1995 Ford Galaxy GLX from UK and Ireland - Comments

There were quite a few little faults with the car, but nothing too major:

The entire braking system needed to be replaced, due to a water leak, (but Ford recalled the model for this, so it was repaired free of charge).

The steering rack needed to be replaced earlier in the year, due to a lot of play in the steering.

Water leaked in to the central locking system, and needed replacing.

Engine mounting screw came loose driving over a speed hump.

Brake disks needed replacing at about 50,000 miles.

Seat trays came away from the back of two of the seats, and the Ford dealer couldn't even get them back on.

Sunroof leaked whilst in a car-wash, meaning that the clock (mounted just underneath the sunroof) needed replacing.

Speaker grills got cracked easily, but I was charged over £100 by the local Ford garage to fix them.

Heating/ventilation system got blocked up, and needed to be cleared out, and the pollen filter replaced.

Airbag warning light illuminated, requiring a new air bag unit.

On very cold and icy mornings, the door locks were frozen, and I was were unable to enter the car for a couple of hours.

Reversing lights failed, just before the car was part-exchanged.

Smell of fuel, noticed shortly before the car was part-exchanged.

Some small pieces of trim have fallen off.

Very large and spacious MPV. Excellent visibility, but because of this lots of heat gets in, so air conditioning would have been very useful. In the winter the car steamed up very quickly so the air-conditioning would also have come in useful here.

Lots of small faults, but considering the high milage in the short space of time, it was very reliable.

All seven seats were very comfortable with plenty of legroom and headroom.

The Galaxy, is the most car-like of the full size MPV's.

Fairly high fuel consumption.

The 2.0 litre engine had plenty of power, even when the car was full up with people and luggage.

Overall, was a very versatile, mostly reliable and spacious car, and I was very sad to see it go.

Would love to here from you. Have just purchased a Galaxy and have a water leak, possibly from the sunroof, not sure. At my wits-end, short of putting the vehicle into the garage at very large amounts of money, would like to cure problem myself. Water coming in on o/s and gathers in driver's foot-well any ideas?

Thanks

Owen.

We have a similar problem with the "sister" Seat Alhambra - water collects behind dashboard when it rains, and eventually it comes into the passenger footwell behind the glove box. We have to park the car on a slope so I don't know if the problem would still occur on the level.

I've had my Galaxy for over 4 years, and wouldn't go back to a "normal" car. But I've also had a recent water leak problem. If the drains from the windscreen get blocked, the build-up of water can get in to the passenger side through the air intake. In my case, this got under the passenger seat to the well where the control box for the electric windows sits. This must be a common problem, as the guy at the garage knew just where to look. It cost around £180 to replace the unit. He also removed the rubber flaps in the drain channels, as they had stuck nearly shut.

Galaxy 2.3 LX Bought new end April 2002.

Happy with car except for Warranty. Ford seems eager to avoid paying out on its warranty in certain circumstances and does not have a properly set investigation process for disputes. They will only honour the warranty if a Ford garage employee says it is a warranty item. In cases of dispute there should be a independent assessor. In my case I attempted to adjust one of the wing mirrors and it broke. When I took it to my local Ford dealer (Vospers, Plymouth. The vehicle inspector just looked at it & said these do not break without being hit very hard. I pointed out I was present when it broke and there was no damage whatsoever to either the mirror casing or glass which would obviously been present if it had been hit with force. The base had just sheared off. He did not even bother to take the mirror apart to see what might have caused it. His view was it could not happen without being hit be force & therefore accused me of being a liar. Needless to this will be going to court unless I get satisfaction and I will never buy another Ford.

Galaxy, sunroof leak. Water seems after very hard rain (but not car-wash or jet wash?) to collect behind clock and then dump onto driver when pulling away. Has anyone any solutions? I presume the water is overload from the sunroof drains. Vehicle is parked on level ground has anyone a solution?

Have owned galaxy 2.9 GLX for 5yrs. experienced similar water ingress problems around clock (after two replacement windscreens!) happens a couple of times a yr. in heavy rain.

Don't know if coming in thr'o sun roof or thr'o faulty bedding of top of windscreen.

Recent water ingress to front passanger foot well under v. heavy rain whilst parked overnight, having read other comments will now check for blockage of bulkhead drains.

