Hi guys. 
An elderly family member of mine has a lovely little 5dr fiesta zetec (36000miles) but just lately it’s started to play up with startingy issues. Initially I thought it may be the battery but that’s fine. It will start one minute but then not even try the next.  Also the central locking seems to only open the drivers door now. 
Are there any-thing’s I could check for her before it goes into Ford??

When you say 

8 hours ago, Macka09 said:

the battery but that’s fine.

What test have you done ?  Open Circuit voltage is not a good test, you need to test it under a load, and measure voltage drop from O/C.

8 hours ago, Macka09 said:

It will start one minute but then not even try the next.

Does not start, or does not even turn over ?

8 hours ago, Macka09 said:

the central locking seems to only open the drivers door now. 

This is a driver setting, so can be either all doors, or driver's door only.

Sorry for the late reply. 
 

So the car went into ford due to the starting issues. They advised that a new key fob was needed (£200). They were having problems programming the new fob and charged another £200 to do something else, so £400 in total. 
 

The car is still suffering with starting issues, exactly as it was before. 

Does the central locking work now?  If so, we can rule that out of the diagnosis...

I'd suggest this is probably either a clocks solder issue, a damp GEM issue, or the ignition switch failing.

1 hour ago, Macka09 said:

The car is still suffering with starting issues, exactly as it was before. 

The car needs a new battery !!!

The symptoms are what you would get with a battery that has a high internal resistance and a poor ability to maintain a good voltage while under load.

What year is the Fiesta ? Models built 2006 to 2013 are well known for also having problems with  the solder joints on the instrument cluster. Easily repaired for under £90

It is a '56 plate !

Yes just realised that its in the heading 🤣

The central locking is fine. Also the battery is only 14 months old. 

1 hour ago, Macka09 said:

Also the battery is only 14 months old. 

New does not always mean 'good'

What voltage is the battery terminals measured with a multimeter ?

Assuming the battery voltage tests good, I'd try the ignition switch first.  Fairly common fault on the Mk6 Fiesta now, cheap and easy to replace.

If that doesn't work, I'd have the cluster soldering checked.

Thanks for the replies. 
 

it’s gone back in this morning and they’re going to call me so I can understand what they are saying about it all. 

On 2/2/2024 at 10:19 AM, Macka09 said:

Sorry for the late reply. 
 

So the car went into ford due to the starting issues. They advised that a new key fob was needed (£200). They were having problems programming the new fob and charged another £200 to do something else, so £400 in total. 
 

The car is still suffering with starting issues, exactly as it was before. 

What a surprise.

Low/poor battery voltage and poor quality fuel, if he's not using it much the fuel it has probably gone off and I wouldn't recommend E10 on this car either, make sure he's using Super Unleaded.

I would suspect the coil pack is going down and/or the HT leads need changing too along with new plugs.

Make sure the air cleaner is clean and not damp also

 

Well apparently they changed the key fob and ignition ring, whatever that is, last time. 
 

now they’ve said they’re gonna try an ignition switch to see if that helps. 

1 hour ago, Macka09 said:

Well apparently they changed the key fob and ignition ring, whatever that is, last time. 
 

now they’ve said they’re gonna try an ignition switch to see if that helps. 

Sounds like a guessing game. Perhaps we could start a list of guesses here and see how many parts have to be changed before someone guesses right? Sorry you don't get to have a guess but you do get to pay for all the parts !!!

That’s what it seems like they’re doing. 

17 hours ago, Macka09 said:

Well apparently they changed the key fob and ignition ring, whatever that is, last time. 
 

now they’ve said they’re gonna try an ignition switch to see if that helps. 

Get them to put a new engine in, while they're at it, they may eventually find the issue

It’s funny and at the same time embarrassing how the manufacturer seems to be struggling for a diagnosis. 

5 minutes ago, Macka09 said:

It’s funny and at the same time embarrassing how the manufacturer seems to be struggling for a diagnosis. 

It's not the manufacturer who is struggling, it's the dealer's mechanics!

On 2/13/2024 at 4:58 PM, Alan G H said:

It's not the manufacturer who is struggling, it's the dealer's mechanics!

Yes true. 

Well. We’ve got the car back. They did change the ignition switch and apparently it works every time. Central locking is still buggered though. 

51 minutes ago, Macka09 said:

They did change the ignition switch and apparently it works every time.

Until tomorrow 🤔

The central locking is fine. Also the battery is only 14 months old. 

On the 2nd of Febuary you said the central locking is fine, now your saying the central locking is still buggered. Whats that all about !!!???

No idea. Another intermittent issue apparently. One week it works the next it doesn’t. 
 

using the button to lock the doors only locks 3 out 4. 
 

The battery was new in January last year. 

2 hours ago, steveg19 said:

The central locking is fine. Also the battery is only 14 months old. 

On the 2nd of Febuary you said the central locking is fine, now your saying the central locking is still buggered. Whats that all about !!!???

 

Did you ever check the settings as Paulkp suggested; This is a driver setting, so can be either all doors, or driver's door only.  This is for the issue with your central locking only.

10 minutes ago, steveg19 said:

Did you ever check the settings as Paulkp suggested; This is a driver setting, so can be either all doors, or driver's door only.  This is for the issue with your central locking only.

I have missed that bit of the post I’m afraid. 
 

How is this adjusted, do you know?