My car broke down yesterday and says low fuel pressure. I did this in jan or feb and I had filter replaced. I’m hoping it’s just the filter again and nothing more serious but why would the filter be clogged again Already? Is there anything else it’s likely to be? Engine didn’t sound rattle, went to limp mode but then kept cutting out and then wouldn’t start again after a while 

Contaminated fuel?

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

Contaminated fuel?

Maybe? Annoying thing is I’m picking up my brand new S3 any day now and trading in the focus. Currently it’s at the garage waiting to be looked at. I really hope it’s just filter and not injectors etc as I need it fixed to trade it in

Fill up the S3 at a different station just in case!

Is it usually just  a filter on these cars? Injectors makes car sound like a bag of spanners doesn’t it?

Low fuel pressure isn't likely to be injectors. 

Generally clogged filter or pipes leaking.  You won't see a leak as they suck air in rather than blowing fuel out.

8 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Low fuel pressure isn't likely to be injectors. 

Generally clogged filter or pipes leaking.  You won't see a leak as they suck air in rather than blowing fuel out.

Ah so hopefully a fairly cheap easy fix then…

So is it a common fault/issue on the focus that the fuel filter gets clogged a lot? I have been running the car fairly low on fuel before filling up. Maybe around 10 miles or less left on the range. But surely there should be reserves on top of that so shouldn’t be too low?

54 minutes ago, Jason87 said:

So is it a common fault/issue on the focus that the fuel filter gets clogged a lot? I have been running the car fairly low on fuel before filling up. Maybe around 10 miles or less left on the range. But surely there should be reserves on top of that so shouldn’t be too low?

No, the filters don't clog often.  Most are either way over the recommend interval or clogged by contaminated fuel.

I always run cars down the red light, never blocked a filter.

It is possible that you've sucked some air into the system if the level is very low now.  If that's the case it just needs bleeding with a hand pump.

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

No, the filters don't clog often.  Most are either way over the recommend interval or clogged by contaminated fuel.

I always run cars down the red light, never blocked a filter.

It is possible that you've sucked some air into the system if the level is very low now.  If that's the case it just needs bleeding with a hand pump.

I changed the filter in feb, just seems to be the same symptoms as before but wondering how ive clogged a new filter already. I’ve ran it fairly low but not that much. Was on 10 miles of range when it broke down on Friday l

Hopefully the garage will confirm the fault tomorrow.

I have this problem with the fuel filter getting blocked in my MK2 focus tdci.

It had a new filter fitted when I got it, but not long afterwards an engine systems fault would come up on setting off from traffic lights and so on. The fault shown low fuel pressure. This got more and more frequent over time. I put a cleaning additive in the fuel and it went away for a couple of weeks and started again. Went away again with more additive (£20 a bottle), but started again after a couple of weeks, maybe less.

I fitted another new genuine ford fuel filter and it was fine for two months, then started showing the fault on set off again. Just now and then at first, but slowly becoming more frequent, until now the fault warning comes up about twice a day within around 12 miles of driving.

I've got another new Ford filter ready to fit again, but I know it will just be blocked again after a couple of months max.  I've even been using the expensive diesel since I fitted the last filter.

I wish I knew what causes it to block up so quickly, as these filters aren't cheap, so them lasting two months, as well as the work involved isn't good at all.

You have very probably got "diesel bugs" They are a real thing and do clog up the filter. Usually caused by cheap contaminated diesel fuel and very difficult to get rid of.

Diesel bug is a single microorganism or a consortium (group) of microorganisms that grow on fuels. It includes bacteria, filamentous moulds and yeasts. They feed on the hydrocarbons in the fuel and create biomass, biofilms and damaging by-products.

You can buy additives that can treat the Bugs but if that is the problem you should drain and flush out the Fuel Tank as well.

I know I should look this up, but how do you go about draining and flushing the fuel tank on these?

I take it the tank should be drained and flushed first and then this treatment added to the fuel put into the cleaned tank?

Check the instructions for this (multiple other products are available):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DERV-Control-Litre-Biocide-Diesel/dp/B00O7QI8UW/

Partly:
To use simply drain as much water from the fuel as possible. Once this has been completed drain the tank as low as possible of fuel and shot dose DERV Control 6000 to the tank at the required dosage level. Refill the tank as normal. With 48 hours the bacteria will be neutralised and you may experience increased filter contamination as the mass of the bacteria is flushed from the system.

Thank you, I will get some of that stuff.

I don't know what it means when it says drain as much water from the fuel ***** possible then drain the tank as low as possible. I would imagine this would be done together when draining the fuel out.

