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Exhaust filter limit reached - on petrol car?


Morty40
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So much for economy if you have to thrash a new car down the Motorway. Ive alwas had Fords for 40 plus years and my 1.6 Mk3 ecoboost is the worst I have had for faults and recalls. Was going to buy a 1.5 Vignale as my last car but having second thoughts now. What ever happened to testing and ironing out these issues before they get to market ? All i can think of is perhaps the bean counters have their say before it gets to market!!!!

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Car just returned from the dealers. The answer on the exhaust limit issue appears to be 'tough'!

you need to drive the car until the message drops even though you are driving far more miles that you expect. Shame Ford are not paying for the extra petrol!

Point noted re Sport mode. I will try that and see if this helps.

Anyone having issues with the Sync 3 locking out? My dealer advised me that they have piles a customers cards to call when the new software update comes from Ford. No idea when this will be. In the mean time suggests I disable auto update.

Sad times...……….

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3 hours ago, Htpearg0 said:

So much for economy if you have to thrash a new car down the Motorway. Ive alwas had Fords for 40 plus years and my 1.6 Mk3 ecoboost is the worst I have had for faults and recalls. Was going to buy a 1.5 Vignale as my last car but having second thoughts now. What ever happened to testing and ironing out these issues before they get to market ? All i can think of is perhaps the bean counters have their say before it gets to market!!!!

It's all down to ever decreasing emissions limits set by higher powers than manufacturers.  They don't have long to get a car & engine designed, put into production and on the road so modern cars are released full of issues.  The first people to buy them are the guinea pigs, telling the dealers of any issues which are then resolved through module updates at services or recalls if it's a safety concern.

With GPFs, we know they will cause issues, just like DPFs do, but it's for the health of the population so it's just something we'll all have to put up with until we go fully electric...

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3 hours ago, Andyr55 said:

Car just returned from the dealers. The answer on the exhaust limit issue appears to be 'tough'!

you need to drive the car until the message drops even though you are driving far more miles that you expect. Shame Ford are not paying for the extra petrol!

Point noted re Sport mode. I will try that and see if this helps.

Anyone having issues with the Sync 3 locking out? My dealer advised me that they have piles a customers cards to call when the new software update comes from Ford. No idea when this will be. In the mean time suggests I disable auto update.

Sad times...……….

Sync3 locking out/freezing  is quite common. As you have been advised, switching off auto update will stop it. Any updating on sync via WiFi doesn't work anyway. 

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19 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

It's all down to ever decreasing emissions limits set by higher powers than manufacturers.  They don't have long to get a car & engine designed, put into production and on the road so modern cars are released full of issues.  The first people to buy them are the guinea pigs, telling the dealers of any issues which are then resolved through module updates at services or recalls if it's a safety concern.

With GPFs, we know they will cause issues, just like DPFs do, but it's for the health of the population so it's just something we'll all have to put up with until we go fully electric...

Sorry Tom I have to disagree. I was always taught get it right first time, after all how much does it cost for all the recalls etc never mind the public perception of the brand. To tell people they need to drive up a motorway just adds to the polution uneccessary. As far as electric vehicles go they may be clean at the point if use but the electricity needs to be generated and the material for the batteries needs to be mined

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I didn't say I agreed with it, but that's the way the modern automotive industry is now.  It really frustrates me as well, as I need to rely on a car 100% due to health issues, yet there just aren't any modern, economical cars without a load of potential issues, it's not just the EcoBoosts, look at the TSIs, the PureTechs, etc, and that's without all of the reliability issues that come with diesels.  Recalls cost very little compared to the profits from the millions of cars that are churned out.  And recalls are only done for safety issues.  Most 'minor' problems are only addressed if the customer complains, which will be a small percentage of the affected vehicles, and a lot of that will only be done during servicing so no extra cost to the manufacturer.

Particulates aren't really an environmental issue, they're a localised human issue, this is why there's such a push towards low particulates in built up areas in recent years, DPFs/GPFs, stop start, low speed electric use on hybrids etc.  It's not like NOx & CO2 which cause huge environmental issues wherever they're dumped.  Full electric cars are designed for this localised emission issue, to stop us getting fined for being above the emissions limits in some cities, mining for batteries doesn't affect us, regardless of how selfish that sounds.  With regards to power from the grid, there are very few 'dirty' power stations left in the UK now, mostly nuclear or wind/water which of course produce very little CO2 compared to coal or gas.

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Actually NOx is also a serious concern in built-up areas.

