Ford Falcon 2004 Problems

WE'VE had heaps of emails complaining about the same problem, and not only on Falcons. It's a common problem and there seems to be no real fix. Anti-rattle glue behind the pads helps, but it's not permanent. The first time it came to my attention was soon after the release of the BA Falcon, when an owner complained of the noise in his new car. Dealers fobbed him off, and Ford couldn't help, so eventually he traded his car in for a Honda.

FORD has recalled all Territorys built between February 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008, to replace the front brake hoses, so that's a positive move that we applaud. Hopefully, they will follow up with a similar recall on the Falcon. Ford has already recalled the Falcon sedan to replace rear brake hoses, so you shouldn't have had to pay to replace them. We still believe there is a problem with the Falcon's front brake hoses that hasn't been addressed.

YES. Dealers will replace the rear hoses on your car, on instructions from head office, but they will probably baulk at replacing the front hoses. Ford doesn't acknowledge there is a problem with the front hoses, but we beg to differ. Ford is investigating the hose failure issue and we are awaiting those findings.

I AM at a loss to how they could get the brake hose length wrong; someone should lose their job over it. But having got it wrong, Ford should have had a full recall and made sure that the problem hoses are removed so no one's safety is put at risk. As for the power steering hoses, we have had a few reports, but nothing like the number of reports on the brake hoses.

I BELIEVE Ford should have a recall and replace the suspect hoses. To say not enough people have complained is not good enough. Perhaps more Carsguide readers should get on the phone and lodge their complaints.

HAVING worked in the engineering side of the industry, I can't believe a dangerous problem like this has escaped Ford's notice. Even worse, I can't believe it wasn't the subject of a recall. As you say, the sudden failure of a brake hose and the loss of braking is a major concern for anyone driving a Falcon or a Territory. I'm not trying in any way to play down the problem, but you don't lose total braking effect if a brake hose fails. The braking system is designed so that if a front hose fails you still have the rear brakes to use, and vice versa.

BRAKE shudder is a widely reported problem with the Falcon and is usually caused by warped discs. When the discs warp you might be able to fix the problem simply by skimming the discs and fitting new pads. You probably need new discs, but be warned that they will probably warp in no time as well. Most mechanics work on skimming the discs once, then replacing them when the problem returns. Discs last 50,000-70,000km in most cases before they need replacing.

THE two types are the older Venturi/mixer system that has been around for 30 years or more and done a pretty good job. It will save fuel, but you will lose power and the driveability won't be as good. The other system is gas-injection, used on most modern cars like yours. It will give you the fuel savings, you won't lose power, and the driveability will be better than with the old system. The downside to the injection system is it's more expensive. You could fit an old Venturi/mixer system for about $2500, but an injection system will cost about $4500. I would recommend the injection system even though it costs more. Shop around to find the best installer in your area. Look for brands like Eurogas, Impco, Global Autogas, Speedy Gas, Apollo and so on -- they're all well-respected.