Ford Problems

Transmission problems are not unheard of in the Ranger and problems usually stem from either the oil-pump gears wearing or problems with the valve body. If caught early enough, sometimes these problems can be fixed without changing the entire transmission, but in your case, it sounds like the wear or damage was terminal.

If the transmission was to fail again in another 120,000km, would you spend another $6000 on a vehicle with 240,000km on its odometer? That’s the real question here, and given the price of second-hand dual-cab utes, maybe you would. The option would be to sell the vehicle now, using the brand-new transmission as a major selling point. If the thought of another transmission failure is keeping you awake at night, then that’s one option.

Also, talk to the workshop that fitted the new transmission and ask if the replacement unit was fitted with updated mechanical parts that are likely to reduce the chances of the same problem happening again. Often, the industry develops these improved bits and pieces as a reaction to common failures and faults. If the replacement unit is better than the original, maybe it’s worth persisting with.

As fuel prices continue to spiral upwards, the idea of using the slightly cheaper E10 (petrol with up to 10 per cent ethanol content) becomes more attractive. Unfortunately, not all cars can run on E10 with that ethanol component causing damage to other parts of the fuel system and engine.

But in the case of a 2003 Ford Falcon, it’s good news. Your car is E10 compatible and using e10 will not adversely affect the vehicle in any way.

This will come down to what roof-rack system you choose. Good quality brands have load limits of 80 to 100kg, and that’s a fair bit of weight to be placing up high on the roof of an already high vehicle like the Territory. By using all that capacity, you’ll be moving the vehicle’s overall centre of gravity and that can have an effect on handling and stability, particularly in a cross-wind. You’ll also use more fuel even when the roof rack is empty. The rule of thumb is to always put the lightest gear on the roof.

The newer the car, the more economical it’s likely to be in the real world. If you’re chasing outright fuel economy (and that’s a powerful argument with current fuel prices) then a conventional hatch is likely to be a little more frugal than an SUV of the same size thanks to the latter’s higher ride height (for reduced aerodynamic efficiency) and chunkier tyres.

A CVT transmission arguably offers a more efficient solution, but not everybody likes the way a CVT feels to drive. The other choice to make is whether to go petrol or diesel or even hybrid.

Since you’re driving is largely suburban, I reckon that rules out a diesel as you’re likely to have ongoing issues with the vehicle’s emissions control system which won’t appreciate that sort of use. Diesels are better for country running, and that’s just the way it is. A diesel car is also likely to cost a bit more to service over the years.

That leaves petrol and it’s a fact that the newer petrol engines are a lot closer to diesels in terms of outright fuel economy. But if you really want to save fuel costs in a suburban car, then a petrol-electric hybrid is the solution. These will cost more to buy, but with 40km a day, you’ll probably get that money back in a reasonable timeframe.

Look at the South Korean makes (Hyundai and Kia) as both brands have a large range of SUVs and still – unlike some brands – still bother with conventional hatchbacks. Check out Toyota, too, which has a good history in hybrid small cars.

This is an issue that continues the haunt Ford even after it paid millions of dollars in fines levied by the ACCC for way it conducted itself in the face of the dual-clutch transmission fiasco. Fundamentally, about half the Fords delivered in Australia with the Powershift transmission, experienced either problems or outright transmission failures. Some of them on multiple occasions.

Ford’s response of initially ignoring the problem and then blaming its customers stands as a 24-carat example of how not to do things. And the ACCC agreed, fining and condemning the company’s behaviour. Eventually, Ford was forced to offer customers a good deal on the next model Focus which featured a conventional automatic gearbox. Even then, the ACCC’s view was that Ford should have offered a full refund, not a sweetened deal to trade up to the newer model. Simply replacing the problem gearboxes wasn’t a widespread permanent fix as the replacement units would have given precisely the same problems.

If you bought your car second-hand, that’s another problem because, really, the affected cars should have been scrapped, not resold to unsuspecting buyers (another beef the ACCC had with Ford at the time).

I think your first port of call should be to the ACCC who will be able to give you an idea of the current situation as far as the problem goes, and what Ford is currently doing about it. Bear in mind, though, the original problem surfaced many years ago, so you’re a late member of the Powershift club.

Our first suspicion would be a bad earth somewhere on the vehicle. Dashboard faults are very often the result of a poor earth contact and the symptoms you describe are spot on for that very problem. So go around the car and check all the earthing points form the battery to the body of the car.

You could also be dealing with a broken solder in part of the circuit-board that controls the dashboard, too. A good auto electrician will be able to test the circuit for breaks and bad solders and repair them quite cheaply. Ultimately, though, the cost of this repair will be determined by how much of the car has to be disassembled to remove the circuit-board.

The main fuel filter for this vehicle will be under the car, approximately beneath the part of the floorpan where the rear seat is located. The filter will be an inline unit and to remove it you need to remove the fuel line from each end of the filter and undo the bracket that holds the filter in place.

But here’s a warning: Often, there will be residual pressure inside the fuel line that may cause fuel to spray everywhere when you disconnect the lines. So wear eye protection, or de-pressurise the fuel system by removing the fuse for the fuel pump and cranking the engine a few times before disconnecting the filter.

These units are well known for giving trouble including buttons not working right through to complete failure of the screen and unit. There are, however, companies that specialise in repairing these units and can replace the problem components to bring the unit back to life.

But even if you go with a second-hand unit from a wrecking yard, it should have been tested to ensure it’s working properly before it’s shipped to you. And if it doesn’t work, a reputable parts recycler will offer to replace it.

The problem you face of course, is what happens when the world’s supply of second-hand Territory commands centres dries up. Again, it shouldn’t be a problem as there are aftermarket units designed specifically to fit the Territory’s dashboard that are better quality, deliver better sound and often include features your car may not have such as Bluetooth and mobile-phone mirroring.

Presumably, you’re talking about a car that is having trouble getting moving from standstill while facing up a hill. This is the result of a lack of power but that lack could be down to a thousand things. You could be looking at an engine with a poor tune or even a transmission with a faulty torque converter that is not allowing the engine to rev up for take-off.

A lot of local cars of a similar age to yours also experience fuel pick-up problems. We’ve seen cases where a split fuel line inside the tank refuses to pick up fuel if the tank is about half full and parked on a hill. So try this experiment: Turn the car around 180 degrees and see if it’s just as reluctant to take off up the same hill in reverse. If the direction the car is facing is the key factor, you’re probably looking at a fuel pick-up issue.

You’re talking about two distinct models of the Ford Focus, so if there’s any interchangeability it won’t be much. Perhaps there would be some mechanical parts in terms of the engine, but the 2007 model was a physically larger can than the original (2003) so even things like the suspension units and brakes are unlikely to be interchangeable.

As for body panels and interior fittings, I doubt there’d be any interchangeability at all. The later car had different panels and the interiors were also completely different. Changes to styling also mean that headlights, tail-lights, glass and even detail things like door handles would not be interchangeable.