Question 1

What does a flash of yellow light near the tachometer of my 2005 Ford Territory mean?

Accepted Answer

The Territory has a yellow check-engine light just on the outside of the tachometer’s face, around the 2000rpm mark. Perhaps that’s what you saw flickering on. This is probably nothing to worry about as the light immediately switched itself off, suggesting that whatever the problem was, it was a fleeting one. This light is linked to the car’s onboard diagnostic system which monitors the entire car for faults and then logs them for future problem-shooting. If a problem occurs twice within a certain time-frame, then the check-engine light must illuminate to warn the driver to have the car checked and the problem fixed. If the light reappears and stay lit up, then you need to act to have the problem found and fixed before it has the chance to do any permanent damage to the car’s driveline. As a side-note, a car with an illuminated check-engine light is technically unroadworthy.

Question 2

I have oil in my coolant in my 2011 Ford Territory.

Accepted Answer

Any time you have oil mixing with coolant, you have a pretty major problem on your hands. In the case of your Territory, it could be that the head gasket has failed, allowing the two fluids to mix, creating the milky murk known in the trade as a 'milkshake'. It’s a bit unlikely but it could be even more serious and your engine may be suffering from a cracked cylinder head or a split cylinder liner. A blown head gasket is a lot more likely, though. But just as probable is a problem that occurs pretty frequently with this make and model. The Territory’s transmission is cooled via a heat-exchanger that is cooled by the engine’s coolant. If the plumbing on this cooler fails (usually because of friction due to junk inside the tubing) then the engine coolant and transmission fluid can mix and also form a milkshake which you’ll see in the radiator or coolant catch-tank. Unfortunately, if this is the case, the transmission’s computer and its hardware may also be damaged beyond repair by the coolant diluting the transmission fluid and generally causing havoc inside the transmission. The best advice is to not drive the vehicle any farther and have it diagnosed by a workshop to see exactly what has happened.

Question 3

Ford Territory won't go into third and fourth gear

Accepted Answer

As with any automatic transmission problem, the first thing to do is check the level of transmission fluid in the gearbox itself. These shouldn’t need top-ups, but if a leak occurs, they can lose enough fluid to play havoc with the gear selection and drive-transmission processes. Low fluid can cause a loss of drive in any gear, but could also contribute to a valve-body problem where the lack of fluid prevents the correct gear selection process. Low fluid can also mean the clutch-packs and bands can not exert enough pressure to get the car moving. It's worth noting, though, that this particular transmission has a finite lifespan and a loss of third and fourth gears could be the first sign that the unit is worn out and requires either replacement or reconditioning. A transmission specialist should be your first port of all.

Question 4

How do you fix a starter motor in a Ford Territory?

Accepted Answer

You have a couple of options here. You can remove the stater motor and take it to an auto electrician who will be able to test it, see what’s wrong with it and give you a quote to rebuild the unit. Or, you can simply buy a new or reconditioned starter motor and fit that instead. Both these options should provide you with a warranty of some sort. Actually, there’s a third option, and that is to visit a wrecking yard, take a starter motor off a wrecked Territory (making sure it’s the same model and engine) and fit that to your car. This will be the cheapest option, but you could easily find that the new second-hand starter motor has the same problems as the one you already have. Some wrecking yards (who like to be called parts recyclers these days) offer starter motors (and other components) that have been tested, so that would be preferable to just finding one still bolted to a wreck. You might not be offered any sort of warranty, however.

Question 5

Gear problems in my 2008 Ford Territory

Accepted Answer

The original slipping could have been caused by low transmission fluid, which would also explain why the unit would not select a gear. That would suggest that the transmission has a leak somewhere, because it’s a sealed system and doesn’t need periodic top-ups. The danger, however, is that running the unit with a low fluid level has caused damage to the mechanical parts of the gearbox and possibly the torque converter as well. That’s because the fluid in an automatic transmission not only provides the drive, it also lubricates the various bits of the transmission. Not enough fluid means not enough lubrication. If it was a as simple as low fluid, now that you’ve changed the fluid and taken it back to its correct level, you should have all the gears working again. But the fact that it will only select first and second gears suggests damage has already occurred. This is really a job for a transmission specialist who will be able to accurately diagnose what’s wrong.

