I am looking to buy a 2020 Focus to replace my Alfa G. Specifically I want the 2.0L diesel and Vignale spec but I have come up against the issue of 'wet belt's. It is a new technology to me and it appears to be the source of many a snapped belt. Can any memebrs comment on this. Is the problem as bad as the internet suggests, are there ways to mitigate it? 

Thanks 

Alan

2 hours ago, AWarren said:

but I have come up against the issue of 'wet belt's. It is a new technology to me and it appears to be the source of many a snapped belt. Can any memebrs comment on this.

So far there has been no reports on the forum of problems with the Focus 2.0 Ecoblue (diesel). Long may that continue as I have a 2019 model.

The big problem, and it is a big problem, is the 1.0 Ecoboost (petrol). The failure rate is just beyond belief. There are also problems with the 2.0 Ecoblue (diesel) engine fitted to the Ford Transit, but strangely no reports of the Focus having issues.

What are the odds that I am also currently looking at the 2.0L diesel and like 30 minutes ago I learned that the 2.0L uses a wet belt. Local mechanics don't have anything bad to say about the 2.0L, including a shop that specializes in Fords. Any used 2.0L diesel Focuses (Focusi?) are sold almost immediately after posting.

Might I ask if you are looking at a manual or an automatic?

P.S.: I'm in the EU (Lithuania) if that makes a difference

Thank you Unofix,

I can understand the problems with transits as they will be subjected to heavy use (thrashing?) by their owners and maybe the 1.0 litre is too small an engine. I will contiinue my search with a more positive mind and I can certainly echo your comments that they tend not to be on the market very long.

For what it is worth my preferrence is for a manual gear change over an automatic. I have driven an auto and did not feel comfortable.

On 6/24/2024 at 6:19 PM, unofix said:

So far there has been no reports on the forum of problems with the Focus 2.0 Ecoblue (diesel). Long may that continue as I have a 2019 model.

The big problem, and it is a big problem, is the 1.0 Ecoboost (petrol). The failure rate is just beyond belief. There are also problems with the 2.0 Ecoblue (diesel) engine fitted to the Ford Transit, but strangely no reports of the Focus having issues.

I find it bizarre. It's the same technology, with the same oil.

Either 2.0 Ecoblue's are better looked after and serviced than 1.0's (unlikely, given that this engine is also in Transit models), or it's something else.

I don't think 1.0 Ecoboost owners are any more or less likely to stick to service intervals or go backstreet garage for oil changes than 2.0 Ecoblue owners.

Unless more 2.0 Ecoblue vans/trucks are leased so are more likely to go back to Ford for servicing?

I don't understand it either.  Not much point comparing 1.0 EcoBoost to 2.0 EcoBlue directly imo, they're bought by different types of people for very different types of driving.  But it is very odd that the 2.0 EcoBlue cars don't suffer the same issues as the vans. 

I'm not sure most Transit's are driven any harder?  They often seem to be holding up a massive queue of cars when I see them.  Though I suppose they are put under more strain with heavier loads.

Only other thing I can think of is a major internal difference between the 2.0 EcoBlue in vans and cars.  ButI'm not sure what that would be...

Got to be down to the fact that the 1.0 triple is so out of balance.

Is the oil pump drive a wet belt too on Ecoblue?

23 minutes ago, DaveT70 said:

Is the oil pump drive a wet belt too on Ecoblue?

Yes.

I've just bought a 90k 2lt ecoblue focus 4 weeks ago, just for peace of mind I've just had wet belts replaced and a full service, so hopefully car will be good for another 90k if serviced correctly with correct oil. 

It's a 2019 auto ST line, I'm planning a remap aswell so that was another reason to get belts done. 

51 minutes ago, Alyjay said:

I've just bought a 90k 2lt ecoblue focus 4 weeks ago, just for peace of mind I've just had wet belts replaced and a full service,

A very wise thing to do 👍

How much did that all cost, and was that at a Ford dealer or a local independent ?

13 hours ago, unofix said:

A very wise thing to do 👍

How much did that all cost, and was that at a Ford dealer or a local independent ?

Not sure of price yet, collecting it today. Is a very trusted & reliable independent using genuine Ford parts. Car was cheap as it was ex fleet hire so has a full Ford service history & in vgc, and most of all cheap so dont mind spending a bit of money on it. 

Will update with price and ask the garage what kind of condition the old belts were in aswell out of interest. 

On 6/26/2024 at 10:25 AM, DaveT70 said:

Got to be down to the fact that the 1.0 triple is so out of balance.

Is the oil pump drive a wet belt too on Ecoblue?

Is it out of balance though? You can still balance perfectly between 3 pistons. The Girlfriend has a 3 cyl ecosport 1litre and its a very smooth and quiet engine, infact if I didnt know I would not be any the wiser how many cylinders it has. 

1 cyl is fireing when 2 are not so really if you think about it you need less momentum to keep engine running, compared with 1 fireing and the other 3 not in a 4 cyl, ok theres 3 points of ignition compared to 4 in a cycle but theres less engine to pull round so shouldn't make any difference. 

Theres absolutely zero vibration comes from it on idle or when being driven. 

I reckon the failure is due to thinner belts & smaller oil capacity, also theres so many of these engines in so many different ford cars the law of averages means more failures.  

 

40 minutes ago, Alyjay said:

Is it out of balance though? You can still balance perfectly between 3 pistons. The Girlfriend has a 3 cyl ecosport 1litre and its a very smooth and quiet engine, infact if I didnt know I would not be any the wiser how many cylinders it has. 

