Mk4 Battery Issues

[unofix]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

GB40 wouldn't detect the battery.  Is it 'safe' to try the manual override on a modern car?  The handbook gives lots of warnings in capital letters advising against it.

I'd not advise the use of the override on a Mk4 Focus, or any other modern car. I'd also advise against trying to jump start it while the vehicle battery is in such a deep state of discharge. The use of a Smart charger for 24 hours would be the preferred option, even if it has to be done in stages. Once the battery terminal reaches 11.2Volt (Charger disconnected) then it will be safe to use the Jump Start pack.

It's highly likely that the modules will not boot up correctly and random faults may be shown. These very often just clear with just an ignition cycle (key cycle as it was in the olden days 😉).

[Wino]

25 minutes ago, unofix said:

So have I 👍

Someone recommended it to me last year, don't remember who it was now 🤣

Me too 🤭 

[alexp999]

My power steering didn’t work after jumping the car when it drained down to 3v. I daren’t stop the engine to ignition cycle as I didn’t want it to not have enough power to start again. Ended up driving it to the garage with no power steering which is really difficult with wide sticky tyres! It was fine after an ignition cycle though. 

[Wino]

18 minutes ago, unofix said:

I'd not advise the use of the override on a Mk4 Focus, or any other modern car. I'd also advise against trying to jump start it while the vehicle battery is in such a deep state of discharge. The use of a Smart charger for 24 hours would be the preferred option, even if it has to be done in stages. Once the battery terminal reaches 11.2Volt (Charger disconnected) then it will be safe to use the Jump Start pack.

It's highly likely that the modules will not boot up correctly and random faults may be shown. These very often just clear with just an ignition cycle (key cycle as it was in the olden days 😉).

Is it feasible to remove the battery to get it charged ? 

[unofix]

5 minutes ago, Wino said:

Is it feasible to remove the battery to get it charged ? 

Yes if you're going to carry it 🤣

[TomsFocus]

2 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

My power steering didn’t work after jumping the car when it drained down to 3v. I daren’t stop the engine to ignition cycle as I didn’t want it to not have enough power to start again. Ended up driving it to the garage with no power steering which is really difficult with wide sticky tyres! It was fine after an ignition cycle though. 

EPAS with no 'E' is so much heavier than an old non-PAS car, even without ST wheels.

I had the same with the Golf when the battery dropped very low during the last lockdown.  Jumped it with the GB40 but then couldn't turn the wheel at all!!  Thankfully in that case it only needed to be driven forwards by about a car length before the ePAS returned. 

[Wino]

6 minutes ago, unofix said:

Yes if you're going to carry it 🤣

It's not me that's got to carry it, its Tom 😉

[TomsFocus]

25 minutes ago, unofix said:

I'd not advise the use of the override on a Mk4 Focus, or any other modern car. I'd also advise against trying to jump start it while the vehicle battery is in such a deep state of discharge. The use of a Smart charger for 24 hours would be the preferred option, even if it has to be done in stages. Once the battery terminal reaches 11.2Volt (Charger disconnected) then it will be safe to use the Jump Start pack.

It's highly likely that the modules will not boot up correctly and random faults may be shown. These very often just clear with just an ignition cycle (key cycle as it was in the olden days 😉).

24 hours won't be possible unfortunately.  Probably looking at about 3 hours per day on the powerbank, weekends only...  Not enough days to do 24hrs in stages before the car has to go.

I thought about bringing the battery indoors to do it but I'd really wreck myself trying to get it up the stairs. Not overly keen on charging it in my lounge/bedroom either lol. 

Bad enough having to lean over to the passenger side for the bonnet release.  That's why I wanted to jump it to get enough charge for the locks so I can at least get the passenger door open.

Will definitely have to work out the best compromise between vehicle risk & health risk.

[TomsFocus]

3 minutes ago, Wino said:

It's not me that's got to carry it, its Tom 😉

No chance of me carrying it anywhere lol.  It's huge...same size as the 2.0 TDI battery on the Golf.  Can't really see why when it's only turning over a tiny 1.0 petrol!  I'm sure the Mk3 1.0EB wasn't anywhere near that big!

[Tizer]

30 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Bad enough having to lean over to the passenger side for the bonnet release. 

I didn't think it was possible to open to open the Bonnet without opening the Passenger door, I'm impressed.

There is no easy answer to your problem, you either take a chance with a jump start or ask a family member to do the heavy lifting for you or pay someone to do the necessary and put the whole episode down to experience.

 

[alexp999]

3 minutes ago, Tizer said:

I didn't think it was possible to open to open the Bonnet without opening the Passenger door, I'm impressed.

There is no easy answer to your problem, you either take a chance with a jump start or ask a family member to do the heavy lifting for you or pay someone to do the necessary and put the whole episode down to experience.

 

You have to disassemble the handle, right PIA just because they didn't move the handle for RHD.

[Tizer]

47 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

You have to disassemble the handle, right PIA just because they didn't move the handle for RHD.

Yeah, that's what I thought too, but if you look at Tom's video in the first post it looks like the door is shut and the Handel is still intact.

[unofix]

27 minutes ago, Tizer said:

Yeah, that's what I thought too, but if you look at Tom's video in the first post it looks like the door is shut and the Handel is still intact.

It looks like Tom can bend the handle out far enough for it to get past the door. There is a market out there (Ali Express - are you listening?) for a replacement handle without the part that catches on the passenger door. 

[Tizer]

2 minutes ago, unofix said:

It looks like Tom can bend the handle out far enough for it to get past the door. There is a market out there (Ali Express - are you listening?) for a replacement handle without the part that catches on the passenger door. 

Good Idea, If I ever have to remove my handle I will look to see if I can shave some material off the side.

