Ford to fix Territory brakes

FORD Australia this afternoon announced a voluntary recall of all non-turbo Territory models made between February 2004 and December 2008, after a “detailed investigation” into at least 15 brake failures first reported by News Limited’s Graham Smith.

As part of the recall, Ford will contact all affected owners via mail and daily newspaper advertisements, before doing rectification work at their nearest authorised Ford dealer free of charge.

GoAuto understands the problem relates to the front brake hose which can wear through and leak, rendering the front braking system inoperable. To resolve the issue, Ford will fit replacement hoses that are longer and stronger in a process that Ford says will take about an hour.

According to the company: “A proactive investigation by Ford has determined that under certain operating conditions it is possible for the vehicle to develop a front brake fluid leak, which can result in reduced braking effectiveness from the front brakes.

“In these cases, the rear braking system will still bring the vehicle to a halt within Australian Design Rule requirements. If the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, a warning light will appear on the instrument cluster to alert the driver that the vehicle's braking system requires attention.

“Ford's investigation shows that a combination of high time in service, along with frequent cornering at full steering lock, can lead to the issue.”

The statement stressed that no Falcon or turbocharged Territory model (including the Territory Turbo, Territory Ghia Turbo and FPV F6X) were affected by the recall.

Ford says it believes the problem affects less than two per cent of all Territory vehicles built, but that most examples would be recalled as a precaution.

The recall affects 83,534 Territorys in Australia, 7739 in New Zealand, 3612 in South Africa and about 60 in Thailand and Brunei.

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Ford tests brakes