Ford Fairlane: common faults & what to check

Which Ford Fairlane are you looking at?

3 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2002–2009BA2002–2009BA4.0 inline-6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues6 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2002–2009BA2002–2009BA5.4 V8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Engine not documented

1 variant documented

2008–2017FG2008–2017FGEngine not documented for this generationEngine not documentedDocumented issues0 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Ford Fairlane

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Ford Fairlane before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Check this before you drive the car, because it is the most expensive thing that goes wrong with these.

  See why

  Radiator's built-in transmission cooler lets coolant into the gearbox - 'the milkshake' (BA/BF Fairlane)

  The BA and early BF Fairlane shares the Falcon's cooling and transmission layout, where the automatic's fluid is cooled by a heat exchanger built into the bottom tank of the radiator. When the wall between the two circuits corrodes, pressurised engine coolant is forced into the transmission and transmission fluid escapes into the coolant, giving the pink-brown frothy mixture the nickname comes from. It destroys the clutch packs and valve body, often within a few hundred kilometres, and it leaves contamination in the cooler lines so a rebuilt gearbox is ruined again if the radiator and lines are not replaced and flushed at the same time. Ford moved to an external cooler from BF II onwards. There was no recall. On a long-wheelbase car that has often lived as a wedding or airport hire vehicle, idling in traffic with a heavy load is exactly the duty cycle that brings it on.

  What you would notice

  • Pink, brown or frothy 'strawberry milkshake' fluid on the transmission dipstick
  • Oily film or brown scum floating in the coolant expansion tank
  • Coolant level dropping with no external leak anywhere
  • Harsh, slipping or flaring gearchanges
  • Transmission warning or the car dropping into limp mode

  Typically $3,500–$8,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Start the engine from cold, rest your hand on the gear lever and feel for a regular shake or hesitation that a healthy six simply does not have.

  See why

  Barra six coil-pack breakdown causing a cylinder misfire (BA/BF Fairlane)

  The BA/BF Fairlane uses the same Barra six as the Falcon, with one ignition coil per cylinder sitting directly on top of each spark plug. The moulded resin around the windings hardens with heat and develops hairline cracks - often too fine to see - and the spark leaks out through the body of the coil into the cylinder head instead of jumping the plug gap. That cylinder stops firing under load, the engine light comes on, and raw fuel goes down the exhaust, which eventually cooks the catalytic converter. Specialists report cheap replacement coils failing again within 20,000 km, so the brand fitted matters. They are normally replaced as a set of six along with the spark plugs. On a heavy long-wheelbase car a single dead cylinder is very obvious on hills.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or stumble under load, worst uphill or in damp weather
  • Engine warning light on, or flashing during acceleration
  • Rough lumpy idle, sometimes only when cold or damp
  • Clear loss of power and a jerky feel on part throttle
  • Smell of unburnt fuel from the exhaust

  Typically $250–$950 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Attempt to move the subframe laterally by hand — any movement indicates bush failure.

  See why

  Rear subframe rubber bush collapse

  The rear subframe on AU and BA/BF Fairlanes is located by large rubber bushes that harden and crack with age. Collapsed rear subframe bushes allow the rear axle to shift laterally under cornering loads, producing an unsettled, crabbing handling characteristic and rear-end wander. This is a documented deterioration on high-kilometre Fairlanes over 150,000 km and is worsened by NZ road surface conditions.

  What you would notice

  • Rear end feels loose or wanders under hard cornering
  • Clonking or thudding from the rear over sharp bumps
  • Uneven rear tyre wear
  • Car appears to track diagonally or crab slightly at speed

  Typically $600–$1,400 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Trace the high-pressure power steering hose from the pump to the rack along its full length.

  See why

  Power steering high-pressure hose perishing and leaking

  The high-pressure power steering hose between the pump and the rack perishes with heat and age on AU/BA/BF Fairlanes, typically after 15 years or 150,000 km. The rubber hose develops cracks at the crimped fittings or along the outer sheath, leaking power steering fluid onto the subframe and surrounding components. Unchecked fluid loss leads to pump whine and progressive steering heaviness. This is a widespread age-related failure common across the Fairlane and Falcon platform.

  What you would notice

  • Power steering fluid puddle forming under the engine bay
  • Whining noise from the power steering pump, worsening on full lock
  • Low fluid level in the power steering reservoir
  • Progressively heavy or stiff steering

  Typically $300–$700 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check for coolant loss, inspect for external and internal leaks, look for exhaust steam, and review any overheating history.

  See why

  BA/BF Barra coolant loss via cylinder head

  BA/BF Fairlane models with the Barra 4.0 six can lose coolant through cylinder head porosity or gasket issues, risking overheating. A known Barra concern requiring careful cooling system checks.

  What you would notice

  • Coolant loss without obvious leak
  • Overheating
  • White exhaust smoke
  • Coolant smell

  Typically $500–$4,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Listen for VCT tick on cold start, scan for cam timing codes, and ask about cam phaser replacement history on 5.4 V8 cars.

  See why

  5.4 V8 cam phaser / VCT tick

  Fairlane models with the 5.4 V8 can suffer cam phaser (VCT) rattle and tick, especially on cold start. Worn phasers cause noise and can affect running if not addressed.

  What you would notice

  • Cold-start tick/rattle
  • VCT fault codes
  • Rough running
  • Reduced power

  Typically $1,200–$4,000 to put right.

Ford Fairlane service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Ford Fairlane. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

Other Ford models