2004 Focus Estate Dial Problem

[sheriff076]

Hello,

Our MK1 estate has an occasional problem. Sometimes when the car starts, the rev and speedometer needles bounce a little and it takes a few seconds for the rev needle to show the engine speed.

I've not seen it myself but the missus is sure that the car has frequent power drops, noticeable with headlights dimming and or air blowers 'slowing'.

Any thoughts? I was thinking bad earth somewhere but I'm not sure which one(s) are likely? I've checked to earths around the battery recently and cleaned those but not any others. Perhaps a sensor somewhere?

It's never stalled when coming to a stop or when in neutral, it starts first time and I would say it's running well.

It's a 1.6 petrol manual.

Regards,

Sheriff

[Stoney871]

Sounds like the speedo sensor (VSS), a very common fault.

[mjt]

That wouldn't affect the rev counter, would it Clive? Besides, if the needles bounce around at start-up, i.e. before the car starts moving, surely it can't be the vss?

If the lights and/or auxiliaries are dimming/slowing that suggests a problem with the electrics, possibly alternator.