2007 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI - MELTED IGNITION RELAY

[Mintnick2]

I would like to share my last break down.

I own a 2007 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI Style Climate.

One evening I used the car to nip to the shops. I returned home. All was fine.

Less than hour later, of using the car, I went to move the car, this was when the problem started.

Just turning the key in the ignition (to dash lights on position), it was evident something was up!

Upon starting the car, goes into a sort of limp mode, no accelerator, no fan, electric Windows, no brake lights

no fan, various lights on dashboard, ABS light, Brake Light, Engine Management Light, inconsisted revs,

always ending back to idle speed,cog with explanation mark.

 

SYMPTOMS EXPERIENCE

(Key turned to position 2 - lights on dash stage)

Dash behaved differently, LCD display, not displaying anything correctly, just horizontal lines.

Gauges doing sweeps. 

 

(Key turned to position 3 - start engine)

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

Car starts fine

Dash brake light on

Dash ABS light on

Dash Engine Malfunction light on

Unresponsive accelerator pedal, if peddle push to the floor, after 8-10 secs the engine eventually revved climbing steadily. Taking foot off the pedal does nothing and the engine revs all the way to 4500rpm all by itself for several loud seconds, eventually dropping back to idle level on its own. After this, it is no longer possible to repeat any additional revving. (One time only action, upon each engine start)

A result of the revving, then added a further dash light to illuminate, yellow cog with explanation mark and flash!

Other electrical functions not working:

Fan/blower / AC not working

Rear brake lights not working

Electric Windows not working ( don't lock the doors - like I did when trying to figure stuff out managed to lock myself in the car!)

basically the car is proper broke.

WHAT DOES WORK

What I was able to do, was turn the head lights on, switch hazard lights on, move the car on just the clutch alone (I live on TOP of a hill and was able to get the car to the garage just driving just on the clutch alone using 1st and 2nd gear, slow but worked.) 

INITIAL ECU DIANOSTICS FOR FAULT CODES

I don't recall the actual fault codes, the garage listed to me, but they were not convinced that the fault codes listed were the reason to why the car was behaving the way it did. They did suggest that possibly the ECU could be knackered?

AUTOELECTRICAN 

without any messing about, and second guessing, the garage sent the car off to auto electrician specialist. 

Same day the car was dropped off, the fault was found.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM ?

Melted ignition relay

burnt wire

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

Basically the ignition relay handles a lot going through it, basically most of the electrical functions go through it.

bascially the list of failed electrical functions above, (high electrical functions.)

over time, if these functions are on, when starting a car, the relay will over a long period of time will eventually malfunction. It was the original relay so 12 years ain't bad service.

TOP TIP SUGGESTION

Before Turing the key to start the car, turn off electrical functions not needed until, car is started, in my case that would be the air conditioning, fan etc. 

 

REASON WHY I WANTED TO SHARE MY BREAK DOWN EXPERIENCE

If you are like me?, I did searches on line and on forums to try and figure out the cause of the issue with my car and relate my symptoms to what others have experienced and there were many viable suggestions. Based on my symptoms, these were what made me think, could be the cause with my car:

the Fly-by-wire accelerator could need replacing ?

glow plugs or a single glow plug replacing ?

MAF sensor needs replacing or cleaning ?

Crank speed sensor replacing ?

complete new ECU replacement ?

GLAD I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE, WHO TOOK IT TO AN AUTO ELECTRICIAN.

This saved a heap needless money spending and lost of money.

 

HOPE THIS HELPS OTHERS.