Ford Problems

START by identifying what it is you want from your car, then test drive each one and assess how well each meets your needs and wants. The X-Trail, Forester and Outback are all good choices, but the Outback is a little different to the Forester and X-Trail, as it's a Liberty that's been raised to give it some extra ground clearance. It doesn't ride as high as the other two, so wouldn't be as good if you want the visibility a high-driving position gives you. A test-drive would instantly reveal that.

FORD has done the right thing and replaced the problem hoses without you having to ask. But what happens if a dealer isn't as thorough and doesn't automatically make the change? And there are people who don't take their cars to Ford dealers for service and will miss out, or can't afford to have them serviced at all. A partial recall isn't enough; it's only going halfway to correct what is a serious safety issue.

I AM at a loss to how they could get the brake hose length wrong; someone should lose their job over it. But having got it wrong, Ford should have had a full recall and made sure that the problem hoses are removed so no one's safety is put at risk. As for the power steering hoses, we have had a few reports, but nothing like the number of reports on the brake hoses.

TAKE it to the RACV or NRMA and ask their inspectors to check it. There are also private companies that check cars to make sure they're properly repaired, but the reality is your car is old and has problems. Even though you can't afford to buy another one, that is the best course of action. The repairs to your car are likely to cost more than it's worth.

YES, it's quite a common problem with Falcons.

GOOD idea. I would urge disgruntled Falcon owners to contact Consumer Affairs because I think Falcon owners who choose not to have their cars serviced by Ford dealers are being discriminated against.

FORD is expected to announce a new gas-injection system for the facelifted Falcon due this year. It will then be able to offer electronic stability control. An alternative is to buy a petrol Falcon with ESC and have the dealer fit a dual-fuel gas-injection system.

THE chances are high enough that you should do something about it. Ford president Marin Burela has advised all Falcon owners concerned about the problem to go to their local Ford dealer and have their car checked. I would expect your car will be one of those affected and the Ford dealer will replace the rear brake hoses at the very minimum, though I don't believe that will fully address the problem. If a brake hose fails you shouldn't lose all braking because the front and rear brake circuits are independent.

IT'S great you are happy, but you had to ask. If you hadn't read about the problem you wouldn't have known there was one. Wouldn't it have been better if Ford had contacted you and told you of the problem and asked you to take your car in to have the brake hoses changed? I would have been angry with Ford for letting me and my family drive the car around with a potentially dangerous flaw. I note the dealer replaced all brake hoses, because some are only changing the rear hoses, another example of the inconsistent approach by Ford and its dealers.

THE systems work by applying the brakes individually and interrupting the fuel supply to individual cylinders. The LPG system Ford uses doesn't allow the fuel to each cylinder to be cut individually, whereas it can be with the fuel-injection system in petrol engines. Ford will switch to a gas-injection system soon, and will then be able to offer stability control and traction control on gas models.