So a couple of weeks ago I had a minor prang in my mums 57 reg 1.6 Ford focus, I wasn’t travelling at speed as was sat in traffic and long story short, I accelerated into the car in front. No damage to their car and at first look just a slight crack to the number plate of my focus, a day after this the car went into engine management mode so I pulled over and turned it off and on again, the engine management clear but then came up with reduced acceleration, managed to clear this too. The next morning when I went to use the car, the engine management fault came back on and the car wouldn’t start, wouldn’t even tick over….. after a few attempts it started and ran fine that day, since this both faults have become very intermittent, one day it will fire up no problem and run fine all day but then a few days later it will start playing up again, I have plugged in an OBD reader purchased from a car parts supplier and plugged it in when the fault was showing but no errors showed up? Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions in which direction to go with this? I have done a little research and these focus have a crash sensor in the front of the bumper? I have also noticed that the bonnet is very slightly out of line now 🙈 any advise will be gratefully appreciated 

My first guess would be the dry solder joint issue in the instrument cluster. The impact although only minor could have affected poor joints in the cluster. Try hitting the dash directly above the cluster and see if it reacts.

Generic obd scanners will not read all the dtcs on Fords. Forscan on a windows laptop and recommended obd lead are the best short of Fords own system.

my son’s 2008 st cluster failed due to a pot hole and poor solder joints (about £100 to have the cluster resoldered)

34 minutes ago, RL123 said:

My first guess would be the dry solder joint issue in the instrument cluster. The impact although only minor could have affected poor joints in the cluster. Try hitting the dash directly above the cluster and see if it reacts.

Generic obd scanners will not read all the dtcs on Fords. Forscan on a windows laptop and recommended obd lead are the best short of Fords own system.

my son’s 2008 st cluster failed due to a pot hole and poor solder joints (about £100 to have the cluster resoldered)

Someone else mentioned that, when it’s in engine management mode I hit the dash and then it went into acceleration reduced, I can cope with the later as it will start and will go when I turn the engine on/off. Do you think this is something a local garage (other than main dealer) could do? I know the basics about cars at a push and that’s only cos I worked for a car parts company!!! 

10 minutes ago, MFeltham said:

Do you think this is something a local garage (other than main dealer) could do?

No, and neither could a main dealer other than replacing the instrument cluster and charging you around £1000

All you need is your instrument cluster refurbished by an electronics tech. For example we have here on the forum a guy who repairs many instrument clusters all for under £90

@rd457 will be able to sort you out 👍

50 minutes ago, MFeltham said:

Someone else mentioned that, when it’s in engine management mode I hit the dash and then it went into acceleration reduced, I can cope with the later as it will start and will go when I turn the engine on/off.

If bashing the dash makes a difference, that helps confirm that it's the common cracked cluster joint problem. Yours is the type I fix the most. My own service can be found here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314393033915

51 minutes ago, MFeltham said:

Do you think this is something a local garage (other than main dealer) could do?

Electronics repair is outside of the skill set of most mechanics. Some are perfectly capable of doing a good job of it, some may otherwise try but bodge it up, others will flat out refuse to try themselves and will instead either send it off to someone like me or will try to sell you a replacement. Brand new replacements, if available, ain't cheap, and a used one would need reprogramming and would inevitably need the same repair doing at some point later anyway.

3 hours ago, MFeltham said:

I have plugged in an OBD reader purchased from a car parts supplier

Oh dear !! It will be good at reading 70% of the codes, but will miss most of the important Ford ones.

 

On 4/7/2024 at 8:59 PM, unofix said:

FORScan (for use with Windows Laptop) : https://forscan.org/download.html

It's what many Ford owners use including some Ford technicians.

vLinker FS, cable for laptop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-vLinker-Adapter-FORScan-MS-CAN/dp/B0952P4MLP

vLinker FD, for android phone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H82WC8L

vLinker FD+, for iPhone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H8JHWP2

 

Search Tag:   FORScan123

 

2 hours ago, MFeltham said:

... I know the basics about cars at a push and that’s only cos I worked for a car parts company!!! 

I too have suffered from the dreaded cluster fault and had to send mine away for repair (really quick, returned next day) so you won't be without the use of car for long. However, I was terrified at the process of taking the cluster out so it could be posted off. Don't be scared! It's held on by just 2 x screws which you'll need a T25 screwdriver (or is it a T20?) Then you simply unlatch the single electrical connector.

Top tip is when you do it, pull the steering wheel as far towards you as adjustment will allow, and bring wheel down as far as it will go. If you don't do this, you'll struggle to take the cluster out.

This will show you how simple it is...

 

It's also advisable to disconnect the battery before taking the cluster out.

1 minute ago, mjt said:

It's also advisable to disconnect the battery before taking the cluster out.

mmm... now that's one thing I never did, far too much hassle! 😁

15 hours ago, MFeltham said:

Someone else mentioned that, when it’s in engine management mode I hit the dash and then it went into acceleration reduced, I can cope with the later as it will start and will go when I turn the engine on/off. Do you think this is something a local garage (other than main dealer) could do? I know the basics about cars at a push and that’s only cos I worked for a car parts company!!! 

On my son’s car, when the engine malfunction message appeared and reduced acceleration, a slap on dash brought it out of limp home mode back to normal for a mile or two. Others have reported warning lights flash or gauges react. 
I wonder if perhaps the plugs into the Fusebox behind the glove box may have loosened in the accident or someone may correct me if wrong but is the pcm/ecu between the bumper and front wheel?