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Ford Mondeo III (2000 - 2007)

What's Good

Bigger than the already big 1993-2000 Mondeo, and now a Scorpio-sized 4,731mm (15' 6") long by 1,931mm (6' 4") wide; estate: 4,804mm (15' 9") long. More roomy inside. Better handling from Focus-like 'control blade' rear suspension. 'New Edge' styling. Estate car even bigger inside than E-Class Mercedes.

Engine range includes new chain cam 125 bhp 1.8 litre Duratec HE petrol, new chain cam 143 bhp 2.0 litre Duratec HE petrol; 168 bhp 2.5 litre chain cam Duratec V6 and 113 bhp 156g/km CO2 2.0 litre chain-cam 16v direct injected Duratorq diesel engine. The new petrol engines meet Euro 2005 emissions limits from the start; diesels by March 2004.

Smallest wheel/tyre combination is 16in with 205/55 R16 tyres, going up to 17in and 18in wheels. UK list prices: £14,595 for 1.8iLX and £15,095 for 2.0iLX both with a/c, alloy wheels, three year warranty and 12 year anti-corrosion warranty.

On your first drive of the car it immediately feels fantastic. Then it gets better. V6 Zetec S launched at £19,095 (note that 10 spoke alloys much better looking than 5 spoke.) 2.0 litre 217bhp 150mph V6 ST220 from May 2002. New 128bhp 2.0 litre chain-cam 16v common rail direct injected TDCi diesel with 243lb ft (329Nm) torque finally arrived in UK from December 2001. Its 0-60 is 9.6 seconds, top speed 124mph, combined economy 47.9mpg and CO2 output 156g/km. Prices start at £16,145 for the four or five door LX.

The Mondeo II pips the Passat at its own game and is now becoming popular in Germany. Looks best in silver or metallic grey.

Four star performance in 2001 and 2002 NCAP crash safety tests and did particularly well in side impact test.

BMW, Toyota and Ford jointly suffered the fewest breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001.

Hot ST220 in 2002 powered by de-tuned 217bhp version of Jaguar Duratec V6. New 5-speed 'Durashift 5-tronic' autobox for V6 and TDCi 130 announced at Brussels Motor Show, priced £1,500 v/s £1,000 for standard 4-speed autobox. 115bhp version of TDCI replaced old TDDI for 2003. And 143bhp 2.0 16v engine made available in Zetec S model. Getrag 6-speed manual box for TDCI 130 from March 2003.

2004 model year (in photo) available from from July 2003: New 130PS 1.8 Duratec SCi engine is a chain-cam direct injected petrol. Now an excellent 39.2 mpg combined, it qualifies for Euro IV, and CO2 emissions are down to 173g/km qualifying it for £145 VED. 0-60 is 10.2 seconds and top speed 128mph. Cruise control is standard. LX costs £14,900. Six speed gearbox standard on Zetec S.

Duratorq TDCI common-rail diesel also improved, now delivering 0-60 in 9.5 seconds, top speed of 128mph, combined economy of 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 154g/km (£135pa VED). Six-speed box is standard. Lifts top speed of the 226PS 3.0 Mondeo ST220 from 151 to 155mph, yet still offers 27.2mpg combined. 115bhp TDCIs and 170bhp 2.5 V6s also get the six-speed box. Lists at £23,100. Has electric folding mirrors. Ford’s 5-speed automatic Durashift 5-tronic now comes with optional steering wheel shift control buttons. Inside, car has a new, smarter central console and a wide variety of Sony ICE options including MP3 capability. There is an option of rear seat DVD with individual headphones for two rear seat passengers. 153bhp ST TDCI from May 2004, gets to 60 in 8.4 seconds.

Freshened up again from May 2005 with simplified range. LX has new bumpers front and rear, chrome grille surround, better driving characteristics and on 6 speeds a trigger to prevent miss-shifts, plus a ring which needs to be lifted to select reverse. Titanium and Titanium X offered as alternatives to Ghia and Ghia X at same prices.

Which? used best buy £5,000 - £10,000 2004. Mondeo II range HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Ford had 7th lowest average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 65.51 v/s lowest 31.93) Diesel models rated average for problems and faults, fewest breakdowns in 2003 Which survey. Ford 4th top top of Reliability Index for 2004 combining very low average cost of repair of £207.58 with average 32.16 failures per 100 Warranty Direct policies. Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk

Run-out special Mondeo Edge from February 2006 list prices from £14,995 and always discountged. Based on LX with air-conditioning, rain-sensing wipers, auto-lighting, park-assist rear parking sensors, a driver's seat with electric height adjustment, a leather steering wheel and CD audio system with MP3 connectivity. Also exterior body kit (body colour door handles, lower bumper valances and new mesh radiator grille); Unique 16-inch five-spoke alloy-wheels; "Quickclear" heated front windscreen; Power-operated windows; Front fog lights; Auto dimming rear-view mirror; Silver roof rails (estate models only); Intelligent Protection System (IPS) featuring driver's and front passenger's airbags, side and curtain airbags; Electronic anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). £500 premium for an increase in engine power e.g. 1.8-litre to 2.0-litre; a £1,000 increase from petrol to diesel engines and a £1,000 increase between five-door and estate bodystyles. Five new colours have also been added to the entire Mondeo line up: Kelp, Sea Grey, Tango Red, Blue Ambition and White Grape.

