Hi, 1st post after picking up a 2008 Mk2 (facelift) 1.8 TDCI Focus titanium, with sports pack. Very nice looking car.

Purchased from a Ford dealer, altough since new (March 2008) it has covered 33K miles, with only the first service stamped. To remedy this, and bring it back inline, the dealer assured me the waranty would be fine if they did the 25K service and I make sure I get the 37K service done when it comes round, before March 2011.

ANYWAY... I've never owned a diesel, neither has the wife. But I have driven lots of cars, many of them diesels, and I can't say Ive ever had this issue.

Basically, its very hard to pull off from a standstill in 1st smoothly. It often judders alot, or feels almost like you are about to stall, so it halts, then picks up again. It all makes for very unsmooth driving around town. It's not every start that's like this, maybe its technique but the wife finds it just the same.

I'm concerned this is not normal? Any ideas what to check? I'd ask the dealer, but I guess they will say its just me!

Any ideas? TIA, Alan

We had the same with my Wife's car '57 plate 1.8 TDCI with sports pack.

Eventually and after many visits...

Ford dealer checked the chassis plate and found that the final drive ratio of our car is 4.06. They checked the engine management system and found that this was set for a final drive ratio of 3.41. They corrected the setting and all is ok

i found in mine i can pull away in first very smoothly by not using the accellerator but just gently lifting of the clutch. but soon as i reach 5mph it likes 2nd till about 20mph then 3rd and so on...kinda likes 70mph in 4th...probs something wrong with my car but it works

We had this with our 09 1.8 tdci it turned out to be the egr valve, got some cleaner cleaned it out now it been fine for about a year

Could be any of the above, could be worth checking the plugs and making sure they dont have water in the wells around them, also even checking / changing the filters could make a difference