I have a 53 plate Focus 1.6LX which refused to start 4 days ago. Put jump leads on and hey presto off it goes. Drove 35 minutes, parked up for 45 minutes and no problems. Came back home left it overnight and refused to start again. Took battery off, recharged overnight, put battery back on and it started no problem. Took for 2 hour drive, stopped for two hours, started fine. Drove back home, left it overnight, wouldn't start again - bought and fitted new battery - started fine - left it overnight - wouldn't start again. With the key in the ignition the only lights that come on are the oil warning light and a red light where the clock is.

Any ideas would be gratefully received before I have to take it to Ford/ Auto electrician

Possibly the alternator , charge the battery take the car to the place where you bought the battery.

They should be able to test the alternator or take it somewhere that sells alternators.

The other option is if you know someone who has a voltmeter or multimeter.

Put the voltmeter or set multimeter to volts , put the wires to the battery , start the engine.

Look at the reading on the meter it should be approx 13.5 volts (definitely more than 12volts)

Rev the engine , the volts should rise and fall with the revs.

Good luck

Mark

Possibly the alternator , charge the battery take the car to the place where you bought the battery.

They should be able to test the alternator or take it somewhere that sells alternators.

The other option is if you know someone who has a voltmeter or multimeter.

Put the voltmeter or set multimeter to volts , put the wires to the battery , start the engine.

Look at the reading on the meter it should be approx 13.5 volts (definitely more than 12volts)

Rev the engine , the volts should rise and fall with the revs.

Good luck

Mark

hi mark check all the earth points around the engine bay, i think a haynes manual details them all, i am wondering if you have got a serious drain to earth.

Hi supplyslave,

I had a similar no start problem.

On top of the engine, where the spark plugs are, there is a trough that was full of water.

I drained this water away with a cloth and it has since worked every time.

Turns out the washer jets, that are right above this trough, have leaky seals that are a common fault.

I'd had 6 inches of snow for days on the bonnet, which had thawed and seeped through these seals.

This happened to me twice in 3 weeks both times after heavy snowfall.

hope this helps

Ian

Hi supplyslave,

I had a similar no start problem.

On top of the engine, where the spark plugs are, there is a trough that was full of water.

I drained this water away with a cloth and it has since worked every time.

Turns out the washer jets, that are right above this trough, have leaky seals that are a common fault.

I'd had 6 inches of snow for days on the bonnet, which had thawed and seeped through these seals.

This happened to me twice in 3 weeks both times after heavy snowfall.

hope this helps

Ian

before you do anything have the battery checked for faulty cells this will stop it from charging correctly which sounds like the issue