Ford Territory Transmission Problems: Symptoms, Causes and Repair Options

Table of Contents

1. Quick Answer: What Are the Common Ford Territory Transmission Problems?
2. Ford Territory Transmission Problems at a Glance
3. Which Territory Do You Have? Transmissions by Model and Year
4. Ford Territory Transmission Problems: What the Sources Report
5. Symptoms of Ford Territory Transmission Problems
6. Milky Fluid and Cooler Failure
7. Whine, Shudder and Noise
8. Slipping, Downshifting and Gear Changes
9. Limp Home Mode and No Drive
10. Causes: What the Sources Point To
11. How a Transmission Specialist Diagnoses the Problem
12. Ford Territory Transmission Recalls and Service Bulletins
13. Repair Options: Cooler, Rebuild, Used Unit or New
14. Ford Territory Transmission Replacement Cost in Australia
15. Servicing the Territory Automatic
16. Buying a Used Ford Territory
17. Ford Territory Transmission Quote Checklist
18. Ford Territory Transmission Problems FAQs
19. What are the most common Ford Territory transmission and gearbox problems?
20. Why does my Ford Territory have milky transmission fluid?
21. Does the Ford Territory have a transmission recall?
22. What does a Ford Territory transmission whine mean?
23. What is limp home mode on a Territory?
24. Which Ford Territory models have the ZF 6HP26, HP21 and 6R80?
25. How much does Ford Territory transmission replacement cost in Australia?
26. How often should the Territory’s automatic be serviced?
27. Can you drive a Territory with a transmission fault?
28. Should I buy a used Ford Territory with an automatic?

Ford Territory transmission problems are well reported, and the best-documented one is coolant from the transmission cooler mixing with the transmission fluid, which shows up as milky fluid and often ends in a replacement unit. There is also an official recall for 2011 to 2013 SZ Territories, where an output shaft speed sensor can cause an unintended downshift to first gear. Beyond those two, the reports we found are mostly individual owner questions about whines, shudders and slipping, so they are warning signs and not a failure rate. This guide identifies which transmission your Territory has, sets out the symptoms and causes the sources describe, explains the recall and how to check it, and covers repair options and the costs we could find. Every figure carries its source and date, and where we could not find a reliable answer, such as a Ford service interval for the six-speed automatic, we say so. For the wider picture on gearbox pricing, see our gearbox replacement cost guide.

Quick Answer: What Are the Common Ford Territory Transmission Problems?

• Cooler failure and milky fluid: Australian Car Reviews and CarsGuide both describe coolant mixing with the transmission fluid through the cooler or heat exchanger. CarsGuide (19 February 2026) says the first warning sign is milky fluid and that a whole new transmission was the usual outcome.
• Recall: the government register and news reports list a December 2016 recall for SZ Territories built from 19 September 2011 to 5 February 2013 (and PX Rangers). An intermittent output shaft speed sensor fault can cause an unintended downshift into first gear. Check your VIN.
• Other reported symptoms: whine under load, shudder that stops when coasting in neutral, intermittent downshifting, slipping, reverse not engaging when cold, limp home mode and, in serious cases, no drive at all.
• Not always the gearbox: the sources trace similar complaints to a worn oil pump, a loose selector linkage, a low fluid level, the torque converter lock-up or low battery voltage.
• Models: the Territory had a four-speed automatic early on, then six-speed automatics: a ZF unit on the petrol and Ford’s 6R80 on the SZ diesel.
• Servicing: the six-speed has no dipstick, and we found no Ford interval. A 2016 CarsGuide answer suggested annual servicing for one owner’s case.
• Cost: we found no itemised Territory quote. Dated points include a used rear-wheel-drive diesel unit listed at $1,500 and a 6R80 rebuild at $8,747.50 including GST for the owner’s own unit. See the cost section for what each figure is and is not.
• Limits: we found no failure rates, no affected-year breakdown beyond the recall and no official Ford statement on the cooler fault.

