Ford Falcon 2009 Problems

IT IS certainly worth looking at the handbrake and making sure all is tight.

GOOD idea. I would urge disgruntled Falcon owners to contact Consumer Affairs because I think Falcon owners who choose not to have their cars serviced by Ford dealers are being discriminated against.

FORD is expected to announce a new gas-injection system for the facelifted Falcon due this year. It will then be able to offer electronic stability control. An alternative is to buy a petrol Falcon with ESC and have the dealer fit a dual-fuel gas-injection system.

THE systems work by applying the brakes individually and interrupting the fuel supply to individual cylinders. The LPG system Ford uses doesn't allow the fuel to each cylinder to be cut individually, whereas it can be with the fuel-injection system in petrol engines. Ford will switch to a gas-injection system soon, and will then be able to offer stability control and traction control on gas models.

Fords have a split-circuit braking system that ensures you at least have front or rear brakes after a failure of either system. Owners reporting no brakes when a hose fails on a Falcon or a Territory may feel as though they have lost all brakes, but they do still have some braking to stop the car. If a hose does fail the pedal will go almost to the floor before you get any braking effect. Australian design rules require carmakers to demonstrate there is sufficient braking power to stop the car if either the front or rear brakes fail. That's not much consolation for the person at the wheel and it simply shouldn't happen. We are taking this up with Ford and pressing for a recall of affected vehicles.

THE five-star crash rating applies only to Ford FG sedans with petrol engines, it does not apply to the utes or the E-Gas models. This is because none of these have electronic stability control. The utes will get ESP within the next month or two and Ford has told us the E-Gas cars will get electronic stability control in 2009. What Ford did not say was that the E-Gas system will be updated to the new injection system, but it is fair to make the suggestion that it will be, as that is the system needed for the electronic stability control to work.

THE Australian LPG Warehouse has a kit. There is a problem with the spare wheel, though. It has to be relocated to accommodate the LPG tank under the vehicle. The solution most owners accept is to leave the spare at home and take a puncture repair kit.