Ford Problems

A lot of cars seem to suffer from this. The fuel seems to back-up in the filler neck, and that’s what causes the bowser to click off (as a safety measure, to prevent fuel being sprayed around the forecourt). There are three things that seem to help with this.

The first is to place the bowser nozzle half way into the car’s fuel neck. Pushing it all the way in will often make the problem worse, and only half poking it in seems to have the effect of allowing the car to swallow the fuel faster without it backing up. The second thing to try is to insert the nozzle and then rotate it 90-degrees to one side or the other. Again, this seems to re-align the nozzle in the filler neck and can help. The third trick is to pull the trigger on the nozzle only part way. That slows the fuel flow down a little, but if it prevents the bowser continually clicking off, it’s still faster.

Modern cars are really susceptible to power `spikes’ when the battery is being reconnected. Often, these power surges can damage electronic equipment and perhaps that’s what’s happened to the unit in your Territory.

If that’s the case, the unit will need to be removed and repaired by a specialist. The worst-case scenario may involve an entire replacement ICC. It could also be that the ICC requires a code to re-boot it after being disconnected from a power source. If that’s the case, a visit to a Ford dealership might be all that is required.

There’s no difference between the petrol engines in the 2011 Fiesta compared with the 2012 model. So, yes, they both require the same timing-belt changes. And yes, the interval is determined by which comes first, the 160,000km or the eight years.

As well as a fix, I’d also be looking for a new auto electrician, Troy. Every one of these problems can, I reckon, be traced back to the car’s body computer, a component that Ford had all sorts of trouble with in its Australian made cars over the years. It’s a well known problem, can be an intermittent one and will definitely produce the glitches you’re seeing. A new body computer can also often mean a new key which has to be electronically coded to the computer before anything will work again.

This generation of full-sized Fords was a bit notorious for body computer problems that have symptoms very much like the ones you’ve listed. Essentially, the body computer is responsible for all the communication between the car’s various systems, including air-conditioning, cruise-control, central locking and much, much more. If the computer fails, replacement is usually the only real fix. Sometimes you’ll need to have the ignition key re-coded to the new computer, as well. The price quoted sounds about par for the course form what I’ve heard.

I’m with you that a car that’s only five years old probably shouldn’t need new components like a body computer, but when your car was brand-new, it was covered only by a three-year factory warranty. Ford Australia extended its warranty to five years in 2018 (for cars sold after that date) but that’s of little use to you. Twisting the dealer’s arm probably won’t do much, but have you contacted Ford Australia’s customer service division and stated your case? It might be worth your while.

I have some not-so-good news for you, David. The US-spec Ranger has a driveline that allows the transfer-case to be placed in neutral-2WD. Australian Rangers don’t. And it’s really that simple.

Flat-towing an Aussie Ranger would mean that the automatic transmission would be spinning internally without lubrication. That’s because the oil pump that lubricates the transmission only operates when the car’s engine is running.

Modern four-wheel-drive tech has all but eliminated the neutral position in the transfer-case, so the vast majority of vehicles are in the same boat. Technically, you could flat-tow a vehicle with a manual transmission (because the gearbox is splash-lubricated, not pump-lubricated) but my contacts at Ford tell me that you’d void your new-car warranty in the process in the Ranger’s case.

So what are your flat-towing options? Something like a Jeep Wrangler or Suzuki Jimny might be okay (but I’d check with the manufacturer first) or find something older with an old-school transfer-case set-up that allows for a neutral position.

While it might sound like your car is haunted, I have actually come across this problem before and it’s not as rare as you might think. The clicking/tapping noise is actually caused by the actuator motor for the cabin-ventilation’s recirculation flap.

If any dirt or grease contaminates the internal electrical contacts inside the actuator (which is a little electric motor that opens and closes the flap) the actuator cannot electronically detect (or find) its parked position. So, it continues to cycle the flap, searching in vain for the contact that tells it to switch off. That continual cycling is what you can hear.

You can replace the actuator or, if you’re keen and a bit handy, you can remove the actuator from under the dashboard (near the glove-box) take the unit apart and clean the contacts to that it all works properly again. Or take it to a Ford dealership, as a 2018 anger should still be covered by the factory warranty (Ford upgraded the warranty to five years in 2018).

A car with a little extra ground clearance is great for camping as it often allows you to get a little farther away from the masses in their caravans who tend to huddle around the shower block at bush campsites.

The Subaru Outback is a good, solid choice and if you can find an independent workshop to service it, you’ll avoid the cost of dealership prices. And you’re right, the all-wheel-drive would be great for gravel roads. Another vehicle to look at would be a late-model Ford territory diesel which is big and clever inside and has the option of all-wheel-drive. The diesel engine is a plus on the bush where that fuel is more readily available (in really remote areas) and gives you more range for big holidays in the mulga.

Don’t rule out things like the Mitsubishi Pajero, either, which won’t be as around-town friendly, but is a proven quantity and is absolutely tremendous off-road. The same goes for a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder prior to the current model (which is a bit less hard-core adventure).

I’ve heard of a couple problems with the ten-speed automatic in these Rangers; problems that could produce the problems you’ve noted.

From what I can gather through the trade, there has been a dealer bulletin regarding failures of and problems with the transmission’s torque converter. Without a functioning torque converter, it’s entirely possible that you could have experienced exactly the symptoms you’ve mentioned. The fact that the computer hasn’t logged a relevant code is a bit of a puzzle, but stranger things have happened. Apparently, there was a manufacturing problem with a batch of transmissions (some of which were sold in Australia) and that problem caused torque-converter failure.

The other problem my insiders have identified involves the front oil pump for the transmission. Again, without this functioning, the transmission lacks the oil pressure it needs to engage and provide drive. Like the torque converters, it seems there was a bad batch of oil pumps made with too much hardening applied to the teeth, which made them brittle and prone to breaking.

I’m tipping the dealership will have a pretty good idea of what’s going on and that it will involve either the oil pump or the torque converter. At least your vehicle is still under factory warranty.