Ford Problems

You’re correct that a diff should last longer than six years, but how long it should last is open to question. To its credit Ford has offered to pay a portion of the repair cost. They won’t pay the whole cost of the repair as you have had six years of use out of the diff, and it’s now worn as a result of that use. There is no hard and fast rule that applies to your situation. The offer from Ford is based on the amount of wear and the projected life of the diff. You’re best to negotiate with Ford and hold out for the best deal you can get.

Check the system to see which LPG company developed the system for Ford and take it to them for checking. If you are unsure which company made it contact Mercer Industries (03 8788 1000).

Kia has a seven-year warranty. Holden, Ford, Hyundai and Mazda have five-year warranties. Toyota is currently three years, but is going to five. Look at the small models from those carmakers and you’ll find models to fit your budget.

It’s a dual-clutch auto similar to the ones that gave so much trouble in other models. As you say an auto transmission should last more than 80,000 km, it’s worth pursuing a claim for a replacement transmission.

Have the dealer justify the claim that it’s a characteristic of the Wildtrak, perhaps ask him to let you drive other Wildtraks to see for yourself, and don’t accept any explanation that doesn’t make sense. You could also contact Ford (13 3673) and ask for their help in resolving your complaint.

Dodge the cheap Chinese imports and go for a reputable brand from Michelin, Bridgestone, Khumo, Dunlop. They all offer good all-round performance.

It’s not a problem that has come to our attention. If you have other owners with similar concerns you could try getting together and approaching Ford as a group. Other than that I would suggest you got to a suspension specialist and look at having you suspension upgraded.

Disconnecting the battery usually does the trick, but by entering the wrong code so many times might have caused it to shut down. Try a car radio specialist or a Ford dealer.

Being such a new vehicle it’s unlikely to be a simple service issue, more likely a calibration one. If you are concerned about it have an independent automatic transmission mechanic assess it for you.

The best source of that sort of information is the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). You could also ask Ford and Holden.