I look forward to the time when electric cars become really mainstream and competitive with IC in terms of initial cost and range. At my age I probably won't live to see it, though, and even if I do I'll probably have to have given up driving by then.

One thing relating to electric car range that I don't recall ever seeing discussed is what impact using the battery power to heat the interior has. I recently watched this video discussing the relative merits of hydrogen fuel-cell power vs batteries which concluded that batteries were much more cost-effective but I reckon that battery technology still has a very long way to go to reach anywhere near the energy density of hydrocarbons or hydrogen.

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16 minutes ago, mjt said:

Actually NOx is also a serious concern in built-up areas.

I look forward to the time when electric cars become really mainstream and competitive with IC in terms of initial cost and range. At my age I probably won't live to see it, though, and even if I do I'll probably have to have given up driving by then.

One thing relating to electric car range that I don't recall ever seeing discussed is what impact using the battery power to heat the interior has. I recently watched this video discussing the relative merits of hydrogen fuel-cell power vs batteries which concluded that batteries were much more cost-effective but I reckon that battery technology still has a very long way to go to reach anywhere near the energy density of hydrocarbons or hydrogen.

Sorry, that was poor wording on my part.  NOx definitely is a localised issue, causing damage to humans as well as buildings.  But also causes much wider global problems as well, particularly at light load, motorway cruising speed which had been the focus over the last few years.  Particulates don't tend to travel far from the road so they're only now being looked at and are the latest issue, hence the introduction of GPFs very recently.

You won't have to give up driving due to age...cars will be full electric and self-driving by then! :biggrin:

Fitting solar panels to electric car rooves (roofs?) and using regenerative braking systems should go some way to helping to power accessories but I agree on a dark, cold morning when you want a lot of electrical consumers on together it's not going to work well...Ford may have to give up the heated windscreen...

I don't personally see hydrogen ever becoming popular in the UK at least, it would need far too much infrastructure built.  We already have decent electrical supplies which can be easily adapted, as long as they work out how to cope with the extra demand.

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Just as an update, my new Focus Titanium was in the dealer yesterday for the exhaust filter issue. 

All sorted he said...…….

used the car today and the warning came on as soon as I pressed the ignition.

come on Ford get this sorted.

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I wonder if the GPF isn't passively regenerating as well as expected, due to the recent cold temperatures.

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Here is the reply from one of Alan Barrett (MD and Chairman FordUK) assistants regarding the warning message Exhaust Filter at Limit Drive to Clean

"I have just been in contact with the dealership to confirm their analysis of the situation and what the course should be going forward. 

The dealership technician has confirmed what you state in your letter to us, that there is currently no course of action to be undertaken to address the warning light. They have also stated this isn’t something to worry over, as the ‘Drive to Clean’ text, translates that driving the vehicle will clean/address the issue through continued use, and that the warning light is of an advisory nature addressing possible driving style. The dealership’s diagnosis is also mirrored by Ford’s Technical team.  

After speaking with Ford’s Technical team, they did refer to the owner’s manual in relation to this warning, whereby it suggests; driving in a range of conditions including highway and motorway for 20 minutes or until the warning vanishes, avoiding prolonged engine idling and selecting gears to maintain 1500-4000rpm. 

In summary, there is no further course of action to be taken at this time, with no manufacturing defect to address. If however you do experience any other concerns in the future, please do not hesitate to contact your local Ford dealership. "

So it appears Ford do not believe there is a issue and we should follow the recommendation in the manual, which I am sure we all have been doing. What I do not understand is despite following this recommendation, why does it appear so soon on your next drive and how can your driving style be judged, when you have driven no more than 2 miles? I have gone back with that question so will wait and see what happens. i have suggested their technicians google "Exhaust Filter at Limit Drive to Clean" where they will find this thread.

I have also found this website,which mentions under bad, our problem. Maybe they picked it up from our forum

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/focus-2018/good/

Finally a question to those who are more car savvy than me, would using Super Unleaded help?

 

 

 

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Are you still finding by using sport mode the message does not appear?

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I tried Sport mode and the message still appears nearly every day 😞

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I suspect the problem isn't helped if you follow the suggested gear change indicator in the display. I noticed mine (albeit it's a 1.5) today at 30mph happily in third, just over 2000rpm, was recommending I should be in 5th!!!. Similarly at 40mph in 4th, was suggesting 6th, crazy!!! Driving to those suggested changes would certainly never get the GPF to temperature...

