Ford Problems

YOU'VE certainly had the runaround. Paint quality is a subjective thing. One person will think it's bad. Another will reckon it's fine. Take it to an independent paint specialist and ask them to give you a report on it.

FORD has recalled all Territorys built between February 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008, to replace the front brake hoses, so that's a positive move that we applaud. Hopefully, they will follow up with a similar recall on the Falcon. Ford has already recalled the Falcon sedan to replace rear brake hoses, so you shouldn't have had to pay to replace them. We still believe there is a problem with the Falcon's front brake hoses that hasn't been addressed.

IT IS certainly worth looking at the handbrake and making sure all is tight.

YOU'RE right, the Windsor is a great motor, but the love affair with the Cleveland dates back to the early 1970s and racing success of the Falcon GT HO 2 and 3. The Cleveland was a regular Bathurst winner but, unfortunately, the Windsor only made it on to the podium in 1967 in the XR GT. The Windsor's bottom end is renowned for being bulletproof, but the top end performance of the Cleveland made it a racetrack legend.

YOU'VE done your homework on the problem and come up with the answers, but you would need to be a ``roads scholar'' to keep on top of it. Good info, though.

We've had all sorts of fixes for the dreaded rattle. The goo, as you call it, is a common fix.

WE'VE had questions about rust in the Territory, particularly in the engine bay and around the fuel filler, where there is insufficient paint coverage, but your experience suggests it goes beyond these areas.

I CAN'T recall hearing the noise in any Falcons I have driven and I contacted Ford and it told me that the ABS does cycle during start-up as a test to ensure the system is operating correctly. This is similar to the airbag system doing a self-test on start-up. As a result you could notice a noise, but it should be normal operating procedure. Ford contacted Bill Morrow and showed him that the noise existed in a similar car. It was explained it was the ABS stability control system self-checking. Bill remains unhappy and warns other Falcon owners to be aware of the annoying noise.

WE'VE had heaps of emails complaining about the same problem, and not only on Falcons. It's a common problem and there seems to be no real fix. Anti-rattle glue behind the pads helps, but it's not permanent. The first time it came to my attention was soon after the release of the BA Falcon, when an owner complained of the noise in his new car. Dealers fobbed him off, and Ford couldn't help, so eventually he traded his car in for a Honda.

IT IS common for mechanics to machine the discs about 50,000km, then replace them at 80,000km or so. There was a time when the drums or discs on a car would last the life of the car, but it seems discs have become consumables like pads. Aftermarket disc rotors may be a way around it. They tend to be of a higher quality, but I have no first-hand knowledge of their service life.