The Ford Mondeo used to be Ford’s number-one sedan before it was discontinued in 2022 after almost 3 decades of continuous production. The reason why Ford sacked the Mondeo is that it wants to focus its efforts on SUVs, crossovers, and electric cars well.
The Mondeo wasn’t sacked because it was bad, unreliable, or unpopular, but rather because Ford decided to move away from sedans completely. Ford is mostly interested in making crossovers, SUVs, and trucks which always has been the crop of the Ford range. However, used Mondeos are all over the place, and buying could be a good idea.
Before deciding to go for a hybrid one, you should be aware of all the common Ford Mondeo Hybrid problems which can affect your ownership experience greatly. These include the fact that only a handful of these have been sold in Europe which means that it’s difficult to grasp how reliable or unreliable these cars are.
Some owners did report problems with the 12V battery dying prematurely while some have also reported problems with the automatic gearbox. Other problems include faulty keyless entry and go functionality and a whole host of potential electrical issues that follow suit.
Low Production Numbers
As mentioned in the intro, only a very limited number of these cars have ever been sold in Europe which means that it is almost impossible to acquire an adequate assessment of how reliable or unreliable these cars actually are. Moreover, even those that did buy the Mondeo, don’t often keep it for long enough to even be worthy of an assessment.
As such, we can’t even begin to tell if these cars are reliable or unreliable, which means that it all boils down to the specific car you are looking at. If that is indeed the case, be sure to only go for a used example that has been kept in good condition with all the necessary service and maintenance intervals done correctly.
Automatic Transmission Problems
The Mondeo hybrid used a Ford proprietary dual-clutch Powershift gearbox which is prone to various problems and needs timely oil changes for them to not take place. It is said that it’s best to replace the automatic transmission fluid in these very 35,000 miles or so if you want them to last as long as they possibly can.
The most common problems with the Powershift box are leaks, a dragging clutch, gear slippage, weird noises while the car is in neutral, delayed shifts, or the transmission shifting into neutral without any apparent reason. These problems tend to add up if you don’t act quickly, so be sure to be wary of these if you decide to go for a Mondeo hybrid.
12V Battery Problem
Even though the Ford Mondeo hybrid is a hybrid, it still uses a 12-volt battery for most of the same reasons non-hybrid cars do. This means that the car is being started via the voltage provided by this 12V battery and that many of the car’s accessories are being powered by this battery. If it fails, you will probably not be able to start the car up or run most of its accessories.
The problem here is that the battery can die without any apparent reason and rather quickly. A few owners have reported that the battery dies after the car has been kept to sit for a week or two. The reason why these problems take place is likely because something is drawing the battery’s power while the car is parked, so be sure to test the battery output when the car is just sitting.
Electrical Problems
Electrical issues are also a thing for the Mondeo which means that you are likely going to be encountering these soon enough. Many have reported problems with the keyless entry functionality and that the car refuses to let you in, or sometimes it does not even recognize the key is near the car. This can be due to a low battery in the key, but some have reported these problems even with a new battery.
Secondly, the cruise control system can disengage without any prior warnings while the fuse for the headlamp washer can blow, especially if you live in a colder climate. Interior lights can fail, sidelight LEDs can fail, and tail light bulb problems also seem to be a thing with the Mondeo.
FAQ Section
Is the Ford Mondeo a Good Car?
The Ford Mondeo has always been one of the very best family sedans ever since it came out. The reason why the Mondeo is so good is that it balances costs and usability really well. It used to rival the likes of the VW Passat which was also sacked for the very same reasons as the Mondeo was. Both of these cars were more than good enough and it’s sad that they had to go.
The Hybrid Mondeo is a tougher sell as it does not really offer all that good economy numbers which means that the entire hybrid ordeal isn’t used to its fullest potential.
Is the Ford Mondeo Coming Back?
Yes, it seems like the Ford Mondeo is indeed coming back, but not in the way you think. The Mondeo is not coming to the USA, Europe, UK, but only rather to China which is still such a huge market for sedans. Some did speculate that the new Mondeo is also eventually going to find its way into Western markets, but that is still not fully clear.
The reality is that sedans are continuously losing their popularity in the West as people want SUVs and crossovers more and more as time goes on.
Which Cars Rival the Ford Mondeo?
The main competitor to the Mondeo was the VW Passat, but the Mondeo also trades punches with the Peugeot 508 and the Skoda Octavia. Out of all these, the 508 and the Octavia are still out, and it seems like the new Octavia manages to champion this segment of the market, at least as far as Europe is concerned.
