Help please

[Darren b]

Hi there

can anyone please help me?

i have a focus cc3 2008

i had a fault and used an ecu reader,but when I plugged in I tried to start the car ;(

now it won't start ;(

i noticed the radio was saying 1 hour

habe I blew a fuse ?

not sure what I've done ;( 

thanks 

darren

[Darren b]

Hi again

ive put the battery on charge ,because it died trying to start it

i managed to get it started 

left it 10 mins running to charge it more

then turned it off

went back 10 mins later and all I got was click click click 

is the battery completely dead or have I blown something or broken something 

any help would be greatly received 

darren 

[GMX]

A flat battery require a lot longer than an hour and 10 minutes to recharge it, whilst you might get one, or possibly two starts of out it, it needs to be charged for several hours, or overnight on a trickle charger.  If you keep only partially charging it and then flattening it, you could damage it,.

You can work out how long it will require charging, by dividing the capacity of your battery by the the output of your charger

For instance, on my Mk2 Focus the battery has a capacity of 85Ah, and my charger delivers 8 amps, I can work out from being completely dead, it will take 10½-10¾ hours roughly, to recharge.

 

[Tdci-Peter]

11 hours ago, Darren b said:

i had a fault and used an ecu reader,but when I plugged in I tried to start the car ;(

now it won't start ;(

Hi,

You need to be a bit more specific & detailed, really. Some info like:

Engine type (Petrol/Diesel)

What was the original fault symptom that needed the scanner, as it may be linked to the fail to start.

Did the scanner work at all. They should work ok (to read codes) with ignition on, but engine off.

When trying to start, did it crank over ok. Did you crank it for long periods, or for short bursts, say 10 sec with 30 sec (or more) resting? Long cranking time can damage the starter motor or solenoid.

When it did start, was there anything unusual?

Sorry if this sounds like an interrogation, but fault finding is like that, looking at all the evidence, and eliminating impossibilities.

Like Ghana (GMX) says, try an overnight charge (if the charger is a suitable type, & not some high current boost starter job). Then you need to get hold of a multimeter to test battery voltage.

It is very rare that plugging in a scanner will do any damage.

The attempts to start could have been enough to kill off a battery that was nearing end of life.

Long cranking could have damaged the starter. Measuring battery voltage will show this. With a dead battery, voltage will drop rapidly when cranking. With bad solenoid, voltage will hold up. Bad starter motor could go either way, if the battery voltage dips a bit then holds, and the motor seems to be trying, but not turning, and gets warm, then that would indicate a problem there.

It needs a step by step, logical approach. This situation is a little complex, because there may be two faults, the original one, and now a duff battery or starter.

We will help if we can, but you have to give good information!

 

[Darren b]

Thanks for the replies 

I brought a new battery 

the same battery had been in for 8 years 

the car is a 2.0 diesel 

the code I picked up for the dash was the key

then when I plugged the reader in it came up with something to do with the additive for the fuel from what I've read

sonesame disconnect the sensor and it will sorry this ?

is this true

if so I don't know where to find this on the cc3 cabriolets 

can anyone help

the car did start with a new battery

iwint know if it holds its charge,as I'm away till next Monday now 

thanks again for your answers 

 

[Tdci-Peter]

4 hours ago, Darren b said:

I plugged the reader in it came up with something to do with the additive for the fuel

That sounds like the fuel additive tank that puts doses of Eolys fluid into the main fuel tank. This Eolys is needed to allow the DPF to regenerate (self-clean). Without it, the DPF would clog with soot, generate more errors, and eventually prevent the engine from working properly.

The additive tank is under the car beside the fuel tank, on the fuel filler side, I think.  It is not very easy to get at without the car being up on ramps, and is probably a garage job to refill it.

You need to check the exact code, to see if it is saying tank low or empty, or some other fault.

A DIY refill is possible, but the proper fluid is expensive, there are at least two different types (which are not supposed to be mixed), and the system may need re-setting with a computer connected to the diagnostic connector after filling. It is only recommended for fairly experienced DIY mechanics, really.

That is the best I can say from the info I have.

For the battery, 8 years is not too bad a life, and running it down with repeated starts could well have finished it off. See how the new one goes.

Keep us posted when you return!