Ford Territory Problems

Ford did, in fact, upgrade the Territory’s power-steering system to an electric set-up in the name of improved fuel economy, but that didn’t happen until mid-2011. As such, Rodney, your 2008 Territory still uses conventional hydraulic power-steering.

While the fuel consumption benefits of electric power-assistance are clear, keener drivers generally prefer a conventional hydraulic set-up for the extra feel and feedback it offers through the steering wheel. But it’s a dying technology and just about all new car designs feature electrical assistance.

The engine in your Territory uses a rubber timing belt which the trade recommends be changed every 100,000km. However, it’s not that simple. This engine also uses a second toothed rubber belt to drive the high-pressure fuel pump critical to the operation of a modern, common-rail diesel engine.

This second belt is located at the other end of the engine, between the engine and firewall, and the recommendation is also to change this belt at the same, 100,000km, interval.

Many owners also find the timing-belt change-point is a good time to change the water pump and thermostat at the same time to avoid disassembling the engine a second time should those components fail.

Some Territories of around this vintage experienced a problem with a dud output-speed sensor within the automatic transmission. The sensor could cause an intermittent fault where the transmission wasn’t telling the rest of the car how fast it was going and, in some cases, could cause the transmission to suddenly shift back to first gear. That sounds a lot like your symptoms. Ford reckons it had this problem fixed by early 2013, well before your car was built, but I reckon it’d still be worth a check of the sensor’s operation via an electronic scan.

The other recurring problem with the Territory’s transmission was when the transmission cooler failed internally and the gearbox oil and the coolant became mixed. That destroyed the gearbox both mechanically and electronically in pretty quick time and if that’s your problem, a rebuilt or replacement transmission is the only fix.

The security system in your Territory is automatically armed when you lock the doors, Martin. As well as the door locks, the system should also immobilise the vehicle electronically, preventing it from being started without the computer-coded key, even if a window is smashed to gain access.

As for an actual alarm where the lights flash and sirens sound if there’s an attempt to steal it, I’m afraid that wasn’t included on the Territory. Perhaps your car has an aftermarket alarm system that offers those functions, but if it does, you’ll need to contact the alarm’s manufacturer/importer for the instructions on how to make it work.

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.

To connect your phone to the Ford Territory Bluetooth system, start by making sure your phone has its Bluetooth switched on and is in discoverable mode. You also need the vehicle to be in Park with the engine running; having the ignition in accessory mode is not sufficient, the engine must be running for phone pairing to take place.

On the stereo info-screen in the Territory, touch the Phone button, followed by the Add a Phone button. You should next receive a message that the pairing process has begun and a six-digit code will be displayed. Enter that code into your phone and the pairing process should complete. You’ll know it has when the phone’s name is displayed on the car’s screen as being added successfully.

If more than one phone is paired with the car, the system will ask if you wish to make the current phone your favourite. If you do, this is the phone that will be automatically paired with if more than one paired phone is detected.

The system will then ask you if you wish to automatically download your phone’s contact book to the car. If you touch Yes, this process will begin and could take a few minutes depending on how many contacts you have.

For more instructions on how to play music through the system, more setup options, and troubleshooting problems, refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual.

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.

The most common cause of this type of problem is a worn oil pump in the transmission. An automatic works on hydraulic pressure and if the pump is worn, it often can’t muster the necessary pressure to effect a gearshift when it’s cold. Once it’s warmed up, everything moves a bit more freely and the car will select Reverse. The fact that there’s still a gear-selection delay even when warmed up is the giveaway that this is the case.

If you continue to drive it like this, it will possibly go for some months. But you need to be aware that the faulty oil pump is not only making shifting difficult, it’s also potentially starving the bearings of the lubrication they need. The end is nigh, I’m afraid. You could take a punt and have the gearbox serviced with new fluid and a clean filter, but, on balance, the pump is likely to be the culprit and is also indicative of general transmission wear and tear

The transmission in this era of Ford Territories was notorious for suffering a failed transmission oil cooler. If that happened, the coolant would often mix with the transmission’s fluid, causing massive damage to both the electronics and the mechanical components of the transmission. In severe cases, the vehicle could lose drive altogether. A replacement transmission is the usual fix, so it’s an expensive failure.

But the first check to make is of another part of the Territory that is also known for giving trouble. In this case, though, the end result is nothing like as dramatic as it’s caused by damaged or poorly adjusted (loose) selector linkages. A quick tighten or adjustment will have the transmission operating properly again, but you need to ascertain what’s causing your problem in the first place. Don’t forget to check that there’s actually sufficient fluid inside the transmission, too, as low fluid can cause a loss of drive. Most workshops will be able to diagnose either problem pretty quickly.

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.