I've Just Got A Fiesta, And Have A Few Questions

[paul001]

Hi everyone :)

I got a Fiesta Zetec 1.0 EcoBoost a few days ago (it's a 13 plate - 11 months old). I wasn't sure exactly which extras and features it has, so I've been playing about with it this morning.

If anyone can help with some answers, that would be great.

1) It has a Stop/Start button (an "A" with a circular arrow) below the dials above the gear stick, and when I start the car, it shows the same icon in that small screen that isn't mentioned in the manual, between the rev counter and speedometer. When I stopped as some lights yesterday I put the hand brake on, put it in neutral, and took my feet off both pedals. Nothing happened. I'd been driving for about 15-20 minutes, so the engine was warm, so I can't think what else would have stopped it from switching off. I hadn't pressed the "A OFF" button, so I don't know if I haven't got stop/start or not. It seems odd to have the buttons, lights, and even the fuses for it, if it isn't there. I found an option to check things out, and it said "All systems normal". I could stick my ODBII memoscan device in and see if there are any codes, or use the Test menu, as that might show something the other check doesn't know about.

Is there an easy way to know if I have it? Anything to look for under the bonnet?

2) It didn't come with a tyre pump in the back. Just a tow hook, a funnel, and a can of "CarPlan Flat Mate". When the cars are new I guess they always have one of the pump/compressor units with them. Is it worth getting one, or should I just leave it? We have a compressor at home, but I thought that having a small portable one would be quite useful for pumping up tyres in general, and checking pressures, if they can be used for that.

3) I'm 90% sure it has Air Conditioning, but the manual shows one set of dials with a temp gauge, and another that says something like "manual air conditioning". I guess they don't just mean outside air through a vent, as it has an AC button with a light, and I saw some fuses for the AC unit. I had a quick look under the bonnet, but wasn't sure if it was there. Again, is there an obvious thing to look for? I should have switched it on yesterday and put it on cold, but as the outside air is cold I didn't know if I'd be able to tell if it was just outside air or not.

It's a nice car. I've had three Fiestas before (Mk 3's and Mk 4, I think), and it's a big improvement on those.

[CookieM]

Not sure on the others but for the stop start mine occasionally does the same thing. I put it in neutral and take foot off the clutch but the A symbol does not appear again and the engine is still on. I've not been bothered about it tho as I rarely put the handbrake on (just keep foot on brake and clutch).

Will be interesting to see if someone can explain this.

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[paul001]

Like you, I never normally use the handbrake when driving. I either hold it on the clutch if it's up hill, or the break if it's downhill. Normally I'm just sat there with the clutch pressed in and my other foot ready on the accelerator. I thought this stop/start thing might be useful when I'm at long traffic lights, or in some other type of traffic jam. It's good that I have to cause it to happen, rather than it just doing it every time I stop moving. Though, at the moment it doesn't seem to do it when I actively request it

[Mordey]

Hi Paul, To find out exactly whats fitted to your car just put your reg into the following link

http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do;jsessionid=FC6445C91D44174023990181167091AA.eccvas504

[matt1981]

The air conditioning on the new model is either manual or the full climate control. I guess you have manual air conditioning if you don't have an electronic display showing the temperature on the centre console. You should have an a/c button?

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[potter18]

If your engine is cold or you are using a lot of ancillaries (heaters lights wipers ect ) then s/s may not cut in or even if it's too cold outside it may not work also ive noticed with mine that if I drive at 70 for an extended period (dual carriageway / motorway ) and pull off at at my turn off and come to a stop then the engine will run for a bit and then cut out (s/s activated) I think this is to protect the turbo also make sure you haven't turned it off at the switch

[paul001]

Thanks for the replies.

Hi Paul, To find out exactly whats fitted to your car just put your reg into the following link

http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do;jsessionid=FC6445C91D44174023990181167091AA.eccvas504

I forgot to mention I'd found that mentioned on here yesterday and looked it up. I didn't trust it. It says "Starter - Stop/Start System", which was positive, but then it said "Less Bluetooth", and I was using bluetooth earlier. It also says "Less Outside Temp Thermometer", but it tells me the temperature while I'm driving it, so I assume it's the outside temperature it was telling me about.

The air conditioning on the new model is either manual or the full climate control. I guess you have manual air conditioning if you don't have an electronic display showing the temperature on the centre console. You should have an a/c button?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Ford OC mobile app

Yes I have an A/C button. I just didn't like the way it called it "manual" as though it was just the air vents blowing outside ait into the car.

If your engine is cold or you are using a lot of ancillaries (heaters lights wipers ect ) then s/s may not cut in or even if it's too cold outside it may not work also ive noticed with mine that if I drive at 70 for an extended period (dual carriageway / motorway ) and pull off at at my turn off and come to a stop then the engine will run for a bit and then cut out (s/s activated) I think this is to protect the turbo also make sure you haven't turned it off at the switch

It was between 0 and 30 Degrees, as mentioned in the book, and all the other things seemed okay. Maybe it was because I had the heater on and spinning the heater fans stopped it coming on. I'll give it another few goes during the week.

[Early-1800]

I'll be the one that writes what everyone else is thinking about Paul001 and CookieM's driving technique.....

Don't hold the clutch in if you are stationary. You'll knacker the thrust bearing or wear out the fiction plate or both.

[Varming]

I'll be the one that writes what everyone else is thinking about Paul001 and CookieM's driving technique.....

Don't hold the clutch in if you are stationary. You'll knacker the thrust bearing or wear out the fiction plate or both.

I'm pretty sure 98% of all (Danish drivers) are using clutch and brake when waiting at a red. I did it for 8 years in my old car and never had any problems.

[paul001]

Yeah, it's probably not what the car designers want, but I did it for 10 years with the MG ZR I just sold, and I was still on the original clutch. It just seems a lot of hassle to g into neutral and take it out of gear every time. And it's slower setting off. I often push the clutch in and free wheel to the lights if they are on red. To me, it's just saving petrol because the revs go to the lowest they can and it's saving wear on things that move as it's disengaged a lot of moving parts. I know nothing about how cars work, as you can probably tell

[xpatx]

Hi Paul, there is a A marked button on the dash that turns off 'Stop Start' but it resets itself each time the engine is turned off

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[Early-1800]

In the not so distance future most cars will have computer controlled dual clutch automatic gearboxes so there will be no clutch pedal to confuse those with no understanding of how a car works.

This will be because dual clutch autos will allow the designers control everything when trying to cut down CO2 emission. What's the point of having computerised engines, stop start systems and radar controlled brakes when drivers choose the wrong gears at the wrong times?

Also as Paull001 testifies, people spend time stuck in congestion and can't/won't change in and out of gear all day.

[GlynnZS]

The ECU makes a decision every time you stop and put the car in neutral and depress the clutch whether to stop the engine or not, and this is based on quite a few things as said....how much charge is in the battery, how much power is being drawn by heaters, lights etc, temp of the engine, temp of the turbo/oil and probably other things.

Manual airconditioning just means you turn a knob to say how cold or hot you want the air coming into the car, as appose to specifying an exact temperature that you want the cabin, and the car then heats/cools the air accordingly to maintain the exact temp you set.