i've had the focus 1.8 around 6 months, but the last month my car has started to cut out when i slow down to a junction or traffic lights. plus my speedomteter stops working and my power steering goes realy slugish. i have no idea what the problem is.

Vehicle Speed Sensor or Idle Air Control Valve mate, Both common issues. I had the same issue on my mk1 and replaced both of these and never had it since.

i've had my idle air intake valve changed about 4 weeks ago went for about 4 days with out cutting out then it did so ill check that out cheers mate :)

Any smoke and petrol or diesel?

Any smoke and petrol or diesel?

sorry h3lly i hate that question any smoke ? nowt against you but its freezing outside at the mo and most will say yes it does only reason im saying this is a mate took his car up to the garage he had had it in for a service and the car had been switched off for about half an hour,when it started up there was as the garag described [smoke] head gaskets away they said !Removed! i told him so i went down the exhaust was hot and cooled add that to an 8 mile drive the water in the exhaust hadnt burned off exhaust just hadnt got hot enough white smoke was little more than steam and hot exhaust gasses a sniff test later and compression test which i insisted they do if they were so sure revealed nothing surprise anyway sorry mate i just hate that question but i know you would have had a valid reason for it back to the original question vss sensor or a dash cluster fault likely the vss if the speedo stopped at athe same time power steering would go sluggish as the ecu thinks the car is actually off when it loses the signal ide get a garage to do the job its a right royal pain in the rear even more so when you cant get it out

its a 1.8 petrol s reg, and there is no smoke. all the signs am pointing to the vss sensor now so ill get it changed as soon as poss is it expensive do you know? thanks for the repkys :)