Ford Territory Transmission Problems at a Glance

1. Which Territory and which automatic

• SX and SY (2004 to 2009): a four-speed BTR automatic is described on the early cars, and the six-speed ZF appears in the same sources. See the next section for what each source says
• SZ petrol (2011 on): the ZF 6HP26 six-speed, replaced by the ZF HP21 on the final SZ II (carsales, 8 October 2014)
• SZ diesel: a six-speed 6R80
• Watch for: confirm your model, year and transmission before applying anything here

2. Symptoms

• Reported: milky fluid, whine under load, shudder, intermittent downshifting, slipping, reverse not engaging when cold, limp home mode and no drive
• Watch for: a symptom is a prompt for a specialist, not a diagnosis

3. Causes

• Reported: cooler or heat exchanger failure, a worn oil pump, selector linkage faults, fluid level, torque converter lock-up, an output shaft speed sensor and low battery voltage
• Watch for: the sources do not rank causes by how often they happen

4. Recall

• December 2016: SZ Territory and PX Ranger, output shaft speed sensor, unintended downshift to first gear
• Watch for: a completed recall did not end every downshift complaint in one reader’s case

5. Repair options

• Described: cooler and fluid work, a rebuild, a used unit or a new unit
• Watch for: ask for a written diagnosis before agreeing to a replacement

6. Cost

• Dated points: a used rear-wheel-drive diesel unit at $1,500 (asking price), a 6R80 rebuild at $8,747.50 including GST and fitting from $600
• Watch for: none of these is an itemised Territory quote

Which Territory Do You Have? Transmissions by Model and Year

The Territory used more than one automatic, so identify yours before applying any symptom or cost in this guide. The sources do not line up neatly, so we give each one in turn.

What the sources say

• SX (released June 2004) and SY (released October 2005): Australian Car Reviews describes a four-speed BTR automatic for the SX and says the cooler was in the radiator. On its SY page it describes both a four-speed BTR with a heat exchanger and a six-speed ZF with an external heat exchanger, without tying either to a particular variant
• The 2011 changeover: GoAuto (5 April 2011) says every 2011 TX “comes standard with a six-speed automatic transmission (instead of the previous rear-drive model’s four-speed unit)”
• SZ petrol (released May 2011): GoAuto (5 April 2011) names ZF’s 6HP26 six-speed. Australian Car Reviews says the SZ 4.0 litre petrol was rear-wheel drive only
• SZ diesel: GoAuto describes the 2.7 litre diesel’s gearbox as “a variation of the Falcon’s ZF 6R80 six-speed auto”. Australian Car Reviews calls it the 6R80, and the SZ diesel was sold in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive
• Final SZ II petrol: carsales (8 October 2014) says the naturally aspirated petrol models moved to the ZF HP21 six-speed, replacing the heavier HP26, and that the diesel keeps the 6R80
• Secondary source: Wikipedia says some SY all-wheel-drive and turbo models used a six-speed ZF 6HP26. Treat it as a pointer and not as proof

Why this matters

• The cooler fault is described for the four-speed BTR and the six-speed ZF. The recall and the 2013 to 2014 service bulletin concern the SZ
• A fluid check is different on each: CarsGuide (4 September 2026) says the earlier four-speed cars had a dipstick near the firewall and the six-speed has none

How to identify yours

• Check the build and compliance plate, the VIN and the model and series on the registration papers
• Ask a transmission specialist to confirm the transmission type from the code on the unit
• Note whether the car is rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, because a replacement has to match

Ford Territory Transmission Problems: What the Sources Report

“Transmission problems”, “transmission issues” and “gearbox problems” all mean the same thing in the sources. Here is what they describe, and what they do not.

What is reported

• Cooler failure: CarsGuide (19 February 2026) answered a question about the Titanium by describing “coolant from the transmission cooler mixing with the transmission fluid inside the gearbox” on later six-speed ZF cars, with milky fluid as the first sign. Its page lists “Auto transmission can be troublesome” among the Territory’s dislikes
• Owner reports: CarsGuide’s Territory problems page lists transmission questions from 2018 to 2026, including a whine at 64,000 km, a shudder and transmission failure at around 120,000 km. They are single cases, and the page says its answers are a general guide only
• A different view: the 21 August 2026 answer on a 64,000 km car noted that “Transmission problems in Ford Territories are far from unknown” and also that 64,000 km is low mileage for major faults

What we could not find

• A failure rate by model year, kilometres or transmission
• An official Ford Australia statement on the cooler fault
• A Ford-published service interval for the six-speed
• A complete list of which Territories have been affected

The honest summary is that some Territory transmissions fail and many do not, that the cooler fault is well documented and that a proper diagnosis matters more than a model-year guess.

Symptoms of Ford Territory Transmission Problems

Treat these as prompts for a diagnosis. A symptom tells a specialist where to start looking. It does not prove which part has failed.

