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Only 27Mpg From 1.6 125 Mk3 ? Something Wrong?


zeberdee
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hi all hoping someone can help here,

I purchased a focus 1.6 125bhp 2011 mk3 5 week ago. the best mpg i can get is 27 around town and 32 on motorway at steady 70. Does anyone have any idea why this is so bad? The car has done 31k, admittedly its been very cold recently and im generally on short school runs etc but really 27!!! Any ideas anyone? only other thing to note is it briefly looses power sometimes when setting off at junctions/roundabouts when cold, i took it to dealer over this and they ran an update it has helped a bit it maybe looses power for half a second now instead of 1 sec, although mpg has gone down since as i was getting 30 round town prior to update. thanks everyone

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The 1.6 125 is a very old engine by today's standards and only has a 5 speed box in a 1.5t car.

It wouldn't surprise me if that is about right for the time of year.

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My 1.8 Mk2.5 doesn't fair much better than that.

Sent from my Gen 1 WAP phone

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The trip computer on mine always stayed at 43mpg but it would only go 350 miles on a tankful. I don't know what that figure comes to, but 350 miles from 55 litres can't be 43mpg.

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It never leaves the tank empty anyway.

It would be more like 350 miles on 45 litres.

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thanks everyone, mine is doing 310miles on a tank mainly round town few short motorway journeys. Obviously im going to have to put up with it, im wishing id got the mondeo now though, i chose the focus thinking at least id save money on the mpg if id known i would only get 27mpg id have rather lost a few more mpg and got the mondeo that i preffered. The bog in 1st is driving me mad too from what ive read though im beginning to think its a common problem? and you have to set off at above 2k revs for it to keep going? otherwise it just stops for a second halfway out of junction or going onto roundabout which can be hairy at times! I read that adding millers to tank might help with this anyone tryed it? or any other way round the problem? thanks all

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must be an issue the 115bhp ti vct will easily do the 32 in town motorway low to high 40s ide have it checked

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At this time of year though still?

What fuel are you using zeberdee

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even at this time of year im getting 34mpg and 40 plus motorway i only use tesco 99 ron or Shell unleaded

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Im averaging 32-34 with 25 less ponies, Any service history with it suprising what a clean air filter can do for mpg

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Hi

I must admit the mk3 1.6 is not a fast car, I have found to get the best from the car you have to be in 5th gear as soon as possible. In the summer I was averaging almost 38 mpg on mostly short runs, I have never achieved that on any car I have owned before, In December my average dropped to almost 33 mpg. I expecting it fall to under 30 mpg in January due to defrosting the windows before pulling away.

My old 2000 reg 1.8 estate, I could pull away in 2nd gear most times, with the mk3 1.6 I always have to pull away in first.

the old 1.8 estate averaged 30 miles per gallon on short runs which I thought was good. The old car held the road like a tank, I never had trouble in the ice or snow. The mk3 has very little grip it is easy to get into a skid, at times when the roads are icy I am frightened to go out. It is a summer car, to be honest it is not the best ford I have owned, but the mpg I am happy with. Going up hills I feel like getting out to give it a shove.

Barry T

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I've found the mk3 focus to have a lot of grip.

When my boss test drove one, he said it had too much compared to his mk1, lol.

Are you sure it is not just the tyres you have on?

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The ti vct units require revving they are designed to be revved up to 5-6k to get the best out of them which defeats the fuel saving but you can't have everything the 115 will easily hit 80mph in 3rd gear with revs to spare

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Hi Alex,

You might be right about the tyres my old focus had Goodyear, these are as I remember are standard tyres that came with the car from new, they have about the same depth of tread as my old car,(never measured them to be exact), I have been thinking of buying a spare set of winter tyres to change over. I have no problems when the roads are good, probably the best car I have had for stopping. Did your friend drive the car on snow and ice ? What tyres would you recommend for winter motoring. ?.

I wonder what other owners think about grip on ice and snow with the standard tyres that are fitted on there cars ?

. I think other things affect the way cars handle in snow and ice not just the tyres. I had a mk3 Cortina a lot of years ago ,it was fantastic on the ice and snow, very few cars dare to keep up with me, I always tried to keep within the speed limits, I felt safe, I had another make of car at the same time and I would not have driven it in the same way when the roads were bad.

