Low Idle Revs

[Nick H]

Hi Guys and Gals - my very first post!

I've always run old bangers a few years away from the end of their life, and repaired them myself; but family influence means i now have a 2003 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI (cost thousands instead of a few hundred!). I bought it from a ford dealer in the midlands with a year's warranty, and it has already been back (in first few weeks) for a complete new instrument cluster. (I had to take it to ANOTHER Ford dealer first before the original garage would fix it!).

The problem I have is that it stalls really easy when cold. At first i put this down to me not being used to it, then i thought i'd adjust the idle revs (there always used to be a little screw on the carb on my old bangers!). Obviously not possible any more with ECU's etc! It has the Duratorq engine which, according to the Haynes manual, should idle at 900rpm, but mine idles at 700rpm which is (coincidentally?) the figure the Haynes manual gives for the Endura TDDI engine.

Not only does it stall very easy when trying to pull away, it doesn't idle when started, so you have to nurse the revs for a few minutes. Also when pulling up to a junction and depressing the clutch it sometimes stalls (which means the steering/brakes don't work!).

Obviously i took it back to the garage. They said there were no faults on the memory thingy, and they couldn't find any air leaks.

Any ideas? I need info ammo to go back to the garage and get them to fix it.

[catch]

Nick first off,

welcome to the forum mate.

Second, I can't offer any technical diagnostic help, but really it ain't your problem to come up with a fix for the car. They the dealer sold you a car. Now under the Sale of Goods Act it has to be fit for purpose, and in your case it clearly isn't. So I suggest you make them aware you are no mug and know your rights as a buyer and their obligations as a seller, so they better get it fixed or you will be referring the matter to your local Trading Standards Office.

See the link in my sig regards your rights when buying a car.......short story is, they fix it to your satisfaction or you can demand a full refund and they will have to comply with one or the other trust me. People who have followed my advice have always got their car sorted.

Try the nice approach first, you catch more wasps with jam than you do with vinegar, and it's always better to business if you have a working relationship with the other side. But that said if they don't play ball the vinegar [Trading Standards] will do the trick for you. But most dealers know it is far better to get the car put right, than to keep coming up on the local Trading Standards radar and then still have to put it right.

[Nick H]

Thanks for the reply Catch. I think you're absolutely right, so I will take your advice and book it in, but in my experience garages are a lot easier to deal with if one can 'talk the talk'. The mechanics are usually great, it's the people on the front desk that don't always seem to have the respect unless I sound like I know what I'm talking about! (Or are waving money at them). Other people have advised me that the MAF sensor might need cleaning, so I can at least suggest that if they say (as they did last time) that there's nothing can be done!

[artscot79]

Thanks for the reply Catch. I think you're absolutely right, so I will take your advice and book it in, but in my experience garages are a lot easier to deal with if one can 'talk the talk'. The mechanics are usually great, it's the people on the front desk that don't always seem to have the respect unless I sound like I know what I'm talking about! (Or are waving money at them). Other people have advised me that the MAF sensor might need cleaning, so I can at least suggest that if they say (as they did last time) that there's nothing can be done!

idle control valve it wont throw up a code had same issue with my old foci and was only solved when i demanded it was replaced with a new idle control valve no issues after that

[jeebowhite]

As has been said by Catch its not fit for purpose, so at the end of the day, they either replace everything they need to get it to work, or you refuse the vehicle and get a refund for it. I would advise them that you will not collect the car until it is running reliably, and as such if you find that you pick the vehicle up and it has any errors still you will be returning it immediately. Advise them in writing if needs be that this is your intention and that you will be utilising the warranty and if dissatisfied with the service you will be returning the car as not fit for pupose.