Symptoms reported in the sources

• Milky fluid: fluid that looks milky in the coolant reservoir (Australian Car Reviews) or in the transmission (CarsGuide, 19 February 2026)
• Whine under load: a 2012 SZ at 64,000 km (CarsGuide, 21 August 2026)
• Shudder: a 2013 Territory with a shudder that stopped when the transmission was put in neutral and the car coasted (CarsGuide, 16 February 2026)
• Unintended downshifting: reported by a 2016 owner (CarsGuide, 26 October 2020) and by a 2011 owner after the recall (15 March 2018)
• Gear changes at certain speeds: a 2014 Territory that kept changing gear (CarsGuide, 25 January 2019)
• Slipping: gears slipping (CarsGuide, 27 April 2018)
• Reverse not engaging when cold: CarsGuide (15 September 2020)
• No drive: a 2005 Territory that would not move forward or reverse (CarsGuide, 10 February 2021)
• Limp home mode: the transmission entering “limp home” mode if fluid is out of tolerance, or when battery voltage is low (Australian Car Reviews)
• A growl or buzz: on shifts from park to drive or reverse in some 2013 to 2014 diesels (a Ford service bulletin reported by Australian Car Reviews)

Milky Fluid and Cooler Failure

This is the best-documented fault, and the one most likely to be expensive.

• What it is: Australian Car Reviews says the cooler lines inside the heat exchanger could deteriorate with age, wear or corrosion, and that the fluid in the coolant reservoir would look milky, hence the term “milkshake”
• What it does: it says the friction linings would be pulled from their steel backings and the mechatronic control unit would be damaged
• What CarsGuide says: a whole new transmission was the usual outcome (19 February 2026)
• A note on the units: Australian Car Reviews describes the problem for both the four-speed BTR and the six-speed ZF, and says Ford Australia considered any modification to the heat exchanger to void the warranty
• What it does not tell you: how many cars were affected, at what age or what each repair cost

Whine, Shudder and Noise

• Whine under load: CarsGuide’s answer (21 August 2026) said the cause could range “from a low fluid level to damaged or worn internal components” and advised against driving with a noisy gearbox because “you risk doing more damage to the unit”
• Shudder: the 16 February 2026 answer listed something inside the transmission, driveline backlash or the torque converter as possibilities. It advised having the mechanic drive the car when it is fully warm, because the fault has to be experienced to be diagnosed
• Growl or buzz: Australian Car Reviews reports a Ford service bulletin (July 2014) for diesel 6R80 transmissions that could make a growl or buzz when shifting from park to drive or reverse
• What to do with this: note when the noise or shudder happens (cold, warm, under load, coasting) and tell the specialist. Do not assume a particular cause

Slipping, Downshifting and Gear Changes

• Slipping: a CarsGuide answer (27 April 2018) said a car with slipping gears “probably needs servicing at the least”, with a rebuild possible
• Unintended downshifting: this is the recall symptom below. A reader whose 2011 car kept downshifting after the recall was told Ford should help find and repair the fault (CarsGuide, 15 March 2018)
• Gear changes at certain speeds: the lock-up converter engaging and disengaging was one suggestion (25 January 2019). Varying your speed can help show whether the change follows speed, which is a clue for the specialist and not a diagnosis
• Reverse not engaging when cold: a worn oil pump was called the most common cause of this type of problem (15 September 2020), and a worn pump can also starve bearings of lubrication

Limp Home Mode and No Drive

• Limp home mode: Australian Car Reviews says the ZF transmission was sensitive to fluid levels and would enter limp home mode if they were outside tolerance, and that low battery voltage can make the gearshift indicators flash and put the transmission into limp home mode. It is worth ruling out a weak battery
• No drive: a CarsGuide answer (10 February 2021) on a 2005 Territory that would not move gave two possibilities: a failed oil cooler (coolant contamination, usually needing replacement) or damaged or loose selector linkages, which are fixed by tightening or adjusting. It also said to check the fluid level
• Difficulty selecting gears: Australian Car Reviews says it may be due to a loose gear selector linkage or mechanism

What to tell the specialist

• When it happens (cold, warm, under load, coasting, reversing)
• The fluid appearance, if you have seen it, and any coolant loss or milky coolant reservoir
• Any warning lights, flashing gear indicators or limp home mode
• Any towing or heavy loads
• The service history and the battery age
• Whether the recall was done, with the date

Causes: What the Sources Point To

The sources point to several contributors, and they do not rank them.