I just don't double lock my car at the moment, even though I have never needed a jump start yet.

[VFR800]

I'm sure that the Ford units aren't just taken from the Varta catalogue.

Ford say make us a battery for X, and they say, are you sure, it will be *****, just make it!!!!

[alexp999]

16 minutes ago, unofix said:

It looks like Tom can bend the handle out far enough for it to get past the door. There is a market out there (Ali Express - are you listening?) for a replacement handle without the part that catches on the passenger door. 

It’s designed to be a safety feature as there is no second latch. The door preventing it from being pulled stops it being able to be opened while driving. This is fine if it’s on the drivers side with the mechanical key but it’s clearly designed for LHD and they didn’t move it for RHD. Just put something in the manual about disassembling it instead. 

[unofix]

1 hour ago, alexp999 said:

The door preventing it from being pulled stops it being able to be opened while driving.

Just for my own curiosity I'll be trying what Tom did. It would be useful to know that in an emergency I can bend the handle out far enough to open the bonnet. Ford could have moved it over to the right for RHD cars or they could just have put a mechanical key lock on the passenger side (in addition).

It's always a puzzle why Ford seemed to have struggled for nearly 20 years to find a simple way to open the bonnet. Other manufactures manage with out a problem. 🤔 

[StephenFord]

This thread makes me almost embarrassed to report that my 'mums' car was only started a couple of weeks ago having being left neglected since October last year. It started on 1st twist of the key. Of course, it's a 22 year old Toyota Yaris with a 10 year old battery. What did I expect! LOL

[VFR800]

Didn't these double latching bonnets come about because of the Renault Clio bonnet issues. about 2008'ish.

[alexp999]

8 hours ago, unofix said:

Just for my own curiosity I'll be trying what Tom did. It would be useful to know that in an emergency I can bend the handle out far enough to open the bonnet. Ford could have moved it over to the right for RHD cars or they could just have put a mechanical key lock on the passenger side (in addition).

It's always a puzzle why Ford seemed to have struggled for nearly 20 years to find a simple way to open the bonnet. Other manufactures manage with out a problem. 🤔 

The mk3 bonnet was fine just like most other cars out there. One pull on the handle inside and then a latch from outside. 

[TomsFocus]

10 hours ago, unofix said:

It's always a puzzle why Ford seemed to have struggled for nearly 20 years to find a simple way to open the bonnet. Other manufactures manage with out a problem. 🤔 

Thought I'd broken the Mk2 bonnet lock yesterday.    Aftermarket keyfob emergency blade has a longer handle that won't clear the bonnet lock mount properly.  Meant I couldn't turn it far enough for the first catch to unlock.  Just took brute force in the end!

Golf is miles ahead in that department.  There's a simple lever by the drivers door - nice and long for easy leverage.  Then one single sprung handle just under the centre of the bonnet. With the lightest touch the bonnet is unlatched and then rises on the OE bonnet lifters.  Bliss!  

Sadly, they have done away with that on the new Golfs.  

[StephenFord]

9 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

...There's a simple lever by the drivers door - nice and long for easy leverage...

My 1972 Datsun 120Y had a handle down on the driver side, a simple pull and bonnet opened, it was a clever design, wonder why it never caught on LOL

[TomsFocus]

12 hours ago, Tizer said:

I didn't think it was possible to open to open the Bonnet without opening the Passenger door, I'm impressed.

There is no easy answer to your problem, you either take a chance with a jump start or ask a family member to do the heavy lifting for you or pay someone to do the necessary and put the whole episode down to experience.

 

Yeah, I found that out by accident the first day I got the car.  It was only afterwards that I read on here the door is meant to be opened first!

You're right there is no easy answer.  If I ask a family member to help, it won't be to charge, they would only have time for a quick battery swap, costing me around £100 for the battery.  I'm not in a state to reach the bonnet catch today, and have other priorities tomorrow & Friday, so will be Saturday before I can attempt anything else with the Mk4.  Current plan is to charge with the powerbank first thing Saturday morning until the bank fully drains (estimate 3-4 hours) and then see how much charge is in the battery before either doing the same on Sunday, trying to jump it, or just giving up and having the battery swapped.

I'm still tempted to try & jump the Mk2 on manual override.

 

11 hours ago, unofix said:

It looks like Tom can bend the handle out far enough for it to get past the door. There is a market out there (Ali Express - are you listening?) for a replacement handle without the part that catches on the passenger door. 

I'll try to take more notice of what happens next time.  I don't think the handle is actually passing the door unless it's by a very slim margin.

 

10 hours ago, alexp999 said:

It’s designed to be a safety feature as there is no second latch. The door preventing it from being pulled stops it being able to be opened while driving. This is fine if it’s on the drivers side with the mechanical key but it’s clearly designed for LHD and they didn’t move it for RHD. Just put something in the manual about disassembling it instead. 

Ah, that makes perfect sense!  Can't tell you how many times I've been driving along and then accidentally reached right down around steering wheel and accidentally pulled the bonnet release lever.  Twice.   There's no way this can be a specifically designed safety feature surely!?  It would only make sense on the passenger side...which exactly where it doesn't work with a flat battery.  

In all seriousness, I wouldn't be able to lay across the seats long enough to dismantle it.  And unless Ford are banning old people from driving, that handle placement seems pretty inaccessible for a large number of drivers.  They wouldn't get away with something like that on a building.

[alexp999]

I guess having the door need to be open to pull it removes the chance of someones foot catching it in the footwell now that there is no second catch outside.

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, alexp999 said:

I guess having the door need to be open to pull it removes the chance of someones foot catching it in the footwell now that there is no second catch outside.

Fair point I guess.  Still seems pretty unlikely though.

They should have just stuck with the external catch.