Hello all so I have recently picked up my 59 plate 1.6 Petrol focus with 95k miles on the clock, i have a few little issues with it that have cropped up while being used. this is my first time ever owning a ford so i am completely clueless about them so sorry if any of the bits i mention are stupid or not issues,

 

Things I've noticed with the car so far.

• The car seems to idle anywhere between around 1100-1200 (1300 is the highest i saw it and it was a very cold morning that day) but usually tends to be on the lower end on first start up (cold start or warm) and will sit there until i pull off, it then drops to around 800/900, i have tried with the AC and heating systems turned on and off and both still read the same.
• I remember from when my parents had their focus (they had a 10 plate from new) there use to be alarms/chimes to alert the driver (seat belts weren't on & door was open etc.) mine doesn't make any noise at all except the key in ignition and driver door open but i do get a door open warning however the the most worrying is the seat belts, there is no warning lights that come on when the belt(s) are not being worn but the little man come ups on the dash when first start the car, i've checked all the belts and the pretensioner cables all seem ok except i do have a damaged drivers side seat belt buckle (held together with tape at the bottom of the plastic moulding missed it when i brought the car otherwise would of been fixed much sooner) which is being replaced just waiting on the part being delivered.
• The red battery light intermittently comes on under use and sometimes stays on for 2/3 minutes when turning the car on but the car doesn't seem any different and lights do not lose any power etc. I've had the alternator & battery both tested are OK and operating as normal, i have had the car scanned and no error codes were present
• When i use the rear demister i get a warning message on the cluster that the passenger door is open and boot open it will also set of the internal lights, it will also flash up passenger door open when the indicator is active but only when indicating to turn left. 

I have had the instrument cluster sent to be tested as i read it can be a common fault issue with these cars, however it was tested all ok no faults found.

 

Secondly i hate the whole buying a new car every couple of years malarkey so i want to keep this car for quite a while so don't mind spending a bit on making sure its all running right providing it isn't completely impractical to do so,

• What are the main things that need to be checked/looked at? i have a Haynes Manual and am not afraid to get my hands a little dirty. what bits can be done DIY and what is best left to the dealer?
• I've got a cheap Bluetooth obd reader however i read somewhere they aren't good enough for ford cars and to get a ford dealer scanner box is this something worth me getting my hands on?
• i will be booking looking at getting a full service & winter health check on the car in the coming weeks is there anything else i should get done at the same time? is there any benefit to me sending it 20 mile directly to the nearest main dealer or can the local ford approved garage do the same thing?
• what would be the best service interval for my car given the age i expect to do anywhere from 12-15k miles a year.

 

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for any help and advice!

Ryan 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Ryan p93 said:

The car seems to idle anywhere between around 1100-1200 (1300 is the highest i saw it and it was a very cold morning that day) but usually tends to be on the lower end on first start up (cold start or warm) and will sit there until i pull off, it then drops to around 800/900

Completely normal for a cold start. You'll find pretty much every car does this.

5 hours ago, Ryan p93 said:

I've got a cheap Bluetooth obd reader however i read somewhere they aren't good enough for ford cars and to get a ford dealer scanner box is this something worth me getting my hands on?

A modified Elm327 cable and Forscan downloaded onto a laptop is what you need. It's pretty pointless if you're just going to get a code and send it to a garage though. Code readers are only worth the money of you're actually going to fix the fault yourself.

5 hours ago, Ryan p93 said:

i will be booking looking at getting a full service & winter health check on the car in the coming weeks is there anything else i should get done at the same time? is there any benefit to me sending it 20 mile directly to the nearest main dealer or can the local ford approved garage do the same thing?

Any garage can do a full service. There's no point sending the car to Ford for servicing if you plan on running it into the ground. Any reputable independent garage can do just as good of a job. Tbh anyone with a socket set can service their own car really, it's not a specialist job whatsoever.

You can do a so called "winter health check" yourself. It's only checking the basics like screenwash, tyres, brakes, lamps, wipers.

5 hours ago, Ryan p93 said:

what would be the best service interval for my car given the age i expect to do anywhere from 12-15k miles a year.

Not quite sure what you mean by "best" service interval. Just follow the one Ford gives you which you can find on http://www.etis.ford.com . Just type in your reg and download the service schedule (you may have to sign up as an independent dealer, but is still free).