Cooler and heat exchanger failure

• Australian Car Reviews and CarsGuide both describe coolant entering the transmission fluid through the cooler. The result described is damage to the friction linings and the mechatronic unit and, usually, a replacement unit
• Australian Car Reviews says Ford Australia considered modifications to the heat exchanger to void the warranty. That is a warranty statement from the time and not advice for today

Output shaft speed sensor (the recall)

• The government recall register (REC-000300) says an intermittent output shaft speed sensor failure may result in an unintended downshift into first gear, which could make the rear tyres slide or lock up. See the recall section below

Fluid level and low battery voltage

• Australian Car Reviews says the ZF unit is sensitive to fluid level, and that low battery voltage can trigger limp home mode. A CarsGuide answer (4 September 2026) says the six-speed has no dipstick, so the level is checked at a side plug, which is “not an easy thing to check at home” without a hoist

Oil pump and internal wear

• CarsGuide’s answers name a worn oil pump for reverse not engaging when cold (15 September 2020) and “damaged or worn internal components” for a whine (21 August 2026)

Torque converter and selector linkage

• A torque converter was among the possibilities for a shudder (16 February 2026), and a loose or damaged selector linkage was one for a car that would not move (10 February 2021)

Valve body and separator plate (diesel 6R80)

• Australian Car Reviews reports a Ford service bulletin (July 2014) for SZ diesel and PX Ranger 6R80 transmissions that could growl or buzz on shifting from park. The fix depended on the transmission build date, from 1 August 2013 to 14 July 2014, and was either a new separator plate in the main control valve body or a replacement main control assembly. It is a service bulletin and not a recall

How a Transmission Specialist Diagnoses the Problem

We did not find a detailed public description of a Territory-specific diagnostic process, so this section sets out what the sources recommend and what to ask.

What the sources recommend

• Use a specialist: CarsGuide’s answers (2018 to 2026) suggest a transmission specialist familiar with the unit for a whine, a shudder and a car that will not move
• Let the mechanic experience the fault: the 16 February 2026 answer said “you need to have your mechanic experience the problem”, and suggested driving when fully warm
• Check the fluid properly: because the six-speed has no dipstick, the level is checked at a side plug, ideally on a hoist
• Look at the cooler: milky fluid or a milky coolant reservoir points to the cooler first

What a good assessment should tell you

• What was tested, and what the test showed
• The fluid level, appearance and any sign of coolant
• Whether the fault is inside the transmission or in linkage, battery, sensor or cooling
• Which transmission your car has, by code
• What the options are, from servicing to replacement, with a price for each

Questions to ask

• What did you test, and what did you find?
• Is the fault inside the transmission or elsewhere, and how do you know?
• Has the cooler been checked for coolant in the fluid?
• Which repair options did you consider, and why this one?
• What happens to the price if you find more damage once the unit is open?

Ford Territory Transmission Recalls and Service Bulletins

A search phrase does not show that a recall applies to your car. Check your own VIN.

The December 2016 transmission recall (REC-000300)

• Which cars: the government register lists the Ford SZ Territory and PX Ranger, PRA 2016/15793, campaign 16S19, with 10,514 units. GoAuto (22 December 2016) reported 10,520 vehicles, so the totals differ slightly. It gave build dates of 19 September 2011 to 5 February 2013 for the Territory and 5 November 2011 to 7 November 2012 for the Ranger
• The defect: the register says “an intermittent Output Shaft Speed Sensor failure may result in an unintended downshift into first gear”
• The hazard: a sudden drop in wheel speed could make the rear tyres slide or lock up, which “could result in a loss of vehicle control”
• What Ford said: owners would be contacted by direct mail to arrange an inspection and repair at a Ford dealer, and until then to drive “with caution and at moderate speed”
• What the pages do not say: the register page does not say whether the affected cars are petrol or diesel or name the transmission. GoAuto said the fault was not thought to be related to Ford’s PowerShift transmissions
• After the recall: a reader whose 2011 Territory kept downshifting after the recall was told Ford should help find and repair the fault (CarsGuide, 15 March 2018). That is one reader’s report and not a pattern

A service bulletin, not a recall

• Australian Car Reviews reports a Ford technical service bulletin (July 2014) for SZ diesel and PX Ranger 6R80 transmissions that could growl or buzz when shifting from park. A bulletin guides dealers and is not a recall

