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2008 Focus 1.8 Tdci 'engine Malfunction' Alert...


sambrentnall
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Hi,

I purchased a 2008 Focus 1.8 TDCi Titanium (53 Reg) last weekend and its been fine all week. Then this morning, just a few mins after starting the car it got the 'Engine Malfunction' alert on the computer. I'd only just set off, and the car probably hit about 3k revs. I stopped and re-started the engine (by this time the engineer had warmed up) and the alert was no more. I took it to a garage who plugged the computer in and it had no error codes... He's asked me to take it back to him with the alert on the screen (i.e. not turn the car off, just drive straight to the garage).

It's now happened 2 more times today, both just after starting before the engineer could warm up and after it went over 3K revs. The weird part is that when the light is on, the car feels completely normal, it doesn't seem sluggish and the car's turbo still kicks in... Also, once the car is at temperature, you can take take the car unto 5k revs and the alert doesn't get triggered.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to take it back to the dealership I got it from but I live in Doncaster (UK) and I got it from Lincoln (an hours drive away).

The only thing I can find online is that it may be the cam belt sensor thats malfunctioned, other than that I'm completely clueless :(

Has anybody got any ideas? I've attached a pic of the error in case it helps.

Thank you in advance.

Sam

post-27249-0-78813300-1319342352_thumb.j

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I had this come up on mine once, it was when I filling up the washers with the engine running I squashed the little black hose on the top LHS of the engine, I know it's a bit of a shot in the dark for you but might be worth taking them hoses off and having a check they are not blocked or damaged.

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Thanks for the reply, I've checked the hose and they seem to fine...

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Hi Sam

heres my two pence worth.

apart from the car not starting right up

Do you have your radio key code to hand.

Are you able to disconnect the battery from the car and leave it disconnected for half an hour.

If so try this and get back to us

Jamie :-)

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Right, I've just taken the car out in Test (Diagnostics Mode) got the alert, pulled over and checked the DTC codes section and it had nothing :( Restarted engineer back into Test mode and checked again and there was still nothing.

Getting pretty weird...

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Hi Sam

heres my two pence worth.

apart from the car not starting right up

Do you have your radio key code to hand.

Are you able to disconnect the battery from the car and leave it disconnected for half an hour.

If so try this and get back to us

Jamie :-)

Thanks Jamie,

Just checked all the manuals from the car and I can't find the radio key. I'll ring my local Ford garage tomorrow and see if they can get me the code then try this :)

Any other suggestions? Have you heard of this happening but no DTC codes being logged?

If not, i'll report back after trying this :)

Also to note, the car starts fine every time, doesn't misfire at all.

Sam

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It could be that the ecu needs resetting. Have they offered to update the software on the ecu.

Bit like a computer that has been left switched on 24 hours a day it needs restarting

Jamie

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Not yet but I haven't taken it back to Lincoln yet, going to the garage I got it from tomorrow, I'll ask about it though :)

Hopefully, they'll let a Ford garage in Doncaster do all the work :)

Sam

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  • 4 years later...

hi i hope someone can shed some light on my problem i have a 2010 ford focus it wont start and the dashboard is flashing red with transmission malfunction . ive tried the earths the battery and all fuse are good .

i saw a clip, you tube and the man changed the clutch switch and it was fine .

i dont seem to find any awnsers online can anyone help me ?

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5 hours ago, jiminy said:

2010 ford focus it wont start and the dashboard is flashing red with transmission malfunction

Hi, jason.

I did not think there was a transmission malfunction light on manual cars with clutches?

The light with the pictogram like an engine/gearbox is the engine warning light or MIL. There are very many causes for this. It will need a diagnostic scanner to read the codes, to have any chance of locating the fault. A basic one like the U480 (about £10 or less) will read most engine codes. A very powerful system like Forscan can be obtained for £15 if you have a windows laptop.

For anyone to give more specific advice, you need to give more details, like engine, transmission type, any previous relevant history, and the exact symptoms. I know how it feels when a car won't start, but there a lot of possibilities!

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  • 2 years later...

Hi,

I have the same issue as Sam however when mine comes on I lose power and there is very little power on the accelerator. 

Any ideas what this could be?

Thanks

Matt

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you need to get a code reader on it to give some pointers. a car can hold fault codes for a long time and they don't have dates on them, so codes when first read can be misleading.  Read the codes, clear the codes, drive the car and see what codes reappear.

Codes don't categorically tell you what to replace but they do give clues where to focus attention on.

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