Yes. The manual has an unbalanced flywheel to compensate, the automatic has a balancer shaft

2 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

Yes. The manual has an unbalanced flywheel to compensate, the automatic has a balancer shaft

A lot of cars, 4 cyl etc seem to have this set up aswell. Thats just a cheap / easy way to balance any engine in production line. I remember when I used to work at mitsubishi, they used balancer shafts and that was 30 yrs ago, my mk1 focus has a dual mass fly wheel to balance it - much cheapness. 

When I worked for Ford up until late 90s the 1800cc diesels fitted to vans used to snap there belt and this was a dry belt, especially post office vans and it was to do with constant stop starting, so I wonder also if this stop/start technology doesnt help. 

3 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

Yes. The manual has an unbalanced flywheel to compensate, the automatic has a balancer shaft

We're wandering slightly off topic (as usual) but it's an interesting point about balance on 3 cylinder engines.

I lurk on various VW group forums as we have the 3 cylinder 1.0 in our SEAT Mii. This uses a normal "dry" belt which had a change interval of 5 years (cost about £300 at our local independent.) There does not seem to be any pattern of cambelt failure on these which draws me back to thinking the oil related issues may be the problem with the Ecoboost and similar engines.

 In fact I have seen recently that VW have dropped the time change interval - typical post:

"I was in my local VW dealers last week . The Up having a service and an MOT, and I mentioned to the service manager about a timing belt change and he said as from the 15th July, VW requirements for a timing belt change is now 150.000 miles for petrol and a similar figure for diesel engines with no stipulated time period. Falling in line with the rest of Europe as I understand it. But they will, if asked, carry out an inspection of the belt if requested."

3 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

The manual has an unbalanced flywheel to compensate

Actually if I remember correctly the review I read before buying our old Mk3 said an extra balance weight was provided on the crank pulley. My Haynes calls it a 'crankshaft pulley/vibration damper' and states that Ford special tools must be used to hold it in the correct position when tightening the pulley bolt.

I'm scratching my head on this one - I'm just about to collect a 2019 Kuga 2.0  DuraTorque diesel 150ps, and I am, after reading this thread, unclear about the belt, 'cos I'm sure I'd read elsewhere that its a dry belt on my car! (In fact part of my decision-making process included looking up the spares for cambelt replacement, and they are the same as per previous dry-belted cars)

18 hours ago, unofix said:

A very wise thing to do 👍

How much did that all cost, and was that at a Ford dealer or a local independent ?

So for full service, rear B pads, 2 wet belts + full fitting kit inc bolts / cover etc, all parts supplied from Ford & labour comes to £1089.99. 

Interestingly the belts that came off have started to crack , they have been given bk to me but not looked at them myself yet. Car is 19 plate , 90k , FSH using correct oil. The garage reckons it was definitely the correct decision to change the belts. 

7 hours ago, Alyjay said:

So for full service, rear B pads, 2 wet belts + full fitting kit inc bolts / cover etc, all parts supplied from Ford & labour comes to £1089.99. 

That's good to know 👍

6 minutes ago, unofix said:

That's good to know 👍

It was always in the back of my mind even when driving car home from Northampton that the belts could potentially snap at anytime - Now its such a relief they have been done especially with the teeth starting to crack.  The suction filter though was apparently spotlessly clean so nothing obviously had started to fall off belt yet and into oil. 

Thanks to all for their contributions to my thread. Further to my initial posting I have conducted more research into this issue. I have spoken with a Ford dealership and two indepedants and all put the problem down to poor mainantence - both by using the wrong grade of oil and also by extending the service schedules. The concensus is that servicing should take place at or before 10000 miles and people use the wrong rade of oil because it is too expensive. I find this last comment strange as the 0W30 grade oil only costs arround £30/40. 

Maybe the problemis not so great after all - happy days

1 hour ago, AWarren said:

I find this last comment strange as the 0W30 grade oil only costs arround £30/40. 

Need more than one bottle though, capacity is about 6.5 litres I think.

On 6/27/2024 at 5:45 PM, Alyjay said:

I've just bought a 90k 2lt ecoblue focus 4 weeks ago, just for peace of mind I've just had wet belts replaced and a full service, so hopefully car will be good for another 90k if serviced correctly with correct oil. 

It's a 2019 auto ST line, I'm planning a remap aswell so that was another reason to get belts done. 

Do you mind telling me how much you paid. I am in Europe and am in the process of buying a 2020 Ford Focus Ecoblue with 130K km. So it is due for the wet belts to be replaced. I heard it is expensive due to the extensive labor?

21 minutes ago, Karin said:

Do you mind telling me how much you paid.

I'm going to have a guess. I think he probably paid £1089.99 give or take a penny.

Hello everyone, I am buying (importing from Germany) a hatchback Focus mk4 2.0 ecoblue made in November 2019 with 172.000 kilometers. After researching I am pretty worried about driving it at all before replacing the belts, would you recommend I get it delivered straight to the Ford repair shop? Are there any early warnings for a failing belt? Is there an easy way to visually check if it has maybe already been done? (it is not indicated in service history that they have available)

Service history indicates oil changes every 30k km at Ford dealers, last change at 150k km, which I know is not good.

Can anybody decode what does this first item mean on the service bill in the image?

Edited October 29, 20241 yr by zpavlic00
added image