it was having a bob each way there was no doubt the Fiesta was conceived to bring young women to the brand. The Fiesta looked funky, had a funky interior and was packed with all the funky features a young woman on the move could wish for.There were two body styles on offer, a three-door hatch and a five-door hatch, and three models, the price leading CL, the LX and the sporty Zetec. The mid range LX was only available as a five-door; the others could be had with three or five doors. Three engines were offered, two of them petrol and one a diesel.The petrol engines were a 1.4-litre and a 1.6-litre, but the diesel was the big noise with a claimed consumption of 3.7 L/100 km. There was also the choice of manual and automatic transmissions with the final drive being through the front wheels. On the road the Fiesta was poised when cornering, had a compliant ride, and its engines were smooth and flexible. Inside, it was quiet and refined, the seats were comfortable and there were plenty of nifty features like voice-controlled Bluetooth and a USB slot for an MP3 player.NOWFew complaints have been received at Carsguide, suggesting that Fiesta owners are generally happy with their purchase. The most common complaint relates to engine pinging, and despite dealer recommendations to switch to higher octane fuel it doesn't seem to go away. Fuel economy is also a concern for some owners, particularly with the 1.6-litre engine, which doesn't come close to the official Ford figure. Anyone buying for fuel economy should strongly consider the diesel, which does deliver very good economy.We have also had the odd report of the engine cutting out for no apparent reason, and dealers have not been able to find the cause of the problem. Random failures of this sort are quite common on today's cars with all their electronics. It only takes a poor connection somewhere, or a sensor that misbehaves occasionally and you have a car that does things that are difficult to explain.The performance of the air-conditioning has been called into question by a number of owners who say it blows cool rather than cold on hot summer days. Rattles are also the subject of complaint, which would appear to be the result of variable build quality. Like all modern cars servicing the Fiesta is vitally important to ensuring a long and reliable life, so check that the car you want to buy has been serviced regularly and according to the book.SMITHY SAYSA smart looking, great driving and fun-filled little hatch that's packed with character.Ford Fiesta 2009-2010Price new: $16,450 to $24,990Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder, 71 kW/125 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, 88 kW/151 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 66 kW/200 Nm.Transmission: 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: 5.7 L/100 km (1.4), 5.8 L/100 km (1.6), 3.7 L/100 km (TD)Body: 3-door hatch, 5-door hatch Variants: CL, LX, Econetic, ZetecSafety: 5-star ANCAP