Comments re door locks familiar, have experienced in frozen conditions unlocking drivers door, opening it & then not being able to latch it shut!, now carry a length of rope to secure door thro open window for about an hour of running until it can be secured! this usually happens once a year, n winter, on a journey away from home (cornwall) where an early morning departure is required!

Had the digital mileometer readout pack up, local ford dealer spent 3 months and three different instrument clusters to sort that one out. Apparentely ford computer parts system did not log my 1995 model part specifically,

according to ford computer, the supplied part was correct, but this activated the airbag warning light, but airbag was OK., after involvement of ford technicians, who could'nt sort problem, & ford UK who contacted Portugal factory the correct, but unlisted cluster was supplied & fitted, to date all is OK.

Having moaned about all that my family have enjoyed flexible transport over the last few years & 80k miles.

For those with broken plastic speaker grilles, do'nt pay your ford dealer silly money to replace them, buy replacements over the parts counter, & get your soldering iron out!. rather than take of the complete door lining, use the soldering iron to heat and turn the fixing lugs thr'o an angle, other than a couple at each side, and then just carefully bend the grille slightly and 'pop' into place from outside, it works OK & makes replacing them again in a few months time much easier!

I am having the problem of water coming into the passenger foot well, can anyone advise how to find the drain holes.

As I am unable to remove the dash.

Anthony.

Having problems with the smell of fuel when stop starting,

does not do it on long journey, changed vapor valves on pip

es from petrol neck, but no

different any ideas please.1995 ford galaxy 2.0 glx

I have an R plate 1.9TDi and just of late has lost all power when trying to overtake or even just to pull away at traffice lights. It even slows down on the most graceful of hills. My local (non Ford) garage had a look, as they though that it may be the Diesel Pump, but they returned the vehicle suggesting that I take it to the Ford Dealer.

Could somebody please tell me where the drain holes are on the windscreen of a galaxy as I'm getting a lot of water when it rains dripping from behind the glovebox in the passenger footwell.

I have a N Reg Ford Galaxay and have just recently had water leak through to underneath the front passenger seat which caused the central locking system to fail. Please can anyone tell me exactly where to clear the drainage holes to stop this happening again. Many Thanks John Ellis. Email: j.ellis1@ntlworld.com.

I have a ford galaxy 1995,anyone no how to solve the smell of petrol coming into the car mostly on hot days and short journeys. email any comments to milybarkid77@tiscali.co.uk

thanks.

I have a 1996 2ltr Petrol Auto and although it is lovley to drive the on board computer is telling me that I am getting 19 mpg which is really not good at all, is this right? If so it will have to go, e. mails to leeormrod@hotmail.com.

Hi,

I notice many contributors mention water leaking into the passenger side foot well of their Ford Galaxy. I have an M reg 2.8 V6 Automatic (terrific, but thirsty motor) and one morning after several days' rain, I found the passenger footwell flooded, and I mean flooded. It took weeks to dry it out, the water buggered up the central locking system and caused no-end of inconvenience.

I wrote to Ford and their response was courteous and useless and there was nothing they could (or would) do.

I worked out that the flood was caused by the windscreen drain holes being blocked by Autumn leaves and an accumulation of gunk. Water builds up till eventually it pours in through the pollen filter, and down through the air pipes behind the glove compartment. This is a distinct design fault, but Ford won't accept liability (obviously!). You have to get under the bonnet, take out the drip tray and pollen filter and clear out both drain holes on either side and flush them through. If you park under trees you need to do this every few months.

My central locking has never worked right since - it has intermittent faults; locks and unlocks whilst driving, locks and unlocks when parked, turned off and stationary. I take the fuse out in frustration.

If anyone knows a sure-fire way of circuit testing the system, please, please tell me! dez@island7.freeserve.co.uk.

Hi, I refer to the water overflow into passenger side. I found a simple way to reduce this is by obtaining a piece of piping (copper or plastic) 12-15" long and duct tape it to the the end of the hoover pipe and open bonnet and insert piping to clear rubber grommets over vent holes of leaves, etc pour small amount of water into trays to make sure water goes down and exits under front wheel arches. If you take out front passenger seat and remove central control box, build up with washers and place piece of thick plastic sheet under box. this will protect box from any water ingress. If you do the first second should not be needed.