I have just bought a 1999 focus 1.8 lx. The car runs fine, however a major problem occurs sporadically. The speedo will fail and drop to 0, once this has happened everytime i slow to a stop the car will cut out. It will also cut out if the revs drop to low when changing down.
Really need some help on this one cos im baffled.

sounds like a problem with the vss (vechial speed sensor)

[quote name='mintalkin' date='23 July 2010 - 12:28 PM' timestamp='1279883928' post='89604']
sounds like a problem with the vss (vechial speed sensor)
[/quote]

you have 3 possible answers for this one as its the 99 its the zetec engine not the revised zetec-e so these are the options.

1.the dash cluster itself is at fault it can cause similar symptoms to the vss failing and cause the car to cut out its a known fault and must be replaced at a cost of £99 thats the last thing you want to check.

2.most likely is it is indeed the vss thats at fault.

3.use the dash trick and watch the revs you could have multiple issues ie the vss has gone but also the idle control valve has gone too this is often where spending the £70 for diagnostics can save you money in the long run the vss sounds the most likely culprit

yeah id go for the vss, a cluster wouldnt cause the car to cut out.

[quote name='wallrus' date='23 July 2010 - 12:20 PM' timestamp='1279883445' post='89602']
I have just bought a 1999 focus 1.8 lx.
[/quote]

If you bought it from a trader/dealer take it back and tell them you want it fixing. A car must be fit for purpose when it is sold by the trade. The engine cutting out whilst driving certainly is neither fit for purpose or safe.

[quote name='catch' date='23 July 2010 - 11:32 PM' timestamp='1279923768' post='89765']
If you bought it from a trader/dealer take it back and tell them you want it fixing. A car must be fit for purpose when it is sold by the trade. The engine cutting out whilst driving certainly is neither fit for purpose or safe.
[/quote]

believe it or not the cluster can cause a car to cut out on the ford its linked to the sensors connected to the ecu when x amount go down at once due to the cluster not regitering them the ecu senses it revs speed etc all gone and momentarily believes the car is off and cuts out well reported that the cluster can cause this its rare though usually it just plays up but if the right ones go down it cuits out only on the 1998 and 1999 models afetr the revision this wasnt meant to happen just the cluster will go down now

sorry but it can't, the cluster recieves data on speed, temperature and RPM from the PCM.

[quote name='DAS' date='24 July 2010 - 08:29 PM' timestamp='1279999149' post='89847']
sorry but it can't, the cluster recieves data on speed, temperature and RPM from the PCM.
[/quote]

[font="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif"][size="-1"]We are currently rebuilding customers own units with a [b]2 year warranty[/b], this is a very common failure for the Ford Focus instrument cluster - the problem normally starts out as being intermittent, normally the unit will fail when the car has been driven for a while and then will reappear after a few minutes - we also get [u][b]reports that the engine sometimes cuts out or misfires when the instrument cluster fails.[/b][/u] Other common faults include loss of speedo and gauges. These instrument clusters cost a fortune from the main dealer and they only give a 6 month warranty -

from [/size][/font][font="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif"][size="-1"][b]info@ecu-testing.com[/b][/size][/font][font="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Sans-serif"][size="-1"] info can also be found all over the web if it wouldnt do it i wouldnt say it
[/size][/font]

i cant be bothered arguing with you, my opinions there wallrus. take it or leave it.

[quote name='DAS' date='24 July 2010 - 10:40 PM' timestamp='1280007010' post='89871']
i cant be bothered arguing with you, my opinions there wallrus. take it or leave it.
[/quote]

whos arguing i made a statement you refuted that i backed it up with proof theres no argument to be had like i said been in the trade and i know a few things what is there is cut and pasted from the website that repairs them not my own words go to there website and read the facts google it even

[u][b]from rac website[/b][/u]
Drove to work monday morning....when i got in my focus (1.6 zetec 52 plate) to drive home, all the gauges had stopped working just down the road the car died on me. Checked all the fuses etc took it to my local ford and was diagnosed with a dash cluster fault...on a 5 year old car?.
I see this is a common fault.

my speedo stopped working within 5 minutes of the start of most journeys. Sometimes it made the car stall at a roundabout as the revs drop. Other occassions it also makes the mileometer disappear it just has lines althrough it. At the same time I notice a reduction in power to the engine. fixed...ford dealer diagnosed a cluster fault got it done for £99.

[u][b]cluster repairs uk[/b][/u]

Common faults;

[list][*]Faulty/intermittent gauges.[*]Loss of mileage display.[*]Flickering/intermittent power to unit.[*]Complete power failure.[/list]
the exact reason why it effects the ecu is that the pats system ford use bonds the dash cluster into the pats programme in the ecu when the dash has total failure the ecu believes the pats is switched on as if no key is recognized leading to engine dying switch the ignition off and on again reboots the ecu recognizes the dash cluster is okay etc and the car will drive on of all dash faults it effects around 2 out of every 10 reported. however as said its most likely the vss unless youve noticed the dash acting funny

[quote name='artscot79' date='24 July 2010 - 11:20 PM' timestamp='1280009409' post='89882']
whos arguing i made a statement you refuted that i backed it up with proof theres no argument to be had
[/quote]

You've got to watch these wild men from the Highlands artscot79

sorry das even i have read ford techincal bulletins on this one and artscot is right.