Reader recommended engine oil for TDCI 115s, 130s and 155s: BP Visoc 7000 0/40 synthetic.

A 2004 Mondeo 2.0TDCI 115 LX Estate currently holds the BCA mileage record at 534,491 miles, selling at BCA Enfield in Spetember 2009 for £825.

Original road test 1.8LX at: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=6

Road test 24v 6-speed at: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=118

Road test TDCI 130 diesel 5-speed automatic estate at: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=168

Mondeo enthusiasts funsite: www.MondeoMania.Com

Enthusiasts and problem solving website: www.fordmondeo.org

More at www.ford.co.uk

Last updated 20-10-2009

What's Bad

Criticised for "unstable body structure" in 2001 NCAP test, despite four star score. Still seems to lack space for oddments inside cockpit.

Reports of poor 35mpg economy from stop-gap 2.0 litre 115bhp TDDI engine. 2.0 TDDI diesel engine also prone to flat spots and surging.

All Mondeo IIIs, petrol and diesel manuals have dual mass flywheels that can fail.

On early LX and Zetecs the bottom of the seat is not very friendly to the coccyx. Also uncomfortable for heavier drivers because the plastic pins holding the molded padding in place can actually protrude through to the seat face. Later models much improved.

Possible security issue in that access can be gained via passenger door when car is locked and immobilised.

Petrol models rated fewest breakdowns but poor for problems and faults in 2003 Which survey.

What to Watch Out For

WARNING An engine rattle from 4 - 5 year old 2.0i petrol engines might indicate wearing of the shaft of the injection air inlet manifold flaps. If these come off they are then ingested by the engine, wrecking it. This is beoming increasingly common. Also affects 1.8i engines. See www.fordmondeo.org/forum/showtopic.php?tid/777251

Two reports of timing chain tensioner rattles on 2001MY 2.0 litre petrol engines, fixed under warranty.

Several Complaints of wind noise from front and rear door seals. Reports in 2008 of water leaks through lower front door seals.

TDCI 130bhp engine may suffer from starting problems and uneven idling, may misfire between 1,800 and 2,000rpm, may sometimes cut out and may not be particularly economical with 42.5 mpg fairly typical. Partially cured by a an ECU software download, but head and injectors have also been modified on later cars.
Also reports of the TDCI smoking and of high oil consumption, which may be turbo oil seals.

Reports of problems with camshaft position sensors of TDCI 130s. Spate of clutch and dual-mass flywheel failures on 2003 built 2004 model year TDCIs. Starting problems with diesel may be due to impending clutch failure. Iron filings from failing dual mass flywheels can get into the starter motor and cause starting problems. 13/10/07 Voluntary Recall letter to some owners of TDDIs and TDCIs to replace faulty dual mass flywheels. Ford will sometimes contribute to the very high replacement costs of dual mass flywheels and clutches if the car has done less than 45,000 miles. On diesels used as taxis, DMFs and clutches typically last 30,000 - 40,000 miles.

TDCI injectors seem to be very fuel sensitive. Many have needed to be replaced after 3-4 years and circa 60,000 miles. Report of turbo oil-seal failure in 2.2 TDCi turbo caused engine to run on its sump oil and self-destruct. Bill for replacement engine, turbo, catalytic converter, exceeded £7,000.

Diff problem starting to crop up on TDCI 130 6-speeds at around 3 years old, so any vibrations just before the warranty ends, make sure you notify the supplying garage in writing.

Reports of failures of fuel tank lifter pumps leading to fuel delivery problems in 2.0 petrol models.

Reports of out of true alloy wheels.

Check inside edges of the bottoms of all doors of 2000 - 2003 cars for paint lifting and corrosion because the wax sealing between the door frame and skin can fail.

Check for corroded rear brake pipes where they pass over the fuel tank (an MOT failure point).

Check rear suspension bushes which can become loose in the attachment points (an MOT failure point) and used to require a new subframe costing £300 - £500 to replace. Ford now has a procedure that removes the need for a new subframe involving a new type of bush, a special tool (part number is 205-047-07) and Loctite 270 superglue (part number 1128-392). Unfortunately the tool and glue have been in short supply. The solution will not work if the subframe has corroded around the attachment points.

