Ford Problems

The obvious thing is a wheel imbalance, but that has been done, so look elsewhere in the drive train, such as a driveline imbalance or misalignment, or perhaps the wheel bearings.

It could be a design flaw in the Fiesta, as Ford and its dealer appear to be saying, but it certainly sounds like there’s a fault in the vent system. Take it back to the dealer and ask for an explanation of how the system works, and from that you might determine whether it’s a build fault or a design flaw.

Check your local Ford wrecker or parts supplier, some are able to polish the lenses. If you’re in Melbourne, Fairmonts Gear in Clayton North do it for $50 per lens and do it without taking the headlights out of the car.

A little more analysis seems to be needed. Try and identify the conditions in which it happens. Like, does it happen when you drive over a bump or a pothole? Perhaps it only does it when you accelerate or decelerate? The suspension bushes were worth checking, as the dealer did, and I would persist with checking all of the bushes in the rear; also check the shock absorbers and their mounts, and also the exhaust system and its mountings to make sure it isn't hitting the underbody.

Three years is a very long time to put up with a problem like this, which is very dangerous, as you say. The Parnell system is a well-known one that has been widely used over the years, so there shouldn't be any problem with that. It would be worth checking the water flow to the converter, which can "freeze" up if there isn't sufficient hot water flowing through it, but I would also question the competence of the Ford dealer if they couldn't fix a problem like this in three years. You could also phone Parnell LP Gas Systems directly (03 9315 1699) and enlist their assistance. I am sure they would be happy to help get your car running the way it should.

There could be a little more wear in bore of the cylinder your concerned about, it could be a worn valve stem, or a damaged seal. I wouldn’t be too concerned about it, it doesn’t sound serious, but I would continue to observe it and if it starts to run poorly have it checked. As for the clunk when turning under brakes, check the front suspension bushes for wear.

The Barina will run happily on E10 and I doubt the dealer's advice about the "emission light". Ford, on the other hand, recommends you use the higher octane rating premium fuel, hence the advice not to use E10. Your Focus will run on E10, probably without any trouble, but it will run better on premium unleaded.

It appears to be related to the crank angle sensor, but maybe not the sensor itself. Have you checked the connection to the crank angle sensor?

The Territory TX does have a transmission oil cooler, which is suitable for normal driving, but when towing it's best to fit an external cooler that will cope with the extra heat generated under the load of a caravan or trailer on the back. The Ford kit you mention will do the job and Ford dealers should be able to fit it for you, if not any competent auto transmission mechanic will be able to supply and fit the sort of cooler you need. The cost will be about $500 fitted. It woul d also be a good idea to beef up the rear suspension of the Territory if you plan to tow and you say you do. Depending on the weight you would be towing you might want to think of fitting uprated rear springs, uprated gas shocks and even load- assist airbags. All can be supplied by Pedders at a cost of around $1400. At the same time they could inspect the diff bushes, rear arm mounts and shock bushes, all known trouble spots on the Territory.

The AU 2 was mostly a cosmetic makeover of the AU to make it a little more attractive, there were some changes to equipment levels etc., but there were no significant changes to the mainstream six-cylinder and V8. The AU 2 saw the introduction of the dedicated LPG six and a new 200 kW 5.0-litre V8 for the XR8. There’s not reason you couldn’t swap the engines.