Living with a poltergeist

[HazelC]

I’ve owned an econetic since 2010. It’s a 1.6 2009 model and about a year into owning it strange behaviour started. Lights on dash flashing, almost unnoticeable dips in power, when I went to turn it off it would have a mini stroke as everything shuddered for a moment and then it all came back to life. The battery was changed, no impact. Then the alternator and things went from manageable to scary when I was driving along a dark, country road one winters night and everything cut out but the car kept going. I was like a very large, invisible tornado and had no idea where the road was.  Just as panic started to set in it burst into life.  I’ve shown a mechanic and he is totally speechless. 
 

so I’ve lived with it but now when I turn it off it takes ages, especially after a long drive, to come back to life. It could do so on its own but now it need me to put the key in the ignition and turn it to the first click, then it judders back into life. When it’s off, everything is off. You cannot even lock/unlock the car. 
 

It’s so disruptive I’ve taken to calling it my poltergeist! Anybody else got one cause it’s driving me slight barking.

[Wino]

A bit like the Stephen King Film Christine.......

 

 

[TomsFocus]

You've certainly got some perseverance to put up with that for a decade!  Given it's age now I'd move it on and buy something that isn't possessed...  

On a repair note, it's probably a fault somewhere in the wiring loom, but could be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

[unofix]

Hi Hazel welcome to the Ford Owners Club.

I do like a challenge its a pity you are at the other end of the country from me, i would have loved to take a look at it. As Tom has said it could be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

For the problem to have gone on so long and it effecting so many things it makes me think it is probably not one of the many control modules failing as by now it would have failed fully. More likely is a bad connection(s) something like a plug not properly in the socket of the BCM . One easy thing to check would be the Crash Fuse, if it has a lose connection or has an internal manufacturing fault it can cause some real interesting behavior.

[DaveT70]

Yes, BCM would be the first place I would start looking, I wonder if the car has had water damage at some point. Then it's a case (as mentioned) of tracing wires for breaks