Fordy

Hi, I also have a 54 plate Ghia X which has auto on the stalk, it is the first position upwards. The April 2004 Ford Mondeo brochure states that Ghia, Ghia X and ST 220 should all come with rain sensing wipers. I find that mine work extremely well, through varying degrees of intermitent to full wipe and also fast wipe - and of course off when the screen is fairly dry. Regards, Fordy

Ford dealerships are not owned by Ford Motor Company. However Ford are very interested in the customer views and would take action if there were serious complaints. Always complain in the first instance to the Dealer Principle, and if this doesn't get results, complain to Ford Motor Companys Customer Relationship Centre (address and telephone number can be found on the Ford website). I have found them extremely helpful.

I have found the problem! The wires are not connected in the car, they are insulated and tied back. Seems strange to provide a 13 pin plug and only connect the road lighting. Fordy.

Hello, Has anyone had the factory fit towbar with electrics including 13 pin socket? If so did the permanent supply to pin 9 and the ignition switched supply to pin 10 work as supplied? Used by caravan lighting and fridge. Regards Fordy.

Hi Richmond, I wonder whether he was getting confused about the vents in the floor between the first and second rows of seats, they are at the back of the gear lever console as you probably know. I have put the Ford rubber mats on top of the supplied carpet mats (in Ghia) and keep them pulled back from the vents.They don't seem to be a problem then. Cheers, Fordy :angry:

As I have said previously I have owned 3 Galaxys - all from new and supplied with the genuine handbook. The last 2 have been diesels (reg December 2000 and September 2003) and both handbooks refer to Auxiliary heaters and Booster heaters. The auxiliary heater also has a second battery, and is intended for extremely cold climates. I believe that it comes optional in these countries. I have never seen the option available on a vehicle built solely for the British market unless it is packaged with some other option. Does anyone know? I would guess that if you have it, the car was intended for other markets than British. The handbook also refers to the heater in the rear passenger side wall as "the auxiliary rear heating system" and this is nothing to do with the aux heater controlled by buttons in the digital clock. One thing seems certain, the BOOSTER heater is on DIESELS ONLY. I have to add that the Galaxy handbook is the worst Ford handbook that I have encountered in the many Ford cars that I have owned. It is not entirely clear and ambiguous in many cases, but it is getting better. Must be something to do with the VW connection. Can't comment on anything but the Galaxy version of this great car. Regards Fordy.

There seems to be some confusion when referring to the auxiliary heater. According to my handbook dated 04/2003, which was supplied with the car, on page 76 it clearly says 'Booster heater (diesel only) not to be confused with the additional heater' which on page 74 says 'Additional heating sytem (auxiliary heater)' and the control for this is in the digital clock. Basically, no digital clock, no auxiliary heater. Some earlier models have a digital clock but no auxiliary heater. So, according to my handbook, the "old jet engine thingy" on the diesels is the BOOSTER heater NOT auxiliary heater. Regards, Fordy

If you think that it is normal for Fords to rattle, why buy one? No rattles in any of my Galaxys, I've owned three now! Not to mention numerous other rattle free real Fords. Anyhow the Galaxy is basically a VW. Regards, Fordy.

With regard to the windscreen wiper speeds etc, my new Galaxy has speed sensitive wipers and is documented in the new handbook given with the car. If when you are driving you turn the wipers on to continuous, then come to a standstill, the wipers drop into intermittent mode,then return to continuous mode as you drive off again. If you are in intermittent mode whilst driving then when you stop they will drop to an intermittent speed one step lower than set and return to the as set intermittent speed when you start to move again. You can overide this by moving the switch lever when at rest, but resets itself again when you move off. The setting with the car moving seems to be the controlling point. Regards Fordy :D

My September 2003 115ps Galaxy warms up as follows:- After being parked in an unheated garage for 2 days and taken out today with an outside temperature of 8 degrees C got to 90 degrees C in just under 4 miles. The booster heater came on and the interior heater was acceptably warm within 2 miles. This is better than my previous Galaxy which was registered in December 2000 (also 115 ps). Regards, Fordy. :(

Not so sure about that - COMMON PARTS = LESS COMPLEXITY = PROFIT to the manufacturer right from the manufacturing plant, making larger quantities at a lower price, and its parts storage with a space saving, through to the dealer parts distribution centre through to the dealer itself. Cost savings all round. Anyhow, thats my view. Regards, Fordy.

Hi, The wiper arm forming is entirely different for each version whether drivers wiper is on top or underneath. Maybe if you purchase the interim version arms and try them on the latest version this may work but they may still collide due to speed as is being suggested. Probably an expensive experiment unless you can find them in the scrappy. I believe that the reasoning behind the changes is that VW (as we know makes the Ford version) want common parts for both LHD and RHD markets to save costs and on the early version (especially) and the latest version (2003 models) we have to suffer poorer top end stop positioning at the expense of the larger LHD market. The models around 2000 model year I believe were handed for LHD and RHD. I reckon we have got to live with it! A friend of mine on a 97 galaxy did as someone else has suggested move the wipers by one spline position with success, except that they didn't park straight. Regards, Fordy. ps wiper blades on new one are great, wipe well, quiet as well! and wipers are speed sensitive. Has anyone got the rain sensitive type as shown in some handbooks?

Hi Folks, :) My !998 Model had the passengers wiper on top :) My 2000 Model had the drivers wiper on top :rolleyes: My 2003 Model (2 months old) has the passengers wiper on top but wipes more of screen than 1998 model but not quite as much as 2000 model. But had not noticed this until yesterday evening, so it can't be a problem. Mind you we haven't had a lot of rain in the last two months. The 1998 version was definately bad! Regards Fordy.

Hi, Go back to the dealer, it sounds like he has given you the bulbs that are universal on recent Ford clusters made by them or Visteon for them. The galaxy has a cluster made by VDO I seem to recall and has different bulb sets. Regards Fordy

Hi I have just fitted a detachable tow bar and electrics to my Galaxy. I purchased the Ford wiring kit (although very expensive) it has all the connectors fitted to it and all you do for instance is to disconnect the connector from the lamp housing, connect it to the new wiring loom, then connect a new plug on the new loom to the lamp housing and so on. No cutting or slpicing at all. It also comes with a relay to cut off the rear fog lights on the car and tranfer the signal to the trailer lights. The only drawback is that the indicator warning lamp on the instrument cluster still needs programming using wds2000 or similar by your dealer if they are prepared to do it. I have fitted the buzzer instead picking up the indicator wires to the 12n plug on the tow bar. The whole job is easy, and doesn't stop your bulb outage warnings from working if you have the higher series car ie Ghia. All lamps worked first time, and 12s connections also ie caravan fridge etc. Regards Fordy