Hi - hoping someone on here can help me. Tried to start my 2005, 1.6 115 VCT Focus this afternoon but it simply will not start.

The engine accepts the key but when I turn it in the ignition the PATS light starts to flash and the engine fails to even turn over.

When using the non-remote key, if I hold down the ignition, it sometimes flashes up "Engine Fault".

I tried a couple of things to get it running but a strange noise has started coming from beneath the fuse box when I do so - so I have stopped.

Is it the ECU? It won't even allow me to centrally lock the car, the radio works but no sound is coming from the speakers. The car has sat for two days but I wouldn't have thought it would an issue.

I do have an intermittent rough idle problem with it - which tends get worse in the warmer weather. Could this be related?

Help, please!

sounds like the ECU has lost its "pairing" to the keys... there maybe a procedure to sort this out but im not aware.

this is common in peugeots, from what i have heard and their only fix for this is a dealership visit...obviously towed on a back a truck. it could be the same with fords.

sounds like the ECU has lost its "pairing" to the keys... there maybe a procedure to sort this out but im not aware.

this is common in peugeots, from what i have heard and their only fix for this is a dealership visit...obviously towed on a back a truck. it could be the same with fords.

Thanks for that - but to update.

The car will now intermittently let me use the remote key to centrally lock the car.

Now, when I try to start the engine it still fails but with a loud bleeping noise from the fuse box. The battery looks to be in fairly poor shape, with yellow

gunk around the connections. Could this have anything to do with the problems?

My first response was going to be battery. I had this on my Focus and it did weird things - it threw on the computer "PATS" error codes (AntiTheft) "Aerial connection" errors, ECU problems, there was a faint whine from the fusebox, and the lights only flickered on. as well as that the trip computer flashed the LCD screen, couldnt remote lock all the time, could on ocassion. so I would have been fairly confident to say that its the battery.

as for the "yellow gunk" - as the batteries age, if the owner / previous owner, doesnt lubricate the connections (with the likes of copper grease) then you see it fade and dry out turning to a white / yellow powdery substance. I would suggest if its a motorcroft battery in there the likelyhood is the battery is as old as the car, and will need replacing. pop to Fords / Halfords / Eurocarparts and buy a new one is the best answer...

My first response was going to be battery. I had this on my Focus and it did weird things - it threw on the computer "PATS" error codes (AntiTheft) "Aerial connection" errors, ECU problems, there was a faint whine from the fusebox, and the lights only flickered on. as well as that the trip computer flashed the LCD screen, couldnt remote lock all the time, could on ocassion. so I would have been fairly confident to say that its the battery.

Yeah - turned out to be the battery and a quick trip to Halfords and a wrestle with the rather eccentric housing, problem solved! Thanks for the advice

Yeah the battery set up is shocking to put it politely :) glad to be of help :)