2001 Ford Mondeo LX 2.0 diesel
Summary:
Diesel delight
Faults:
Many electrical faults.
Clutch operation.
Eats windscreen wiper blades.
General Comments:
On the day I got the car the electric windows failed completely with two partly open, then driving it back to my company to pick up a loan car, little by little all the electrics died, luckily it was daylight, dry, and the engine kept going. The garage had it 2 weeks and I do not know what caused it. (I am not sure they do either)
The day I got it back the central locking stopped working. It would lock then immediately unlock even using the key in the drivers door. second trip to the garage with only 110 miles on the clock...
Following that we had a fairly uneventful year during which I fell in love with the car. The 2.0 diesel engine is very powerful and gives over 45 MPG. It is quite noisy (which somehow I like) and smokes a bit.
Otherwise it is a comfy car that does everything well - especially long distances - London to Dourdogne valley and back for example without any drama.
One year ago, approx 25000 miles the clutch hydraulics packed up - the clutch would not engage fully - resulting in a burnt out clutch.
Minor probs are that it eats windscreen wipers, this has been mentioned at every service, broken washer tank dip stick (very minor for me), the brakes make a loud groan just as the car stops - again the garage either cannot acknowledge of fix.
I really like this car, but I have a problem in that nowdays the main dealers (and this is not just Ford), either do not believe you when you when you mention a problem, or being the driver of a company car, they think it is not that important to you. It is you that will end up stranded at the side of the road if anything goes wrong remember...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 16th September, 2003
10th Feb 2006, 17:52
I too have a Mondeo with grinding brakes. It also got a tick in the green box for brake pad condition at its last service. I have been back to the dealer since and been assured that all pads have plenty of life in them, however the noise keeps getting worse. As far as I am concerned I have done all I can to ensure the brake pads are replaced on time. If the discs are chewed, its the dealers/Fords responsibility. Not mine!
12th Jul 2005, 10:54
I unwittingly drove my (company owned) Focus away from a main dealer service last year with the gearbox oil level plug missing. The 'box spewed out its oil over the next few miles and began to whine horribly. The car was recovered on a trailer where the gearbox was found to be damaged beyond repair, and had to be replaced. A friend has a Mondeo TDDi and that went in for some work which necessitated removal of the bottom radiator hose. The mechanic didn't tighten the clip up properly, all the water pumped out and the engine seized solid. It's also comical seeing an item on the invoice for £3.50 to top up the washer bottle. My last bottle of washer detergent cost £1.99 and topped the bottle up about 30 times.
Main dealer service histories should devalue cars in my opinion, rather than add to them. At least the small independent garages need your business to survive, and in my experience, they offer a much more personal and professional service. Main dealers get enough guaranteed business through people needing to keep warranties valid, and through the major leasing companies who insist on their customers using them, that they can do (and charge) what they like.
The only consolation for Ford drivers is that Peugeot dealers are worse. I had a 306 prior to the Focus which required a replacement engine when the mechanic snapped one of the alternator mounts off the block when changing the auxiliary belt. I also had to live with it stalling for 20,000 miles because they couldn't diagnose what turned out to be a simple sticking stepper motor. Had it been my own car, I wouldn't have let it within a mile of the place.
I'm an engineer in the IT business, and such levels of incompetence and indifference would cost me my job, and my company its survivial. Why should dealer mechanics be any different?