2004 Ford Mondeo Ghia 2.0 TDCi (130)
Summary:
A miserable ownership experience
Faults:
Fuel Injectors failed 1 month after purchase
Under bonnet fuel leak after injector change
Clutch replaced to cure poor gear change
Constant problems with alignment causing premature tyre ware
Grinding brakes
Fuel pump failed after 1 year/48000 miles.
General Comments:
My Mondeo Estate looked good, was comfortable and drove nicely with a traditional Turbo Diesel punch.
However the car suffered from woeful reliability, not helped by a dealer who at best was disinrerested and at worst downright incompetent.
Ford seem to have serious issues with their TDCi engine. I am aware of several other people who have suffered premature failure of major components associated with the fuel injection system.
In the end I lost all confidence with the car, Ford and its dealers and sold the damn thing. Being a Mondeo of course, it was virtually worthless as a trade-in. Thank God I bought it as a nearly new Ford Direct car in the first place!
Over the years I have owned many Fords, but my experience with this car has shattered my faith in the company. It will most certainly be my last!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 7th May, 2006
9th Feb 2009, 06:51
I was contemplating replacing my 125,000 mile petrol Nissan Primera (I've had the car nearly 9 years and it's been reliable) with a Mondeo TDCI.
My best mate bought this model of Mondeo this summer. He picked up a clean, genuine 40,000 mile car, a late 04 plater.
The Garret turbo failed 5 months or so later. (Actually, what failed was not the turbo - all the meccano bits of that are still functional. What failed, seemingly is an electronic component within it which is normally separate and therefore easily individually and quite cheaply replaceable in comparable makes.) So he's £1200 down now having had to replace the entire unit. I'd be interested to know if others have experienced similar difficulties.
9th Jun 2010, 16:39
I had the very same problem with my turbo, and have met others with the very same problem. I have a 04 130 TDCi with the electronic actuator turbo, and it's given me all the common DIESEL Mondeo problems, and not one of them are a cheap fix. I found the dealers weren't much help, and don't seem to want anything to do with the Mondeos. However they only seem to start giving trouble after 90,000 miles or so, they are fairly reliable with low mileage. My advice to anyone considering buying a second hand Mondeo, buy a petrol. Not as quick or powerful as the diesel, but very reliable.
14th Dec 2007, 06:43
Your experiences mirror mine almost to the letter.
Great car, utterly appalling engine!