Barry T

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  • 2 weeks later...

hi all, im using Shell mainly alex sometimes tesco and its been down at 26mpg this last week in the colder spell. Ive had it back into dealer too as the colder weather is making the bog down much worse but they reckon its not happened whilst they have had it....however kids have been frightened to death twice last week as it bogged down upon setting off across junctions on way to school whilst trucks are barelling down on us. I am now having to warm car up for 10 mins before setting off just to avoid an accident getting out of our road on a morning. yes duke it has service history although it missed its first service as was a mobility car and she was ill so it went to 16k with no 1st service, 3 services since last one in november at 31k. Clearly even though its under warranty im going to have to either find fault myself hopefully with ideas from you guys.... or pay another garage to keep it for a while and write a report..... In regard to the ice and snow ive found it to be quite good its got mitchelin tyres on. And the brakes are way ott you cannot break slowly when going slow, its so sharp you virtually eat windscreen each time you brake could do with this remedying too come to think of it. any ideas what i should check/change 1st? cheers everyone

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its a ti vct theres not much you can check to me it sounds like its faulty car bogging down loss of power but you wont know till its plugged in and live data checked since it happens when its a cold engine you would need to leave it with them but the ti vct should give max torque at only 1500rpm this clearly isnt happening it could be the wrong oil was used and its too thick it could be a faulty sensor or ti vct solenoid could be a lot of things to be honest

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HI

I always try to do my own servicing and repairs, to find a good garage today with reasonable prices is difficult.

There has been 5 occasions when I had to rely upon garages, on 3 occasions I was ripped off, and had to put there work right. Can you imaging a garage trying to bleed brakes from a joint in a brake pipe and not at a bleed nipple. the other 2 occasions were just as bad.

I have found to get the best from a car the timing has to spot on, Always replace the oil , filter and air filter and spark plugs at regular intervals. With modern day cars I do not know how you check the timing or adjust it..

Always ensure the engine has the correct grade and amount of oil, do not overfill, My car had just been serviced when I bought it. It had almost a pint of oil in too much. Do not flog the car if you intend to keep it, change gear at the right time I believe if you look after your car it will look after you.

My 14 year old 1.8 focus estate the engine oil was as clean when I parted with it as when it was new, I find when you flog a car the engine oil soon becomes dirty, and the car looses its power as well.

The engine oil in my 1.6 is dirty but I hope this will clear after 2 or 3 more services and careful driving.

To be honest I like the car it has faults but you learn to live with them, when doing over 40 mph in 5th gear you just need to touch the pedal and it takes off, as long as you are not going up a steep incline. The brakes are too severe the car stops dead as soon as you touch them, not good on slippery roads, I like to adjust my breaking by the pressure I apply to the pedal .witch is what I have done on all my other cars.

If anyone knows of a good garage are they allowed to inform others ? or is it against rules.

Barry T

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  • 10 months later...

I'm having similar issues with my MK3 1.6 tivct. In the cold mornings it seems that the tivct isn't kicking in at all. I have to shut the car off and on again for it to actually pull. If I don't do this that car doesn't pull past 3000 revs. It's quite annoying actually. So much so that I'm considering a trade-in for the 1.6 ecoboost but that'll be a while off yet. The car is due a service at the end of this month so maybe that'll help.

There is an update available for the PCM for our cars too btw. I haven't got mine updated yet. I'm wondering if this would make a difference?

You are not alone though, I've heard lots about the sluggishness of these engines.

EDIT: Wow just realised the last post date lol

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A ti vct will not give full power till the engine warms up shouldn't take long though definately shouldn't be sluggish either as for oil mines usualy clean up till its service and its a mk2

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A ti vct will not give full power till the engine warms up shouldn't take long though definately shouldn't be sluggish either as for oil mines usualy clean up till its service and its a mk2

It does take a while, especially these cold mornings, for the engine to warm up. Anything 4degrees and lower I have to restart the car 1/2 times before it runs properly. Once it's up and running it's great. Bar the fact the engine has barely any torque/pull at all but that's just the engine. Think it's like 117lbs/ft or something.

Sent from the pub with a pint in the other hand.

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