Other Territory recalls listed by Australian Car Reviews

• SZ: a fuel return pipe that could separate (August 2011, PRA 2011/12782), a loose sensor affecting the side curtain airbag (May 2012, PRA 2012/13132), accelerator interference on Police Pack models (September 2012, PRA 2012/13302) and an ignition switch connector that can disconnect while driving, stalling the engine and preventing restart (February 2015, PRA 2015/14560)
• SX and SY: front brake hoses (March 2009, PRA 2009/10702) and floor mats that can interfere with the accelerator (May 2010, PRA 2010/11659)
• Transmission: none other than the December 2016 recall appears in the lists we read

How to check your car

• Ford Australia: enter your 17 character VIN on Ford’s recall lookup. Ford’s support page says the VIN must match exactly and warns that the letter O is sometimes typed instead of a zero. The lookup page needs JavaScript to run, so we could not test it. Ford’s page shows only a 2026 copyright date
• The Ford app: a Recall option appears on the Service screen only if one applies
• The government register: vehiclerecalls.gov.au
• A Ford dealer: ask for the recall and service action history for your VIN
• If you did not get a notice: Ford’s support site has a page headed “What should I do if I didn’t receive a recall notice?”

Repair Options: Cooler, Rebuild, Used Unit or New

The sources describe a few outcomes, and none gives independent data on how often each works.

Options described

• Servicing: a CarsGuide answer on slipping gears (27 April 2018) said the transmission “probably needs servicing at the least”, with a rebuild possible
• Replacing the cooler and the unit: for coolant contamination, the sources describe a replacement or rebuilt transmission as the usual outcome (CarsGuide, 19 February 2026 and 26 October 2020). We found no source showing a flush alone fixes a unit that has been contaminated
• Rebuild: one Australian rebuilder lists an overhaul of the customer’s own 6R80 at $8,747.50 including GST, with upgrades. See the cost section
• Used unit: wrecker listings, with a short parts warranty. See the cost section
• Linkage, battery and sensors: a loose selector linkage can be adjusted or tightened (CarsGuide, 10 February 2021) and low battery voltage can trigger limp home mode (Australian Car Reviews), so these are worth ruling out first
• Towing and heat: a CarsGuide answer (7 December 2018) advised fitting an extra transmission cooler when towing a heavy caravan. That is an expert’s suggestion for towing and not a fix for a failed cooler, and Australian Car Reviews notes Ford considered heat exchanger modifications to void the warranty at the time

If a replacement unit is on the table

• Match the unit: model and series, petrol or diesel, transmission code and rear-wheel or all-wheel drive
• Ask what was done: new, used or reconditioned can mean very different things, so ask what was tested or replaced and whether it is documented
• Ask about the extras: the cooler, torque converter and fluid, and whether the transfer case is included on an all-wheel-drive car
• Ask about terms: warranty length, what it excludes, returns and who pays for labour and freight
• Weigh it against the car: a repair that costs more than the vehicle is worth may not make sense, and a CarsGuide answer (7 December 2018) on a 2012 Territory said the repair cost is high and urged the owner to pursue Ford for part of it

Ford Territory Transmission Replacement Cost in Australia

We found no itemised Australian quote for a Territory transmission repair or replacement. The points below are what we did find. Each has limits, and none is a quote.

Used unit

• Listing: a South Australian wrecker lists a used rear-wheel-drive 2.7 litre diesel automatic from an SZ Territory at $1,500 (read 25 October 2026). It says “3 months parts warranty” excluding labour and freight, accepts returns within 30 days if the part is faulty or does not match the listing, and does not state kilometres
• Limits: this is an asking price. The page does not say whether GST is included, and it is the diesel rear-wheel-drive unit only. We did not find a dated listing for a petrol ZF unit that we could use

Rebuild

• Listing: a Melbourne rebuilder lists an overhaul of the customer’s own 6R80 at $8,747.50 including GST, with a $1,000 refundable core deposit, a 12 month unlimited kilometre warranty and a 7 week lead time (page last modified 5 August 2026). It lists the 2.7 litre turbo diesel Territory as the Territory option
• Inclusions: a deep cast pan, a Nomad valve body, a cooler thermal bypass upgrade, a heavy duty billet torque converter, a billet overdrive piston and cryogenically treated internals
• Limits: it is the rebuild only and not fitting. It is an upgraded rebuild, so it is not a like-for-like price

Fitting

• Figure: a Melbourne wrecker’s page says transmission fittings start from $600 including oil and filters. The page is undated, and it is not specific to the Territory

General ranges (from our gearbox replacement cost guide)