Look for rust around chrome number plate light cover on Ghia estates.

Undertray of ST very difficult to remove to get to engine supm plug, then very difficult to put back. 16 fasteners and a two man job.

Reports of 2nd gear band breaking up in 4-speed autobox, contaminating the ATF and requiring the box to be rebuilt. These boxes tend to have a life of 60k - 90k.

JATCO advises owners of later 5-speed autoboxes not to carry out AUTOMATIC transmission fluid changes hemselves because it's difficult to ensure the correct amount is added (the gearbox needs to be run to a specific temperature - This requires diagnostic equipment) and probably they will use the wrong oil, e.g. Land Rover Discovery ATF is different from a Land Rover Freelander, and Jaguar X-Type (Jatco) uses different ATF to a Land Rover Freelander (Jatco).

ST models can suffer from drooping rear bumper/valence mouldings (www.stdrivers.co.uk

Rear tracking is adjustable for toe in / toe out, but cannot be set with some types of alloy wheel because they do not have continuous rims and confuse the laser. Too much toe in will make the steering very light. Too much toe out will lead to severe tyre inner shoulder wear.

Flexible front brake hoses vulnerable to chafing when not secured properly, and this can cause total brake failure if ruptured.

One reader's catalogue of failures from his 1.8SCi: "Coolant leaks, water leaks, alloy wheel paint flaking around the valves, the Sat-Nav/Air/CD control has a tendency to freeze but worst of all the fuel consumption is very bad. Less than 30 mpg, where my previous 2001 1.8 Zetec gave me 35mpg." Seems to have a problem with the air con pipe at the front of the engine. Fix is new type of pipe £227 all in.

One case of rust-through of water jacket of 2.0i petrol engine.

On pre-2003 cars an a/c hose can chafeon the vertical joint of two flanges behind the front bumper and eventually sever, losing the refrigerant. Replacements are £80 but are modified so they do not chafe on the flange.

Engine surging of 2.0 litre petrol can be cured by a new idle control valve.

Recalls

29-12-2000: 2,500 2001 model year Mondeos recalled to have side airbag trigger electronics replaced. (Source Daily Mirror 29-12-2000.)16-7-2001: Warning sent out to owners about correct operation of handbrake: press brake pedal firmly; while brake pedal pressed, pull handbrake lever up to its fullest extent keeping finger off the ratchet button. Always park an automatic in 'P'. 21-8-2001: 5,595 2001 model year Mondeos built October 2000 to July 2001 fitted with cruise control recalled because water ingress can corrode the electrics leading to failure to switch off. 20-4-2002: 60,000 Mondeos built January to November 2001 recalled for parking brake ratchet to be adjusted. 10-7-2002: Battery cable may chafe on automatic transmission valve cover plate. 8,888 Mondeos affected. (Some recall notices not received until March 2003.) TSB No.63/2002 31.10.2002 Model: Mondeo 2001 with 2.0L DuraTorq-TDCi engine built from 10.2001 (build code 1K), Focus with 1.8L DuraTorq-TDCi engine built from 05.2001 (build code 1B. Engine running erratically or does not start. Common cause is that the fuel pump is unable to deliver the required fuel rail pressure due to wear of the cam, rollers and shoes. The damage is caused by insufficient bedding of the rollers during early life. This also creates metallic particles which can enter the high pressure fuel system and lead to injector failure. To rectify this concern, a revised fuel pump, new injectors and associated parts should be installed. If this concern is present, it will generally be indicated by a flashing glow plug indicator showing that a fault has been detected. This bulletin supersedes TSB 63/2002 dated 08.08.2002, which should either be destroyed or clearly marked to show it is no longer valid (e.g. with a line across the page). Additions have been made to the Parts Required and Labour Times. The Service Instruction has been ammended. 3/2/2003: Power steering pressure hose may chafe on engine inlet manifold, ultimately resulting in oil leak and loss of assistance to steering. Fit latest production level, revised routing PAS pressure hose. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN No.37/2003
Car and Light/Medium Commercial 31.03.2003 Section: 303-04E
Model: Mondeo 2001 (Engine: 2.0L DuraTorq-TDCi)
Markets: All. Subject: Engine cuts out. Summary: Should a customer express concern that the engine is cutting out, the probable cause is a failed connection of the fuel pressure sensor electrical connector. To rectify this concern, a modified fuel pressure sensor electrical connector should be installed. Note: To carry out the service instruction, it will be necessary to splice the new fuel pressure sensor electrical connector into the engine wiring harness. 4-8-2003: recall of 72,682 Mondeo IIs to modify parking brake lever mechanism with improved leverage.

13/10/07 Voluntary Recall letter to owners of TDDIs and TDCIs to replace faulty dual mass flywheels.