Ford Problems

I’d be checking the temperature sensor/switch that controls the fan’s operation. It should be coming on when the temperature rises and go off again when it falls, but it would seem it could be stuck on.

There’s no reason why you couldn’t bring it in and get it registered for road use. To bring it in you need an import permit from the Department of Infrastructure and Transport in Canberra. That allows you to land the car, after you need to consult your state authorities to get it approved for registration. Rules vary from state to state, but it is most likely that you would need a report from an approved engineer.

For starters you need to take more interest in what happens to your car; after all you are the person responsible for keeping in a roadworthy state. You should have checked what was done at the 30,000 km service and made sure everything that should have been done was done. You should also have checked the condition of the tyres before you left on your trip to the coast. Had you done so you would have seen the condition they were in and not suffered the fright of your life. The tyre could well have gone from roadworthy to unroadworthy between 30,000 km and 40,000 km; they could have been just roadworthy when checked at 30,000 km and the extra 10,000 km could have tipped them over the edge. Tyre specialists say that 50,000 km is about average for a heavy car like the Falcon, but that can be substantially reduced if the wheel alignment is out, as you say yours was.

By locking in third gear it’s going into ‘limp home’ mode, probably because the computer has identified an electrical problem with the gearbox. A diagnostic check should identify the fault.

That’s usually caused by insufficient air passing through the radiator core. Check the core to make sure it isn’t clogged with bugs, and make sure there’s nothing in front of the radiator that might be cutting the airflow, such as a bullbar, driving lights, or other gear that guys sometimes mount in front of the grille.

I would get another opinion, as I doubt it is the clutch. I reckon it's wear in the gearbox itself.

It won't be the springs, but it could be bushes in the front suspension. It's not a huge problem and can be fixed quite easily.

By the sound of it the airbags should have deployed in a crash as severe as you describe, but you could only determine that by having an expert inspect the wreck and the sensors etc.

The diff mounting bushes need replacing, it’s a common problem on BF Falcons.

Tyre wear is an issue for many people with many different makes and models. Basically it comes down to the geometry used by carmakers today to make their cars handle well, and the way they're driven.