New Focus 1.5Tdci

[Bailes]

I sent my trusty MK4 Mondeo in for a new DMF and flywheel. Even with 149k on the clock I was always convinced it was on the original flywheel and clutch. I was quite smitten with my Mondeo. It went well, was awesome on fuel and I always trusted it to get me where I needed to go. I never worried that it wouldn't make it anywhere! Infact I've been all over europe in it.

I should have known the DMF and clutch couldn't possibly be the original. It done a track day, many hill climbs and had a remap at 122k. I had no paperwork off the lease company that owned it prior related to a replacment DMF so I can only assume it was done under warrenty.

I had a phonecall 7pm one evening when the mechanic stayed on to work on the car telling me there was an issue. The flywheel had been replaced previously (was Sachs not FoMoCo) and whoever had fitted it as badly cross threaded two of the bolts.

Our options being to tap and thread the hole which had very little metal left, pop some threadlock on it and hope for the best or fit a new crank.

Being that the car was only worth £2500 at most I decided to cut my losses and sell it spares or repair. It had been a good workhorse and always got me where I wanted to go, I never had to worry about it and if I started bodging things now I'd be constantly worried that the bolt would come loose.

So it was time to find a new car!

My plan was to get something old, run it for 18 months and buy my Fathers F30 320d when the lease was up but I decided against that. I do 25k a year so running an old car wasn't practical. It was a shame as I had a 5 or 6 cylinder itch that required scratching.

I went to a Ford dealer first and was amazed at how nice the new MK3 Focus' are! Not just by how well they are built and look but the amount of spec on them.

There was a few availible in different colours and spec's and I went for this one!

So after a week with the focus I thought it was time I got some better pictures up.
So it's a...
2015 Ford Focus Titanium
1.5TDCi (120ps)
Appearence Pack
Sat Nav with SYNC2
Spare Wheel








I'm actually really impressed with it. I was expecting it to feel like a downgrade from the Mondeo but it really doesn't.
The Sat Nav with SYNC is a great bit of kit and really easy to use! The only confusing bit is the fact you can control the climate with it even though there is a separate heating control panel? I feel they done it just to fill a corner on the screen!
Only gripe with it is the fingerprints!





One of the handiest features is the two USB ports and the Line In.
One USB port located under the climate control panel...

And the rest of the connections in the armrest...


It's also got a small colour display in the instrument cluster where you will find two separate trip computers and a verity of different setting and information about the car such as tyre pressures etc.


The engine?
Well it's based on the old PSA derived DV6. It's has a shorter stroke which reduces the cylinder capacity to 1.5 litres.
It's actually the quietest and smoothest diesel I've ever driven. No sign of turbo lag and It has a lovely power band from 1200rpm all the way to 5000rpm with a nice smooth and even pull right through the rev range. I'm impressed with how quick it actually feels!



I do have a few niggles as you expect with a new car.
Sometimes when changing gear the revs hold for a bit too long or increase slightly even though my foot is off the accelerator. Also when you're doing a constant speed around 1750-2000rpm and you put your foot down a bit the car can hesitate and sometimes jerks before it starts to pull. I suspect both issues simply require a PCM update with some newer software for the ECU. I was expecting this sort of thing as it's a brand new engine for ford.
Other issue is there's a little dirt under the paint on the bonnet. I'm unsure if it's even worth mentioning to ford? Afraid it'll come back from Fords bodyshop with even more issues. I don't think anyone would even see it without being shown it.


And there's a bit of etching on the grille. It will come off with some polish but none to happy about it!


But all in all I'm very happy with the car, and so is the missus which is a bonus! :cheesy:

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

Nice. :)

[chrisroberson99]

Lovely! One of these with the 125ps Ecoboost and Candy Red would be my dream first car.

[Bailes]

Unfortunately I've had loads of issues with it, one issue is the engine
intermittently bogs down and/or cuts out for a split second when you go
to accelerate Ford admit they currently have no way of repairing but
won't offer me a replacement car or a refund.



It always happens when you've used little to no throttle for a bit and then start to feed in some more throttle.

Sometimes the engine bogs down and feels like someone is applying the
brakes before it picks up, sometimes nothing happens for a few seconds
before it shoots off (almost feels like turbo lag) and sometimes the
engine cuts out quite harshly for a split second before it starts to go.
The latter almost feels like you hit something in the road.

The fault is intermittent, most of the time the car drives fine but I
hate having anything wrong with my car and this really frustrates me.



The car has been returned to Ford 13 times, the last time it was
returned I was advised by the tech at the dealer that there was a few
others complaining of the same thing and it is a programming glitch with
the EGR valve. As so few people were complaining of it there was
nothing they could do and no repair available.



I have recorded live data of the fault happening.







The graph shows in order of top to bottom...

Throttle Position (%) in RED

Engine Speed (RPM) in GREEN

Road Speed (KPH) in LIGHT BLUE

Fuel Delivery/Flow (L/H) in PINK

Fuel Desired (MM³) in YELLOW

Fuel Rail Pressure (Volts) in BLUE

Inlet Manifold Pressure (kpa) in PINK

Mass Airflow (g/sec) in ORANGE

EGR Position (Volts) in RED

ECU Volts in GREEN.





