Hi All

just finished putting my 1.5 ecoblue engine back together after the cam chain failed.

before I started the work (but after it had been recovered home by the AA) I had a 'park brake malfunction service now' error, and a bunch of other warnings I presumed were down to a flat battery.

so I have rebuilt everything, and put it all back together (Pretty sure all connectors are back together and all parts in place as they should be) but, , car dings when I get in and shows the park brake malfunction, then stops after a few seconds.

If I put my foot on the brake and press start (its an auto), there is a noise from under the engine (not the sound of the starter solenoid), but the started does not engage to turn the engine over, the running lights turn off, then back on again. I immediately get the brake warning and dinging again, along with the following errors: ESC service required, BLIS malfunction, Cross traffic malfunction, hill start assist not available, pre collision assist not available, check brake system.

damn. not so good. after some research, I think maybe all the errors are connected to the brake error? I charged the battery, 13.7V, same issue, so I don't think its that. I'm wondering if it wont start because it doesn't realise the brake pedal is being pressed?

I presume I need to pull the codes and see what is happening? any recommendations for a decent code reader or software that will help me out? anyone actually had this before?

I'm on the verge of buying a run-around as I can't keep stealing my wife's car, and I'm a little despondent about the focus right now. 

In hopeful anticipation

Andy

Try using FORScan to reset the modules.

I'm wondering if when you tried to jump start you blew something?

I know, in the early EPB Jags, to reset the park brake you turned engine on, held foot hard on the foot brake, pulled switch up and held up for 6 seconds, push switch down and hold down for 6 seconds. Try it, it might work

The procedure for setting the Electronic Parking Brake of the MK4 Focus if the Switch has been disconnected is as follows, it might work for the problem you are having.

Apply and release the Switch twice within 5 seconds, pausing with the Switch in the Neutral position for approx half a second between each apply and release.

A 12v battery can't hold 13.7v.  If that's a reading from a charger then it's meaningless.  Needs to be tested at rest, after being disconnected from the charger for a while.  Ideally left overnight.

Did you see exactly how the recovery guy released the EPB to roll it?  Possibly unplugged something to prevent it engaging again?

Dave, yeah, going to start looking at fuses at the weekend, too dark and cold when I finish work.

Tizer, will try that tonight if I get home early enough 

Tom, yes that was on charge, I will rest it and remeasure. Handbrake was released by me before towing, engine was all over the place, but the electrics were working OK. I released it and he towed me from the carpark, so it was working at that point and I cant think he would need to disconnect anything after that (maybe he did, but he sent me on home while he put the car on the dolly).. I will check pedal switch at the weekend when I can see it, but better gat a scanner first I think to get it by saturday.

will update when I have more

OK, here we go, Finally got out to the car today, as its light and I hate working in the evenings by torchlight.

Tom, battery seems to be ok holding at about 12.6V, so hopefully I can rule that out for now. tried the brake reset tricks but they didn't work. 

I got a cheap 327 reader from amazon, and downloaded Forscan. tried it this morning and got a billion codes come up in pretty much every module on the car. lots were battery related, so I did a reset of the codes, which cleared out a lot of stuff. however, the car still doesn't start (but the RED service now warning on the brakes has cleared). on the dash I get a warning that BLIS is not working, nor park pilot, but this could be because the car was covered in frost, so maybe that stopped the sensors working.

So, these are the codes that remain:

U0415 - ABS (PCM)

P1934 - vehicle speed signal (2x, PCM and obd2)

B1026 - steering wheel lock (BCM)

U0401 - invalid data received from ECM / PCM, (lots of this code - side obstacle detection control module - right, side obstacle detection control module - left, restraint control module, instrument panel control module, image processing module A) again, some frost related codes there?

I have seen a youtube on an older focus that had a non start issue, with the steering lock error, and it was both rear ABS sensors had failed.

Anyone come across this, or something similar? I am getting closer (I hope) but need some more help to get these final bits looked at!

Andy

 

Disconnect the battery and fully charge it.

Refit and clear the codes and reset the modules (using FORScan) with faults

Try that

ok, didn't start after clearing the codes, no idea why. randomly went out that evening and just thought I'd try it, and it started, first time, and bear in mind id had the fuel rail off and injectors out, it didn't miss a beat.

bit tappety at first, but that quietened down. took her for a drive the following days and everything was fine. been back on the road 2 weeks now and she drives as well as ever.

Thank you for all the help :0)

 

 

On 1/26/2025 at 10:45 AM, Andy777 said:

ok, didn't start after clearing the codes, no idea why. randomly went out that evening and just thought I'd try it, and it started, first time, and bear in mind id had the fuel rail off and injectors out, it didn't miss a beat.

bit tappety at first, but that quietened down. took her for a drive the following days and everything was fine. been back on the road 2 weeks now and she drives as well as ever.

Thank you for all the help :0)

 

 

I am having the exact same problem, 1:1, tho my break paddle has some kickback when i try to start it.

Did the starter work when you had the fuel injectors out or do you mean that after pulling them out and then back in the engine started fine?

I am at the bottom of my powers, and i didn't even work on the engine, it happened randomly.