Hi All,

This is my first post here, so would like to say Hello first. I browsed this site a lot since purchasing my Ford, but never had a need to post, until now that is. So here goes.

So, I have a Ford Focus LX (05 Plate), I have been getting error codes on the dashboard showing the check engine light. This happens but when you turn of the car and re-start the error code usually clears. I however was driving to work the other day and the car cut out and rolled to a stop.

I then proceeded to try and restart the car, but nothing. The car has since been towed to the local Ford dealership who have informed me this is a fault with the Instrument Cluster and the immobiliser is therefore stopping the car from starting. The garage has quoted this work at costing in the region of £700.

This seems a lot, so I was googling and seen this is a common fault on Ford Focuses and watchdog once covered this issue and Ford were fixing the issue for around £100.

Please can you let me know if this is still the case and if there is a chance my car would fall in to the ones effected (as I am not sure which years/models have this fault)?

Also how do I go about raising this with the Ford dealership, or should I try and contact Ford head office?

Any help would be appreciated, many thanks.

Wow, thats a lot! I have heard a lot of Ford stinging people with such problems, I'd love to help but know nothing. But there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who can help. I have just received a 05 focus zebec so hope this doesn't happen with me. Best of luck :)

For the MK2 and MK2.5 instrument cluster this problem can be caused by one or more bad soldering connections of the connector on the instrument cluster circuit board. You can try to take apart the instrument cluster and resolder the connector on the circuit board. I have done this myself several times and in most cases it solved the problems.

If resoldering does not solve the problem there are 3 options.

1. Take the instrument cluster to a specialist for repair.

2. Buy and program a new instrument cluster.

3. Buy and program a used instrument cluster.

Option 3 would be the cheapest. Note that there are differences between Diesel and Petrol instrument clusters and the mileage of a used instrument cluster must be less than your car (with most diagnostic systems the mileage can only be changed upwards).

The watchdog story referred to the MK1 Focus which had a problem with bad solder joints on their clusters which allowed condensation to cause intermittent failures.

The MK2 hasn't got a recall for clusters, as stated above it's new or refurbished then a re-programme using IDS.

you could take the issue up with ford uk since it is becoming a common issue bba reman can fix these faults but require youre original cluster to do the job so the car would be off the road for a bit otherwise you need a second hand cluster take this to the dealer get them to confirm the mileage on the old one and transfer it over and programme

Well, just had the garage back on the phone. They have had the car over a week and I had no contact since giving them the go ahead on the £700 repair.

So I call them today and they tell me the fault they thought it was is not the issue, it is instead another part and this will cost £1000 for the part alone.

I traded in an RX8 to buy a ford 2 years ago as it was more common and easier to fix and I thought more reliable. Since I bought this car 2 years ago it has been in the garage 6 times with various faults.

Time to scrap it I think and buy a brand new car.

was it a ford garage you went to ? some indipendants dont have a clue and will charge all sorts what part is it that needs replaced and why