My wife tells me she gets a message on the dashboard of our 2012 Focus Ecoboost to' Put your foot on the brake and clutch to start the car'. I have never seen this message. Is this normal? Why does it only happen occasionally? Has my wife been drinking?

12 minutes ago, Oldson said:

Is this normal? Why does it only happen occasionally?

Clutch pedal switch is intermittently faulty and it can't detect that you have pressed the pedal down. As a safe guard it asks for the brake pedal to also be depressed.

Thanks, is this a hard part to replace? Could I order one and do it myself?

Probably finis code 1439868

https://catalogs.ssg.asia/ford/?lang=en#bWFya2V0PT1ldXJvfHxjYXRfaWQ9PTExMTA4fHxjYWJicj09R0NCOHx8dGhrPT0zfHxzdD09NjB8fHN0cz09eyIyMCI6IkV1cm9wZSIsIjMwIjoiRm9jdXMgQ0I4IDIwMTEtMjAxNSIsIjQwIjoiMiBDaGFzc2lzIiwiNTAiOiIyMDYwNiBDaGFzc2lzLkJyYWtlcyAtIEh5ZHJhdWxpY3MiLCI2MCI6IjIwNjA2MTBBIEJyYWtlIEFuZCBDbHV0Y2ggQ29udHJvbHMifXx8QUM9PUFDMEIwfHxCUz09QlNIQzB8fERSPT1EUjBDMHx8RU49PUVOTTEwfHxUUj09VFJSTjB8fGFscGhhPT0yfHxncm91cD09MjA2MDZ8fHNlY3Q9PTIwMTVBR018fHNldD09QjgyMDYwNnx8aW1nPT1LMDIzNTEwNjA5fHxmMTI9PS0yNzY3ODA4MDArMTMx

1 hour ago, Oldson said:

... Has my wife been drinking?

This is somewhat harder to diagnose, have you checked the back of the 'cleaning' cupboard for stashed drink bottles, or bathroom cisterns? 😂

Thanks for the detailed response, I think finis code 1439868 is probably correct. They range from £12 for a Lucas unit to £27 from Ford. It looks fairly easy to change,

I've looked for the empty bottles and cant find anything. Maybe there really is an intermittent issue with the switch???? LOL