• A national repairer’s undated page: roughly $3,000 to $12,000 or more for a replacement, and $1,800 to $3,500 plus labour and installation for a reconditioned gearbox
• A Melbourne workshop (6 August 2026): $1,500 to $2,500 or more for SUVs and crossovers, with labour, without saying what kind of unit it covers
• Limits: these are general and not specific to the Territory or its ZF and 6R80 units

A 2017 case

• A CarsGuide answer (24 February 2017) on a Titanium that failed at 67,000 km, out of warranty, said Ford’s responsibility does not end with the warranty. The expert said recovering the full cost from Ford was possible but unlikely, suggested accepting Ford’s partial payment offer and mentioned contacting WA Consumer Affairs for further steps. It is one old case and not a rule

An illustration, not a quote

Take the $1,500 used diesel unit and the $600 minimum fitting figure, and the two come to $2,100. That adds numbers from two different sources, ignores freight, GST, a cooler, a torque converter, programming and anything found once the old unit is out, and does not cover a petrol or all-wheel-drive car. Treat it as a floor for comparison and not as an estimate for your car.

What changes the price

• Model and transmission: the ZF 6HP26, ZF HP21, 6R80 or four-speed BTR
• Drive layout: rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, and whether the transfer case is included
• New, rebuilt, reconditioned or used: and what was tested or replaced
• The cooler and fluid: a failed cooler means the whole cooling circuit needs checking
• Labour: hours and hourly rate, shown separately. We have no verified hours for a Territory
• Freight and GST: the listings we read do not all say whether GST is included
• Warranty: length and exclusions

Servicing the Territory Automatic

We found no published Ford Australia service interval for the Territory’s six-speed automatic, so we give none.

What the sources say

• No dipstick: CarsGuide (4 September 2026) says the earlier four-speed cars had a dipstick near the firewall and the six-speed does not. The level is checked by removing a plug on the side of the transmission, with the fluid lapping at the bottom of the hole. It calls this hard to do at home without a hoist and says Ford may have removed the dipstick because it is a sealed system
• An interval view from 2016: a CarsGuide answer (11 November 2016) said “there is no hard and fast rule”, and that for that owner, who was towing, it would service the transmission annually. The reader said Ford described the unit as sealed and good for 150,000 km, and the answer did not confirm that
• Fluid level matters: Australian Car Reviews says the ZF unit is sensitive to fluid level and enters limp home mode outside tolerance
• Towing: see the cooler suggestion above

What to do

• Ask a Ford dealer or transmission specialist what they recommend for your transmission and use
• Find out whether the fluid has ever been changed and what fluid was used
• Keep every service record

Buying a Used Ford Territory

These are our suggestions, based on the symptoms and the recall above. They do not replace an inspection.

• Recalls: check the VIN for the December 2016 recall and ask for proof it was done
• Fluid and coolant: ask a specialist to check the transmission fluid and the coolant reservoir for a milky appearance
• Test drive warm: the CarsGuide advice to experience the fault when the car is fully warm applies to a test drive too. Note any whine, shudder, flare between gears, delayed engagement or limp home mode
• History: ask whether the transmission has been replaced or rebuilt, with an invoice, and what fluid and servicing it has had
• Inspection: have a transmission specialist inspect the car. Our used car pre-purchase inspection guide covers the wider checks

Ford Territory Transmission Quote Checklist

Ask for each of these in writing and confirm it against the actual quote.

• Diagnosis: what was tested, what was found and why it points to the transmission
• Vehicle details: VIN, model and series, engine, drive layout and transmission code
• Cooler: whether the cooler and lines were checked for coolant in the fluid
• Options: servicing, rebuild, reconditioned unit, used unit or new unit, each priced
• Unit details: new, used or reconditioned, kilometres if used, and what was tested or replaced
• Inclusions: cooler, torque converter, valve body, fluid and programming
• Fluid: the exact specification and brand
• Labour: hours and hourly rate, shown separately
• Warranty: length, kilometres, what it excludes and who honours it
• Tax and freight: whether the price includes GST and delivery
• Additional work: what happens if more damage is found once the unit is open

The Western Australian Consumer Protection page (updated 4 December 2023) advises asking for a written quote or estimate detailing the work and cost, says an accepted quote forms a contract binding both sides, and says you should not automatically authorise additional repairs. It also says the Australian Consumer Law requires repairs to be done with due care and skill, including when second-hand parts are used. That page covers Western Australia, so check your own state’s consumer affairs body.

Ford Territory Transmission Problems FAQs