At 1549.06s (about a third of the way across from the left) you can see
on the top red line I have increased my throttle position. At which
point the fuel delivery (PINK) and the Fuel Desired (YELLOW) have
both nosedived to nearly zero before they start to increase. You can
also see where my RPM (GREEN) dropped slightly as a result.

This is the cutting out/bogging down/hesitation I'm feeling.

I'm now 100% sure this is a calibration issue as all the sensors are still reporting perfectly acceptable readings.



And again at 1850.58 and at 1858.88 (half way)...





But yet where I accelerate just before 1880.39 the car pulls absolutely fine with no hesitation what so ever.



I've finally decided to stop getting stressed about it and to just live
with it. Constantly chasing it up with Ford Customer Relations (who are a
complete waste of time should I add) to be let down or fobbed off was
making me more and more angry.



The paint was always dull, hazy, full of imperfections and there was dirt in the paint all over the car.

I was told by Bridgend Ford that there was nothing wrong with it, it
would be unreasonable for me to expect the paintwork to be perfect and
that I was just being picky.





















The car covered in masking tape...









In the end Newport Ford flatted the paint back and polished it up and it
came up an absolute treat. Couldn't believe the difference. It had a
few buffer trails and swirls so I run over it today with a finishing
polish with a DA and tidied up the tarnished chrome.







Tarnished Grill...



After...





Tarnished chrome around the fog lights...



After...









And my cat...





So I've given up caring about the hesitation issue now. It's obvious
Ford aren't in any rush to fix it. I can hope it gets fixed within the
next 2.5 years but I'm not convinced. My main issue now is getting a
goodwill gesture out of them for the lost earnings, courtesy car costs
and stress the car has caused me the past 6 months during the 14 times
it's had to be returned. This means lots of slagging them off on their
Facebook page and a few bad reviews here and there.

As soon as the car is out of warranty it will be having DPF & EGR
removal with a Stage 1 remap. It should be around 150bhp with 380nm,
enough to keep me amused for a few years. To be fair, it goes well now!



Ford have agreed a repair for my broken heated windscreen and some loose
trim in the boot so I need to get the car booked in soon to sort that.

Handy that I'm getting a new windscreen, saves my excess getting it replaced since I already have 6 chips in it!



So now I'm pretty convinced I'm going to be keeping it I thought I'd start doing a few things.



I stuck my Missus personal plate on the car because, why not? It can't
go on her lease car and it was a waste just having it on retention.







And I bought some silver lamps to tidy things up.















Unfortunately while I was changing the lamp in the O/S mirror unit I was
a bit too rough on the mirror housing, the back popped off and landed
on the floor. There is very little damage but I can see it from the
drivers seat which is !Removed! annoying. I'll have to paint it soon.
:supafrisk:



It had an oil change a month or two ago at 6500miles. It'll be having
it's first service soon at 12,500miles. Currently showing just shy of
10k.



I bought a roof rack and two bike racks at a cost of... £272 for genuine
Ford items. To be fair even the Halfords aero units were
coming in at £257. I decided to pay the little bit extra.





And que a ride up the Afan forest on the weekend.





I need to get a list together of what I want to do to the car in order of priority and what is warranty friendly and what isn't.

Warranty Friendly

- Towbar with car specific module which talks to the ESP to stabilise the trailer during snaking. £470inc VAT.

- Zetec S front bumper £318 + Painting & Fitting

- Zetec S Side Skirts £306 + Painting & Fitting

- Zetec S Rear Bumper £293 + Painting & Fitting

- Zetec S Rear Spoiler £282.99 + Painting & Fitting

- Zetec S Fog Lights £102

- Ford Accessories Illuminated Gear Knob £121.38

- Ford Illuminated Scuff Plates £228.99

- Eibach Lowering Kit 35mm £170.38

- Ford Umbrella Holder £24

- Climair Load Protection Pack (a bit of plastic to cover the bumper just before the boot) £97.71

- Climair Wind Deflectors £77.62

- Wheels. I want 18" alloys of some sort. It will be a case of whatever I can find for a good price.



Those prices are Ford RRP. I'm hoping some parts can be purchased much
cheaper second hand or even with big discounts through Ford. I certainly
won't pay RRP for any of them.

The towbar is from Bank Farm Trailers. I won't be able to get that any cheaper.



Out of warranty it'll be the usual intake, intercooler, DPF & EGR
removal, custom exhaust and a stage one remap. Just like I did with my
Mondeo.



I fancy a decent sound system again, haven't had anything other than
standard systems since my last Focus. I will keep the standard Ford SYNC
head unit but fit a 5/6 channel amplifier with high level inputs
powering a set of door components front & rear and one 10" or two 8"
subwoofers. I think I will have to strip the interior and sound deaden
everything. The amount of rattles for a 6 month old car is unreal! I've
had the passengers door card off twice already.



I do fancy a Focus ST interior too. It would have to be a full leather one though.

[mcy96]

any updates on your mod list mate on whats been done to the car.