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38 minutes ago, ianincheshire said:

I suspect the problem isn't helped if you follow the suggested gear change indicator in the display. I noticed mine (albeit it's a 1.5) today at 30mph happily in third, just over 2000rpm, was recommending I should be in 5th!!!. Similarly at 40mph in 4th, was suggesting 6th, crazy!!! Driving to those suggested changes would certainly never get the GPF to temperature...

Exactly the same for me with the gear change indicator. I've the 1.0 ecoboost and it's the same thing recommending a higher gear. A similar comment was made on the HonestJohn thread.

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The gearchange indicator is a legal requirement now, it's there to help you achieve the lowest possible CO2 figures under normal circumstances.  However it doesn't take into account the need to drive harder now and then to keep the GPF and other parts in good order.

30 in 3rd seems a bit low though, surely 4th would be more appropriate for 30 with a 6sp 'box?

Out of interest, has anyone noticed the GPF performing an active regen yet?  And if so, does the gearchange indicator recommend a lower gear under these circumstances?  My diesel Golf does this during DPF regen but the Mk3 Focus didn't, just wondered if it's something they'd incorporated into the Mk4 as it does help to complete regens, even in an urban situation.

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12 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

 

30 in 3rd seems a bit low though, surely 4th would be more appropriate for 30 with a 6sp 'box?

I also use 3rd for 30 nowadays. Even then it's very easy to creep over 30 inadvertently as I did a while back, unfortunately caught on camera😱. I would have used 4th back in my diesel driving days but with turbo petrol find 20 in 2nd, 30 in 3rd, 40 in 4th etc works for me.

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I find the ecoboost engine happier around the 2000 rpm mark, going down to 1500 (which would be 30 in 4th) doesn't feel right. Maybe it's me normally driving a Mondeo 2l 180bhp diesel!. In comparison to that the Ecoboost engine seems to lack torque at the low rpm. In the past I've always found the wife's Ecoboost Fiesta happier at the higher rpm.  The company Mondeo is going back on Wednesday and I'm retiring (well almost) so we've replaced the Fiesta with the Focus as our only car, unless you count the 1975 MGB GT in the garage which only comes out on warm dry sunny days!

 

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Was trying a Mk 4 for comfort in the dealer the other day and was quite impressed. Wouldn't be going for the 1.0 anyway in a Focus so will be interested to see how you get on with the 1.5 (150ps I presume?). I 'm still coming to terms with the (relative) lack of torque in a petrol after many years of turbo-diesels. I guess in the case of the 1.5 vs. the 180 diesel Mondeo you're looking at around 180 lb/ft against around 295 ? Quite a drop.

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You presume right. It's a Titanium so the 150ps is the only 1.5 petrol option.  I preferred the spec of the Titanium as opposed to the St-Line at a similar price. I was also impressed with the space and finish of the Focus. Apart from the smaller boot the Focus is comparable in interior space to the Mondeo and the Titanium spec is almost the same. I did consider a Mini Clubman and had one on 48 hour test drive. It had too many niggles though, the worst being awful rear view. Took a 1.5 Focus estate for a test drive and it really impressed me.

As for how I get on with mine, it's going to be a while before I can say.  We're off to warmer climes shortly for a few weeks, so the Focus wont do many miles until April! 

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26 minutes ago, ianincheshire said:

You presume right. It's a Titanium so the 150ps is the only 1.5 petrol option.

Yes, afaik the 180ps is only available on ST-Line X at present which gets quite pricey and as it's still the same torque as the 150 I wonder if it's worth it. Quite interested to see how the ST is priced when it appears as that should have a lot more torque! Enjoy the warmer climes!🌞

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Lad at work has just ordered the 182hp dragon engine st line X . Will be interesting to see what he thinks of it. 

I keep thinking maybe I could get a new focus , but every week I get put off by issues you don't all see , and my old MK3 seems  more appealing to keep longer. 

Maybe when the MK4 has been out a 18months I might reconsider. 

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On ‎1‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 4:22 PM, TomsFocus said:

 so it's just something we'll all have to put up with until we go fully electric...

Never gonna happen 😉

 

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3 hours ago, iantt said:

Lad at work has just ordered the 182hp dragon engine st line X . Will be interesting to see what he thinks of it. 

I keep thinking maybe I could get a new focus , but every week I get put off by issues you don't all see , and my old MK3 seems  more appealing to keep longer. 

Maybe when the MK4 has been out a 18months I might reconsider. 

On top of the gpf, oil pressure warning, Sync 3 issues - there's more? Oh dear! Any chance you could spill the odd bean, Ian?

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