oi watch it catch you dont want me showin up on yer door step.

just to let you know heres what you will have to deal with:

[IMG]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/andy_1984/30470_400182264583_700689583_4323355_7810566_n.jpg[/IMG]

i didnt have any trout so a tench will suffice

[quote name='andy_1984' date='25 July 2010 - 01:28 AM' timestamp='1280017107' post='89903']
sorry das even i have read ford techincal bulletins on this one and artscot is right.

oi watch it catch you dont want me showin up on yer door step.

just to let you know heres what you will have to deal with:

[img]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/andy_1984/30470_400182264583_700689583_4323355_7810566_n.jpg[/img]

i didnt have any trout so a tench will suffice
[/quote]

thats a nice catch anyway doesnt matter as i was saying sounds like the vss it could be 2 things even 3 with the old ford change the vss first and see how you go if you still have issues then the idle control valve would be my next port of call still having issues ide take it into ford and tell them you have idle undershoot an update to the cars computer will sort it out only after all that if its still stalling would i get the cluster checked the cluster wont throw up a fault code neither will the idle control valve let us know how yo get on with it if youre not very competent working on cars have a garage or dealer do the vss they can be a right pain to get out

Thanks for the help guys ive got a mechanic to look at it 2mo.

[quote name='andy_1984' date='25 July 2010 - 01:28 AM' timestamp='1280017107' post='89903']
sorry das even i have read ford techincal bulletins on this one and artscot is right.

oi watch it catch you dont want me showin up on yer door step.

just to let you know heres what you will have to deal with:

[IMG]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/andy_1984/30470_400182264583_700689583_4323355_7810566_n.jpg[/IMG]

i didnt have any trout so a tench will suffice
[/quote]

Down here in North Yorkshire we would call that bait, not a catch

Seriously though, I can see your a fine example of Scottish manhood andy, and I'm really impressed with your mass of red hair. Without doubt your worthy of a part in any Scottish historical film starring Mel Gibson.

But come on hailing from cosmopolitan Glasgow your stretching the Highland connection to infinity and beyond

Nay I'd say what with me having Irish Grandparents, who emigrated to Scotland [Granddad served in the Glasgow Police for a short time, then they must have sussed him out as a rebel ] Anyway they eventually settled in Lanark with their ten children. In fact though my father, their second born initially [like his father before him]had sort his fortune in America. But rumour had it he got tangled up with the mob, and with the cops on his case, had to make a hasty exit by way of Canada. Eventually tipping up back in Lanark, where because of his "sharp" dress sense he earned the nickname "Diamond" nodoubt in reference to the slick dressing Irish-American mobster "Legs Diamond" And he was well known in the town as being a "ladies man" though at the same time he was definitely a hard drinking man's man.

Anyway though he eventually sort his fortune in England, leaving behind a girlfriend who later became, after the war years, the Matron of the Law Hospital in Carluke. She forever held a "torch for him" never marring and eventually dying a spinster. Though in the 1960's she nearly married my father, but my sister put the kybosh on it. Anyway back then in the war days being an engineer by trade with a reserved occupation status. He ended up with a management job down Bristol in an oil refinery. Again being a "Jack the Lad" rumour had it he was dabbling in black market petrol. Anyway this is where he met my English mother, the daughter of a local hotelier. She ended up with child [my older brother] Unfortunately as she was already married at the time and her husband was away fighting in the war. She opted to go with my father, leaving behind a two year old daughter. As her family on her husbands side were well heeled with business interests in the shoe industry Kettering way in the Midlands. They insisted she left her daughter with them, nodoubt being better positioned financially to see she had a decent life a head of her. So my father and his new love moved up north to Lancashire were my father became a manager in a factory fabricating Lancaster bombers.

I've seen films with weaker plot lines, then my fathers journey through life


I was born just after the war [in wedlock, being the youngest of three] but my mother tragically died when I was only six years old. And at the age of eight years old I went to live with my Aunt [ my fathers elder sister] in Lanark. Coincidently who's only son, who had left home at the time I went to stay with her. Ended up playing for Manchester United:-

"A Scottish football player, born in Lanark, Scotland. He played as a forward. Downie was purchased by Manchester United from Bradford Park Avenue in 1949 for a British record of £18,000 and played his last game for the club in 1953. Downie scored 37 goals (including 5 FA Cup Goals) in 116 appearances for the club"

Well at the age of fourteen I left Lanark and went back to join my father in England. But I was up in Lanark only last year on a "roots" trip. Showing my Son where his family came from on his grandfathers side. And whilst there a cousin informed me there was in Lanark Museum a group photo of the 2nd Lanark Scout Troop circa 1957 with me resplendent in my kilt. Alas the museum was shut, as if it was in it's self an indictment of the fortunes of Lanark. A once vibrant place, now sadly looking shabby and it's public places unloved. William Wallace would by ashamed of it if he were to visit it now.

And as to my fathers spirit of adventure, he would be proud to know it lives on in his grandson. Who makes his living working out in Kazakhstan for an multi national engineering consultancy firm connected to the oil industry. Married to a lovely Russian lass, he has property interests in Moscow, Bodrum and Peckham, sorry I meant Skipton.

So you see andy, with my Irish Republican and Irish American mob connections, coupled with it's own blend of mad Scotsman thrown into the mix................ my doorstep would be the last doorstep anybody would wish to tip up on.