Common Faults
While the AU Falcon is generally regarded as a quite reliable vehicle, there are common faults with this model that cannot be ignored. Below is a non-exhaustive list of common issues these vehicles are likely to have over the course of ownership.
| Fault | Series | Configurations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antilock Braking System (ABS) | All | All | Sensor and module failure can cause ABS to become “hyperactive”, sending excess pressure to the brake master cylinder and causing premature failure and stripped paint in area below brake master cylinder |
| Air Conditioner Controls | S1 | All | issues known of solder joints cracking behind AC/AC Max buttons and easily broken plastic dials |
| Alternator | All | I6 motor models | Prone to oil and power steering fluid ingress |
| Ball Joints | All | All | prone to wearing out, however simple to replace using a bearing tool |
| Brake Master Cylinder | All | All | tends to leak from behind, stripping the paint on the Brake Booster and surrounding painted area. Less common on S1 vehicles due to different Brake Master Cylinder used |
| Climate Control | All | High Models (Fairmont/Fairlane/LTD/TL50) | Ribbon cable separation and display failure common due to time |
| Exhaust Rear Resonator | All | Wagon | Rust common around entry and exit welds of rear resonator. Known reliable repair is to replace with straight pipe section |
| Front Brake Calipers | S1 | All | single piston design does not allow for hard braking on regular basis. regular maintenance is essential on these models |
| Front Brake Rotors | All | All | front rotors prone to warping due to brake design, Wagon and Utility body types most affected due to front brake bias |
| Fuel Pump | All | All | Standard fuel pump known to starve engine if driven hard consistently, and fail prematurely |
| Fuel Sender Circuit | All | All | Various causes known with wiring, cluster, and sender unit, but consistent factor appears to be failure of the fuel reader in the Instrument Cluster |
| Power Steering High Pressure Line | All | I6 motor models | failure allows power steering fluid to leak onto the alternator. This then causes the alternator to fail as well |
| Rear Shelf Speakers | All | Sedan | Mesh cover prone to separation from speaker cone assembly due to UV exposure, causing increased vibration. Can be fixed by removing the mesh carefully, replacing the speakers or using the opportunity to upgrade the speakers to another size |
| Rust | All | All | Exhaust, Middle muffler and rear section most affected |
| Rust | All | Sedan | bottom of boot lid and strut mount areas. exasperated on models fitted with a spoiler due to mount holes |
| Rust | All | Utility | section between cab and tub affected |
| Smartlock Central Locking Remote | S1 | All | rubber buttons prone to splitting and grime ingress. Once failed, expensive to replace with OEM remote due to low supply and relatively high demand, however aftermarket cloning remotes are available to copy OEM remotes |
| Suspension Ball Joints (Front) | All | All | upper and lower ball joints prone to failure. Recommended to use heavy duty or quality replacements, or to replace control arm if bushes also worn |
| Suspension Bushes (Front) | All | All | upper and lower control arm bushes not necessarily prone to failure, but makes excessive noise when failed. Recommended to replace with heavy duty or polyurethane bushes, or to replace control arm if ball joints also worn |
| Suspension Bushes (Rear) | All | IRS Optioned models | IRS bushes are likely to fail over time, similar to the B-series counterparts which came with IRS as standard |
| Thermostat Housing | All | I6 motor models | likely to leak through gap between top pipe end and housing end. Various causes known, most common being uneven mounting surfaces on thermostat installation |
| VCT Solenoid | All | VCT motor models | Solenoids fail due to wearing and will no longer actuate, replacements hard to find |
| Water Pump | All | All | While OEM water pump is known good for an average of 200,000kms, aftermarket water pumps from reputable manufacturers have been known to have issues with bearing fitment and a weak plastic pulley wheel |