Evening you lovely lot 🙂.

Hope each and everyone is well?

The heater in my car has just recently stopped working, just like that.

Is there something I can do to fix it or is this yet another Focus trait?

If anyone can help it would be nice to get it working for the winter months ahead.

Thanks guys and girls x

TomsFocus I can't get the lid off as it just clicks, bit like the medicine bottles. I just can't get it off.

It looks full but that could be orange staining. Without getting the lid off it's hard to know. 

Thanks.

14 minutes ago, Zippy020171 said:

I just can't get it off.

They get stuck. Treat your Focus to a new header tank with a new lid. The tanks tend to develop small cracks when they age which lets the coolant out when the system is under pressure. If you rock the car on its suspension you will be able to see the fluid in the tank moving if there is any left.

16 hours ago, pcaouolte said:

They get stuck. Treat your Focus to a new header tank with a new lid. The tanks tend to develop small cracks when they age which lets the coolant out when the system is under pressure. If you rock the car on its suspension you will be able to see the fluid in the tank moving if there is any left.

I have rocked it but I don't see anything move, although it looks full which could just be staining like I said. 

Are they easy to change? and where would I buy one from? Can I change it myself?

 

If it looks full to the brim and nothing moves when rocked then it's probably totally empty.  This is a major concern for the engine, not just the lack of cabin heat.  This needs to be checked asap.  I really wouldn't risk driving it again until you're sure there's coolant in it.

You can buy a new reservoir direct from a Ford dealer, or online.  You can change it yourself with basic tools to remove the hose clips where necessary.  The reservoir itself just slides up and off of it's support bracket.

Genuine Ford C-Max Focus MK3 Radiator Overflow Expansion Tank 1717053 | eBay UK

Genuine Ford Radiator Coolant Expansion Header Tank Cap Lid 5193938 | eBay UK

Ok so I managed to get the lid off with the help of a screwdriver. It was basically empty. Took two litres of fluid. Gets me out of trouble for now but I think, like you guys say, replace tank and lid as I'm sure lid is not locking as again it turns, clicks, loosens and starts again.

Ran the car for a bit for it to get up to temperature. Topped up tank but still no heating! 

Any ideas or should I just wait longer for the heating to work?

 

 

OMG, can't believe I've been driving around with no fluid... 😩

13 minutes ago, Zippy020171 said:

Ok so I managed to get the lid off with the help of a screwdriver. It was basically empty. Took two litres of fluid. Gets me out of trouble for now but I think, like you guys say, replace tank and lid as I'm sure lid is not locking as again it turns, clicks, loosens and starts again.

Ran the car for a bit for it to get up to temperature. Topped up tank but still no heating! 

Any ideas or should I just wait longer for the heating to work?

The heater matrix is still full of air.  Just needs to be fully bled through now.

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

The heater matrix is still full of air.  Just needs to be fully bled through now.

How do I do that? Is it a simple job?

Is it just a case of running the car with the header tank lid off?

1 minute ago, Zippy020171 said:

How do I do that? Is it a simple job?

Yes & no.

The proper way to fill these is to completely empty the system and then pull a vacuum on it.  Then attach a coolant pipe to the vacuum kit and let the system suck coolant back in.  That makes sure coolant fills every area without leaving any air bubbles at all.

However, virtually no one has that kit at home, and most garages won't have it either.  So we just make do by running the engine with the coolant cap off until the thermostat opens (around 90c) and just keep topping up as the level drops.  That's not a perfect solution, but it's better than nothing.

If it really was 2 litres low then keep an eye out for leaks as well.  It might just be evaporating past a dodgy cap, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was dripping underneath or even going into the exhaust to have lost so much coolant.  Also feel the carpet in the footwells under the radio, as the heater matrix itself might also be leaking.

(TL:DR - Yes, run with the cap off at least until the thermostat opens)

Thank you so much, I'll go run it now and keep it topped up.

I'll keep and eye on it over the next week and get a new tank and cap.

Thank you for your help...

It's all working again for now.

Thank you.

I've been driving around with no heating for quite some time. Covered some fair mileage.

Never tied the two together!! 😞 

4 hours ago, Zippy020171 said:

Are they easy to change? and where would I buy one from? Can I change it myself?

Something to keep in mind is that the hoses that attach to the connections on the tank will have likely hardened with age. 

They can sometimes start to leak once they have been removed and refitted. 

Slightly wetting the connections with coolant before pushing the hoses on can make refitting easier. 

Could somebody please recommend an antifreeze.

Pre mixed would be easier I guess.

Do you know how much the system takes? &

are the systems easy to drain for the average Joe??

14 minutes ago, Zippy020171 said:

Could somebody please recommend an antifreeze.

Personally I'd only use the genuine Ford coolant as it unlikely you will get all the old coolant out, and mixing different types can have bad results.

See page 212 of the owners handbook for the specification and see page 213 for the coolant capacity.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/ENUSA_CG3568_Focus_mxcd_og_201403.pdf

10 hours ago, Zippy020171 said:

are the systems easy to drain for the average Joe??

If your radiator has got a drain plug bottom corner then yes.  But some of the Ford ones don't, so you have to remove the lower hose instead, which is both awkward and messy.

1.0 EcoBoost takes over 6 litres of coolant from empty.  However, you'll never get it empty.  So a 5 litre bottle of ready mixed should be more than enough.

Personally I just used the pink stuff from Halfords or ECP on older cars.  On a car of this age it's almost certainly had some coolant work done (thermostat housing, waterpump, radiator, heater pipes etc) so unlikely to have the original Ford coolant in it by now anyway.

To save all the mess and hassle I think I'll take it to a mechanic.

I thought I had a leak but the contents now seem be holding although the lid is not locking properly, so I have ordered a new one from Amazon (coming tomorrow)

3M5H8100AD

The mechanic can do a flush and refill, probably the better way of going, as it's just filled with water at the moment due to previous issues.

Don't want it freezing up in the Winter months 😉

Thanks again everyone for your help...