I think I'll run it as low as possible, then try and get as much of the remaining fuel out as I can with a hose, before adding some fuel from a can with the treatment mixed in with the fuel.

I'm not sure if I should fill the tank at theirs stage and leave it for 48 hours, so the full tank comes into contact with the treatment, or leave it for 48 hours with only a small amount of fuel in the tank.

I'll be keeping the old filter on as long as possible I think though before putting the new filter on. With the price of these filters, i don't fancy putting a brand new filter on just for it to collect all the crud and need replacing again almost straight away.

I also keep reading about it being important to "thoroughly clean the tank after draining" without any instructions on how your supposed to do this.

How do you clean out a fuel tank that's still fitted to the car. I can't get the fuel pump off on this model without cutting a section of the bodey shell out from under the seat.

4 hours ago, keith-276 said:

How do you clean out a fuel tank that's still fitted to the car. I can't get the fuel pump off on this model without cutting a section of the bodey shell out from under the seat.

You can't.  Proper way to do it is to remove the tank.  If you don't want to go to all that hassle then you can remove the filler neck joiner and jack up the other side of the car to tip as much fuel out of the filler hole as possible.

Thank you, I'll give that a try.

I have ordered a 1 litre bottle of the treatment now. I've done the conversion for the mix volume and it's on 25ml for 50 litres of diesel. That doesn't half sound like low amount. I am tempted to put more than 25ml in it though, as i can't imagine 25ml mixed with 5000ml would do anything. Who would need a 1000ml bottle when 25ml is the shot dose, it would last forever.

It's really potent stuff and aircraft can have the same issue.
There was a case where someone got the concentration wrong and it almost caused a dual engine failure!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Qclymu2EA

My suggestions:
There are cheap plastic pumps or use a electric oil change pumps or syphon (care, don't drink any!) with opposite side jacked up as above.
You could perhaps store the fuel and see if water or anything else settles out?
OR
Perhaps add the stuff for a full tank when you get it, run it down as low as possible add the full amount and fill up the tank so the chemical coats and sloshes over the whole tank and fuel system (it will be recirculated)
My worry is how much, if any, water is in the fuel and where it came from?
If significant, there are also chemicals that get water into the fuel so it is expelled?
Does the filter have a drain for water to see what is going on?
Is it an expensive steel canister (sounds like it is) a cartridge is much cheaper and could be replaced much more regularly?
Was the previous filter ripped apart to see what it picked up- this should certainly be done every time until you resolve this problem?

Thanks for taking the time to help.

Yes it's the canister filter, which is a rather complicated piece of kit. I know there are cheaper brands for about £35, but the ford ones are £103. So far I've got lucky and found two brand new ford ones quite cheap.

when I removed the last filter, I did think about breaking it apart to see what state it's in inside, but ended up just throwing it in the bin.

It's really annoying being conscious of this problem every time I set off from traffic lights and I always find myself looking at the cluster display to see if the engine systems fault has come up. Overall it's a pretty depressing driving experience.

Even if I manage to complete a journey without the fault coming up and the car going into limp mode, I've been expecting it and checking for it the whole time.

Setting off with very low revs brings on the engine fault more than setting with high revs and almost riding the clutch does.

I'd love to put a brand new fuel tank on it rather than trying to clean something I can't touch or even see.

So use cheap filters (is there any mileage (sorry) in looking for a cheap inline filter that could be temporarily put in place before the main one?
Amazon etc has multiple cheap in line transparent filters but you'd need some fittings to adapt them and avoid air leaks.
Get a good dose of the biocide in and see if that is what the problem is and/or take a big sample of the fuel ideally from bottom of tank after a trip, let it settle and see what it looks like.
It sounds like you don't want the hassle of removing tank (I can empathise with that and the depressing experience you are going through so sooner you get the chemical in the better?)

Edit unless they are different, there are eBay filters at £15??

Thanks. Yeah there are some on eBay around that price. I'm not sure I would like to risk making a journey though with something that should cost over £100 being replaced with one that cheap. I may give one a try though.

i think I'll have a look into fitting an online filter, as it would be nice to activate what crud is coming through as well as saving the canister filter.

5 hours ago, keith-276 said:

Thanks. Yeah there are some on eBay around that price. I'm not sure I would like to risk making a journey though with something that should cost over £100 being replaced with one that cheap. I may give one a try though.

i think I'll have a look into fitting an online filter, as it would be nice to activate what crud is coming through as well as saving the canister filter.

Don't forget the filter from a dealer includes Ford's own mark up on what they buy the filter in for, and the dealers mark up on what they are charged by Ford.

I don't know what these mark ups are, but I would bet they more than double the price the maker of the filter charges Ford in the first place!