Ford

Territory SX / SY / SY II / SZ inspection checklist

2004-2016 · 13 things to check before you buy, taken from this car's known problems.

All engines

mediumFront lower control arm wear (ball joints)

Look for: Front lower control arm ball joints wear — control arm is replaced as an assembly. Causes vague steering and clunk.

If you find it: Control arm assembly replacement. Both sides recommended if one is worn.

From 120k+ km · ~$400-800 each side

mediumZF transmission service neglect

Look for: Ford specified 'lifetime fluid' on ZF 6HP26 but the auto requires fluid changes to last. Harsh shifts develop without it.

If you find it: Fluid + filter service every 60-80k. Use Lifeguard 6 only.

From 120k+ km · ~$600-1200

2 of 3 engines

highTransfer case wear (turbo torque on AWD)

Look for: AWD transfer case in Territory wasn't really designed for 480Nm of Barra turbo torque. Whine, then wear, then failure.

If you find it: Transfer case rebuild. Sometimes converted to RWD-only for cost savings on tuned examples.

From 150k+ km · ~$2500-5000

4.0L Barra 182/190/195 NA I6

highCoil pack failure

Look for: Same coil pack pattern as Falcon Barra.

If you find it: Quality coil replacement (Bosch, Delphi). Replace as set if multiple failing.

From 80-150k km · ~$300-600 set

highBTR 4-speed auto (SX/early SY)

Look for: Early BTR auto fails under SUV weight + AWD load. Slipping, harsh shifts, total failure.

If you find it: Avoid pre-SY II if possible. ZF 6-speed conversion or rebuild.

From 100-180k km · ~$2000-4500

4.0L Barra 245T turbo I6 (Ghia Turbo / F6X)

highCoil packs (shared with NA)

Look for: Same pattern, worse under turbo heat.

If you find it: Quality coil set replacement.

From 80-150k km · ~$300-600

mediumWastegate creep / boost spikes

Look for: Same wastegate flapper wear as Falcon XR6T — boost creep, overshoot.

If you find it: Aftermarket adjustable wastegate actuator or manual boost controller.

From 100k+ km · ~$200-500

mediumFront diff bushing wear

Look for: Front diff carrier bushes wear under AWD turbo torque causing clunk and vagueness.

If you find it: Polyurethane bush kit (Whiteline).

From 150k+ km · ~$300-700

2.7L V6 TDV6 diesel (SZ only)

mediumEGR carbon buildup

Look for: EGR valve and intake manifold carbon up heavily — rough idle, hesitation, limp mode. Shared issue with all Ford-PSA 2.7 diesels.

If you find it: Walnut blast intake, EGR clean. Some owners block-plate (legal status varies).

From 100k+ km · ~$600-1500

mediumDPF clogging on short trips

Look for: DPF doesn't regen on short urban drives. Eventually clogs and triggers limp mode.

If you find it: Highway drives for regen. Force regen via scan tool. DPF clean or replacement worst case.

Any · ~$1500-3500

mediumGlow plug failures

Look for: Glow plugs fail individually. Hard cold starts. Removal can be a nightmare if seized.

If you find it: Replace plugs proactively at major service with anti-seize. Specialist tooling sometimes needed for seized plugs.

From 100k+ km · ~$400-900

mediumOil cooler / oil pump pickup issues

Look for: Oil cooler develops leaks and the oil pump pickup can clog if oil hasn't been changed regularly.

If you find it: Inspect at major service. Clean pickup tube during oil pan removal jobs.

From 150k+ km · ~$800-1800

mediumTurbo VGT actuator sticking

Look for: Variable geometry vanes carbon up and stick causing lack of boost and limp mode.

If you find it: VGT clean or turbo replacement.

From 150k+ km · ~$1500-3000

4 minor things (low severity)

lowRear shock failure

Look for: Rear shocks lose damping over time, especially on heavily-loaded examples.

If you find it: Aftermarket replacement (Pedders, Koni, Bilstein).

From 120k+ km · ~$300-600 pair

lowRear hatch strut failure

Look for: Rear hatch gas struts fail — hatch won't stay up.

If you find it: Replacement struts. Easy DIY.

Any age · ~$80-150

lowDVD player / screen failure (rear seat entertainment)

Look for: Optional roof-mounted DVD player on Ghia trims develops faults with age.

If you find it: Mostly cosmetic — entertainment system replacement rarely worth it. Aftermarket tablets are better.

Any age · ~$200-600

lowWindow regulator failure

Look for: Standard Falcon-platform window regulator failure.

If you find it: Replacement regulator. Door card off.

From 100k+ km · ~$150-300

From FlamingCars' Ford Territory guide. It's a checklist of known problems, not a replacement for a professional pre-purchase inspection. Your ticks are kept in this browser only.