Recalls & faults: Ford SX Territory (2004-05)

Recalls: Ford SX Territory

Overview

Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.

Recalls: Ford SX Territory

2004-05 Ford SX Territory: brake fluid leak

In March 2009, a recall was issued for Ford SX Territory vehicles that were manufactured after 1 February 2004. According to Ford, the front brake hoses in these vehicles may develop a brake fluid leak under certain operating conditions. If this occurred, braking effectiveness would be reduced (PRA 2009/10702).Some owners, however, have reported a complete loss of braking that required the handbrake to be deployed to slow the vehicle.

Problems and faults: Ford SX Territory

Overview

This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.

To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.

Ford SX Territory: ball joints

For Ford SX and SY.I Territory models (manufactured from February 2004 to April 2009), the front suspension contained a lower ball joint which was incorporated into the lower control arm and attached to the steering knuckle – as a result, the vehicle’s mass was trying to pull the ball joint out of its socket. Worn ball joints may be indicated by feathering of the outer edges of the front tyres, premature tyre wear on the inside of the front tyres and a loud, thumping noise when driving over pot-holes; the joints could also be tested by raising the vehicle on a hoist and observing how much movement was in each wheel when moving the top of the tyre laterally.

As a result of ball joint wear and failures, Ford undertook to replace any faulty front ball joint (service action R1101) in SX and SY.I Territory models that had driven up to 150,000 kilometres and provided a 12 month/20,000 kilometre warranty on replacement. The replacement, however, was of the original ball joints rather than the redesigned SY.II arrangement.

For the SY.II Territory, the lower ball joint was repositioned to the steering knuckle itself and had a stud fitted through the taper hole in the lower arm – this meant that the vehicle’s mass was pushing the ball joint into its socket.

4.0-litre I6 engine

• Belt squeal and rattling noises from the engine bay may be due to a faulty accessory belt tensioner which requires replacement. If the tensioner fails, the accessory belt may snap, causing the power steering, alternator and water pump to stop working.
• A rattling noise at idle may be due to a loose exhaust heat shield.
• The radiator was susceptible to leaking.
• The O-ring seal at the back of the water pump was susceptible to leaking.
• Low idle, stall or variable idle: for Ford’s SX/SY Territory vehicles, engine speed may drop below the normal idle speed – the engine may then either stall or the ECU may intervene to raise engine speed, causing a variable idle. Ford Australia issued a service bulletin (TSB 20/05) regarding this problem recommending that the throttle body be cleaned and the ECU re-flashed.
• Knocking noises from the engine bay which are loudest near the glovebox may be due to the vacuum hoses vibrating against the body or other components – this can be fixed with a cable-tie.

Transmission

• Four-speed BTR automatic transmission: the transmission cooler was located in the radiator and the cooling lines were susceptible to failure due to age, wear or corrosion. If this occurred, the fluid in the coolant reservoir would appear milky (hence the term ‘milkshake’) and damage to the transmission would require it to be rebuilt or replaced. To prevent contamination of the transmission fluid with coolant, a common modification was to fit an external air/oil transmission cooling kit which bypassed (and sealed) the cooler in the radiator.
• Difficulty selecting gears may be due to a loose gear selector linkage/mechanism.

Brakes

• Shuddering from the front wheels – which can be felt through the brake pedal – is indicative of warped brake discs.
• Squealing noises from the brakes may be due to brake pad glazing (i.e. the friction material overheats on the pad surface and disc). Brake pad glazing may also result in increased stopping distances, brake shudder and vibrations.
• The ABS light may illuminate intermittently due to problems with the ABS sensors – this may be fixed by cleaning or replacing the sensors.

Suspension

• The driver’s side rear tyre may have excessive wear on the inside of the tyre due to excessive negative camber. To fix, an offset bush needs to be fitted to bring the camber back into its specified range.
• Knocking noises from front suspension may be due to worn lower ball joints.
• Clunking noises from the rear of the vehicle – particularly at low speeds – may indicate that the differential bushes require replacement.
• Knocking noises from the rear suspension when driving over bumps may indicate that the upper shock bushes require replacement.

Problems and faults: Ford SX Territory

• A malfunctioning body computer may turn on the interior lights and drain the battery; if so, the computer needs to be reset.
• Problems with the door locks are usually due to the actuators failing.
• Low battery voltage can make the gearshift indicators flash and the transmission enter ‘limp home’ mode, requiring the battery to be replaced.
• The power windows may not work due to the plastic clips which hold the window to the regulator braking.
• The area under the rubber seal in the tailgate door jamb was susceptible to rust as moisture could become trapped in the tailgate. To inspect, open the tailgate and pull the lower rubber back from the edge of the bodywork. The area behind the tail-lights could also be affected by corrosion.