Ford Problems

It is a common problem on the Territory and the Falcon and Ford will only supply the full column assembly. Crazy. It's out of warranty, so you will have trouble getting Ford to fix it at their cost, although you could try getting them to pay at least for part of the repairs. Other than that go to a Ford wrecker and have them install a used switch for you at a much reduced cost.

There is a problem with your gearbox and it needs to be sorted out. The computer in your car needs to be checked, maybe even replaced, and perhaps the gearbox itself might need to be replaced. Take it back to the dealer and demand action.

You obviously believe that the mechanic who replaced the chain guide set the timing incorrectly, but two years after the work was done makes it really hard to blame him. If the valves were hitting the pistons as you believe they were I would have expected it to show up long before this. If you want to pursue it get a creditable engine guy to inspect it and give you his opinion.

Without driving the car and experiencing what you report it's impossible to give any opinion on what might be causing the problems. I would suggest that you ask for a meeting with a Ford representative to discuss the issues and have your car fully assessed. It might also be worth your while to arrange to drive another car of the same specification to see if it too has the same issues.

It's unlikely, but you could drain the oil and refill it with the correct volume of oil and see if it goes away. But I would take it to a mechanic and have them tell you what the problem is.

It's not uncommon to have problems with the electric windows on Falcons. Get an auto electrician to have a look at it; it's probably a motor in a door.

While the consumer law says that while the manufacturer is attempting to fix a problem they are doing what the law requires them to do. That said there has to be a reasonable expectation of an outcome, and the fact that there is no satisfactory outcome after 10 attempts I would think is quite unreasonable and perhaps you do deserve to have a new car. I would consult Consumer Affairs again and get their view, then consider engaging legal representation. You could also speak to our body repair specialist, Graeme Cuthbert, on 0422 444 335, and get his opinion on what might be causing the leak.

Without knowing how many kays you have done in it I would guess the clutch is on the way out. Clutches in the one-tonners that have become so popular are typically marginal and some require replacement at quite mileage. Check the clutch, and if worn to the point of needing replacement look at installing a heavy-duty clutch.

Excess sealant suggests sloppy workmanship. You might like to mention it to your dealer and suggest they disassemble the diff and put it back together without excessive sealant that could cause issues down the track, or you could let it go and hope it doesn't cause any problems later on. If it was the engine I would want to fix it, but in the case of a diff I'd be tempted to report it in case something does develop in the future, and let it go.