Few quick queries relating to my 2006 focus lx 1.4 petrol

Firstly nice and easy, attached is a photo of my fuel gauge when the ignition is off. The needle goes right down past the red mark. When running, will it go this low before i run out of fuel? Would love to know how far I can push it with falling off the edge!

Secondly, if I hold the trip reset and turn on the ignition, the little screen shows "test" then goes blank, then shows the mile counter then shows "gage"and spins all 4 needles to as far as the can go and back again, then they go to normal (showing fuel level etc). I can then cycle through a few thinks that don't make much sense by pressing the trip reset.
1. what is it doing with the dials, is it just testing them?
2. I read somewhere that the info I can cycle through doesn't mean much and is just from sensors etc but can be very unreliable and give errors that don't exist. Is this true? Where can I find out what it means anyway?


Thirdly, there is virtually no info displayed on the little green screen. I understand newer or better specced models do mpg and all that stuff, most having orange screens that are better quality and better able to display info.
1. Can i get this info on the green screen, even if it means adding sensors etc.
2. Can I swap out the dials/dash and screen to get the better spec one?

Lastly, I have seen the guide to adding cruise control and would love to do it. Considering my dash is so basic, will it still work?

thanks folks

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327773432' post='163616']
Lastly, I have seen the guide to adding cruise control and would love to do it. Considering my dash is so basic, will it still work?
[/quote]

According to the info I have - yes, cruise control will work, but there will be no light on dash when CC is on. Of course we presume all other CC components are in the car.

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327773432' post='163616']
Firstly nice and easy, attached is a photo of my fuel gauge when the ignition is off. The needle goes right down past the red mark. When running, will it go this low before i run out of fuel? Would love to know how far I can push it with falling off the edge!
[/quote]

I've had mine down to 4 miles range before and still no problems

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327773432' post='163616']
Secondly, if I hold the trip reset and turn on the ignition, the little screen shows "test" then goes blank, then shows the mile counter then shows "gage"and spins all 4 needles to as far as the can go and back again, then they go to normal (showing fuel level etc). I can then cycle through a few thinks that don't make much sense by pressing the trip reset.
1. what is it doing with the dials, is it just testing them?

[/quote]
This is a dash check sequence that enables you to diagnose dial faults.

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327773432' post='163616']
2. I read somewhere that the info I can cycle through doesn't mean much and is just from sensors etc but can be very unreliable and give errors that don't exist. Is this true? Where can I find out what it means anyway?
[/quote]

It's absically reading off what the ECU recieves from the sensors - some of it is data that can be fed off to dash mounted dials as on a ST.


[list]
[*]1.Shows a Gauge Sweep
[*]2. Shows all 8's on the LCD (LCD TEST)
[*]3. Illuminates all the bulbs on the dash
[*]4. Displays hexadecimal value for ROM level
[*]5. Displays the hexadecimal value for EE level
[*]6. Shows DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code)
[*]7. Digital Speedometer - mph
[*]8. Digital Speedometer - kph
[*]9. N/A
[*]10. Digital tachometer
[*]11.Fuel volume
[*]12. Engine coolant temperature
[*]13. Battery voltage
[*]14. ABS fail
[*]15. Electronic brake distribution (EBD) failure
[*]16. Illumination
[*]17. Crank Sense
[/list]

Error codes -
[url="http://www.fordst170.co.uk/dtc-codes.php"]http://www.fordst170.co.uk/dtc-codes.php[/url]
For a ST170 but should still be a good guide to all Focus codes.

[quote name='Stoney871' timestamp='1327804108' post='163720']
I've had mine down to 4 miles range before and still no problems
[/quote]

I think this will not answer the question of irl-06lx. He has no board computer and that is why he is asking about fuel gauge indication. Once I did about 10 miles after computer showed 0 miles range, but I do not remember the needle to go that far, it was rather just below red mark. Sorry, but it was at the end of 1000miles trip and I was to tired to remember precisely.

[quote name='Pidu' timestamp='1327806266' post='163724']
I think this will not answer the question of irl-06lx. He has no board computer and that is why he is asking about fuel gauge indication. Once I did about 10 miles after computer showed 0 miles range, but I do not remember the needle to go that far, it was rather just below red mark. Sorry, but it was at the end of 1000miles trip and I was to tired to remember precisely.
[/quote]
Yeah, fair one - my usual guide to nearly running out of fuel is when you get the first engine cough you get fuel asap.

Rule of thumb i try not to drop below 1/4 and 1/8 at the very lowest.
Saves sucking kak into the fuel filter.

Thanks for the info folks.

The biggest question is the one about getting more info from the ECU e.g. mpg etc. Is this possible?

I'm assuming you don't have the info stalk fitted then?
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOCUS-C-MAX-CMAX-INDICATOR-STALK-INFO-BUTTON-/120535467469?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c107945cd"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOCUS-C-MAX-CMAX-INDICATOR-STALK-INFO-BUTTON-/120535467469?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c107945cd[/url]
You could try fitting this but no guarantees.


Not really sure if your dash would support the stalk functions but the car is likely producing the data.
Not sure either about air temp etc. as you may not have the sensor fitted.
May be worth a trip to a dealer for confirmations.

ah right brilliant! if it was that easy that would be amazing. Hopefully my dash can display the info and take that stalk.

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327917644' post='163923']
ah right brilliant! if it was that easy that would be amazing. Hopefully my dash can display the info and take that stalk.
[/quote]

have you considered fitting a San gauge?
it plugs in to your diagnostic socket and displays loads of info mate, and you can unplug the diagnostic socket from the dash surround its currently fitted to, then plug the scan gauge cable in and route the cable to the rear of the screen and fit the screen on the dash or between the existing gauges.
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCANGAUGE-II-SCAN-GAGE-OBD-2-OBD2-GUAGE-SCANGUAGE-GAUGE-/250695975494?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5ea50246"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCANGAUGE-II-SCAN-GAGE-OBD-2-OBD2-GUAGE-SCANGUAGE-GAUGE-/250695975494?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5ea50246[/url]
best thing about it is, if you ever change cars you can bring it with you.

Ye I saw one of those things. I prefer not having to many separate screens/units. Would love it as built in as I could get it.

Same scenario for parking sensors, don't want the screen, just the beeping, once its not an annoying noise, and ideally over the car speakers

[quote name='irl-06lx' timestamp='1327957055' post='164008']
Ye I saw one of those things. I prefer not having to many separate screens/units. Would love it as built in as I could get it.

Same scenario for parking sensors, don't want the screen, just the beeping, once its not an annoying noise, and ideally over the car speakers
[/quote]

lol put the car in reverse and a voice comes over the stereo ''Keep Going'' ''Keep Going'' ''Keep Going'' ''easy now'' ''keep going'' ''STOP!''