So my son has a 2009 1.8TDCi, its a MK2.5 . So after a year of faultless running today get in the car and it says engine malfunction.

Plug Forscan in and nothing, cannot read the ECU, can't even connect to the car, so I have a look at the fusebox, all ok, I disconnect the battery, leave it 10 mins, reconnect and the car starts, but now says reduced acceleration or something, I had a cheap bluetooth reader so plugged that in and it actually read the ecu, don't have the list on me now but there was a whole list of U errors and some powertrain ones, I cleared the codes and the car started straight up, nothing on the dash.

So thought a run down the road may clear its system as its been sat around for a week or so, get on the dual carriageway and the clocks drop to zero, rpm to zero, engine malfunction on dash, engine still running but if I press the accelerator nothing happens. So armed with my ratchet and 10mm I disconnected the battery, plugged it back in, again read and cleared the codes and managed to get it home again.

Any idea what on earth is going on? I have read a few threads from people with similar things but I wonder why after the battery has been disconnected it will then reconnect to the obd adapter when before it wouldn't etc. 

Is there anything that stands out for anyone? Anything I should be looking at?

 

To add to this it did happen about a month ago, drove somewhere and all was fine, got back in the car and engine malfunction, I dropped down the fuseboard, pushed some connectors and fuses to make sure all in ok, and still the same issue, left it for about 20 minutes and it started 😕

Possibly, the Cluster solder problem.

I did wonder if it could be that, I am currently doing microsoldering so could take it out and have a look.

I did wonder if it could be that, I am currently doing microsoldering so could take it out and have a look.

 

Update : So took the clocks out this morning and looks like someone has already had them out before, I know this because the bolts holding the clocks in are missing. 

So had a look at the circuit board and nothing obvious, hard to tell whether its been soldered before but no signs of flux or anything so I resoldered each pin anyway, put it back together and so far no faults, ran the car for a while, lots of hot air in the cabin to warm it up and still ok, will take a look later and hopefully a test run tomorrow.

sounds like you have sussed it out 🙂

Do hope so, will know after the test run and a few days of short journeys etc. But hopefully that will be it now.

Also before Forscan wouldn't connect to the car and now it does

Spoke too soon, just went to test the car now its cold and came up with engine malfunction again, took key out, put back in and it started

Sorry to hear that. Guess see how it goes? I know there is a company out there who you can send the dash off to and they can fully check it and re-solder it. https://www.ecutesting.com/common-faults/ford/focus-dashdashboard-instrument-cluster/

They have a decent reputation. Might be an option? Just checked their prices. Very reasonable I think.

Its not really viable to be honest, for a start a lot of these companies won't work on units that have been opened previously, this one had and someone has scraped the board while getting it out, though the multimeter shows the traces aren't affected.

I can get a secondhand instrument cluster for about £50 with guarantee, if I can code it to the car myself and adjust the mileage to match the current one then that maybe a better and cheaper way forward.

All this is assuming it is actually the instrument cluster thats the issue

So, decided that I will send the clocks off after all, test fees are about £60 so will get it tested and if faulty then get it fixed as at the moment I am just grabbing at straws as to what the issue might be and if the clocks are the issue then they need to be fixed though my own analysis doesn't show any cracks on the connection pins so could be hit and miss as to whether they find anything wrong.

Getting a secondhand cluster would give me the hassle of getting it coded and the possibility it may end up with the same faults due to age etc anyway

It is one way to rule out at least. I suppose in A way you want them to find something wrong with the cluster 🙂

Anyone happen to know the bolt size of the bolts that fix the clocks in place? Mine were missing? I did ask my Ford dealer who said they couldn't find those parts but would sell me a new instrument cluster for £867+vat which comes with the bolts. I declined

maybe the comopany you sent the cluster off to will give you some bolts or give you that info?

 

It's been tested and they report it as faulty, so being rebuilt and should get it back in a day or two though at £170 including delivery its not exactly cheap

Which company did you use?

 

ecutesting.com, was one of the first companies that came up and seemed to have a good reputation. Didn't want to chance someone off ebay

ah yeah think that is who i suggested. They are usually really good to be fair.

 

Yes came back today looking like new. Had a quick go around the block and everything is working. Going for a longer run this evening to go to the shops so hopefully that will be that.

Well that didn't last long, back to where I started and the problem now is worse than it was before.

So took the car for a longer run to Asda which is about 7 miles away, on the way there it jolted when going around a bend and said reduced acceleration though it did get me to Asda, I was nearer to Asda than I was from home.

Come out of Asda and stupid beeping and lights again and engine malfunction and engine wouldn't start, back into Asda and got some pliers, disconnected battery for a few mins, and got it to start. Got a mile down the road and everything died, needles dropped but engine running, no response to accelerator, sat there for 10 mins and rpm flicked back up to normal and car ran again with reduced acceleration, died again and then note the picture attached, rpm says zero, speed says 40. Anyway rinse and repeat 6 more times on the way home. 

Sick of this car now

Ah mate, that is really frustrating. That looks like some epic failings there. You could ring ECU testing and see what they say? Any repair is under warrenty so if they have messed it up then they will need to sort it.

Yeah filled out their form last night and someone rang me today, cluster is being picked up tomorrow to be looked at again.

It's definitely broken, it fails the sweep test entirely for the mph dial, will either stick at like 140 and jitter between 0 and 10.

I am not sure if its the cluster that is at fault or a wiring issue, I suspect its more wiring at this point but still the cluster wasn't repaired properly so is being looked at 

Its going into the garage on Monday to have the cambelts done, aux belt and to get the electrics fixed, I am not going to waste anymore time trying to guess what the issue as and its too cold to be messing around with it.

Fair enough mate. Did you get the cluster back again?

Yes, still the same issue