Question 6

Issues with the automatic gearbox of my 2008 Ford Territory

Accepted Answer

Transmission fluid should generally be a pretty pink or red colour. If it’s black (and/or smells like burned toast) that suggests that it is way overdue for a change of fluid and a new filter, and also that there could be lots of wear inside the transmission. Tiny bits of the clutches and bands that control an automatic like yours wear off over time and it’s these that are discolouring the fluid. That fact that they’re black, also suggest they’re burned having been overheated at some point in the past. A transmission shop should be your first port of call, with instructions to diagnose what’s wrong and work out a strategy from there. If the transmission is badly worn, it may need replacing or rebuilding. But you might be lucky and discover that the fluid is simply old and depleted (from a leak somewhere) and the transmission may recover with a full service. Don’t count on it, however.

Question 7

Does the 2009 Ford Territory Ghia 4x4 have a timing belt or chain?

Accepted Answer

All versions of the Ford Territory form this era used the inline six-cylinder 'Barra' engine from the Ford Falcon. This engine used a timing chain rather than a toothed rubber belt. The chain should be good for the life of the engine and should not need replacing.

Question 8

Can I still get my 2005 Ford Territory fixed under the brake recall?

Accepted Answer

It shouldn't matter how old a safety recall is, it's a safety issue, so it needs to be fixed. That's why there's no actual time limit for these repairs to be made. Here's the official response from the Department of Infrastructure: “There are no time limits applied to vehicle recalls by the department. It is expected that if a vehicle is presented for an older recall, the manufacturer will repair it as per the original recall notice”. The potential spanner in the works there would be if the manufacturer is no longer represented in Australia or, if the parts required were no longer being made or otherwise available. In any case, this would definitely be worth chasing up with Ford as the recall was for potentially faulty brake lines which could cause a catastrophic failure with horrendous results.

Question 9

2013 Ford Territory wheel bearings keep needing to be replaced

Accepted Answer

Clearly something is wrong here because wheel bearings should have a much monger lifespan than 12 months. I'd start by checking that the wheel alignment (yes, rear wheels need to be aligned, too) is correct and not putting weird stresses and strains on suspension components which could include the bearings. While you're at it, check the condition of the suspension bushes, too, as these can also allow alignment to become a problem. Do you tow heavy loads with the car? This can also place huge stress on things like bearings and cause them to wear faster. Also, who replaced the previous set 12 months ago? Can you be sure they didn't over-tighten the new bearings, causing them to wear faster? Were the new bearings a good quality or a cheap replacement? Has the supplier of the bearings received the same complaint from other customers, suggesting a bad batch of bearings could be the cause? I've personally seen a brand new wheel bearing collapse in under 20km because the surfaces had not been hardened properly during the manufacturing process. Finally, given the wild weather this continent has been experiencing, have you driven through flood-waters at any stage. Unlike fresh water, flood-water is often full of tiny silt particles which get into the bearing and then act as griding paste, causing the bearing to fail super fast.

Question 10

Where is the transmission dip stick on a 2006 Ford Territory?

Accepted Answer

If you can't find the dipstick for the automatic transmission, there might be a very simple explanation: It doesn't have one. Many Fords from this era were not fitted with dipsticks, so checking the level is done from underneath the car via the a threaded plug. Not so easy to do at home. The transmission is a sealed system, and any drop in level indicates a problem that needs to be fixed. So the level is worth keeping an eye on, even if that's not so easy to do in cars like this one. Theories for the dipstick deletion include preventing owners from over-filling the transmission (easier than you might think, since the transmission temperature when you check it is critical) as well as not giving owners the opportunity to top-up their transmission with the wrong type or grade of fluid. At some point though you have to imagine that cost-cutting also came into the decision.

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