Ford Focus Mk2 Common Problems Thread

[smitty2482]

Hi folks

 

New poster here.i need some advice regarding my 2004 focus.

 

Yesterday it cut out on me 4 or 5 times on the way home from work.When approaching roundabouts or junctions it cuts out.No juddering or shaking just cuts out.Turning the key off to on starts it again but to me it's quite dangerous especially if it doesn't start again.Never does it when the engine is cold but warm.A few months ago I had a vacuum hose replaced as the old one was split but when I got it back it cut out ever time I slowed.i took it back and they fixed the problem.i think it was a blockage somewhere but yesterday like I said it cut out 4 or 5 times.

 

Any ideas what it could be?

 

Thanks

[Russ]

5 minutes ago, smitty2482 said:

Hi folks

 

New poster here.i need some advice regarding my 2004 focus.

 

Yesterday it cut out on me 4 or 5 times on the way home from work.When approaching roundabouts or junctions it cuts out.No juddering or shaking just cuts out.Turning the key off to on starts it again but to me it's quite dangerous especially if it doesn't start again.Never does it when the engine is cold but warm.A few months ago I had a vacuum hose replaced as the old one was split but when I got it back it cut out ever time I slowed.i took it back and they fixed the problem.i think it was a blockage somewhere but yesterday like I said it cut out 4 or 5 times.

 

Any ideas what it could be?

 

Thanks

Had a similar problem on our sons VW Golf GTI a few years back, idled ok, revved ok but when slowing to junctions/roundabouts the car just cut out for no reason, started up again without problem, we cleaned the throttle body and that sorted it out.

[smitty2482]

17 hours ago, Russ said:

Had a similar problem on our sons VW Golf GTI a few years back, idled ok, revved ok but when slowing to junctions/roundabouts the car just cut out for no reason, started up again without problem, we cleaned the throttle body and that sorted it out.

Thanks

 

I'll ask them to check that.Was out today for a quick spin.Didnt do it once.

[TwitchingFocus]

Hey guys hopefully yous can help.

I have a Focus 1.8 Deisel Tdci Zetec and last week while driving the Car lost power (Turbo wasnt kicking in) and engine malfunction light came on. I was in the middle of no where so had to drive it home other than the loss of power the car seemed grand, once i was home i switched the off and back on again this time no Engine malfunction warning but still loss of power...

Any ideas guys before i head to the garage? Just want to know what im dealing with before the butchers get their hands on her 😢

[Tdci-Peter]

Empty post, due to adding quote.

 

[Tdci-Peter]

10 hours ago, TwitchingFocus said:

Any ideas guys before i head to the garage? Just want to know what im dealing with before the butchers get their hands on her

See my reply to:

Intermittant power loss/battery warning light/engine cutting out

& see my 1st post in

 

[Sst99pro]

On ‎18‎/‎11‎/‎2013 at 0:40 AM, shaun2111 said:

Can anybody help me here.

I have a 59 plate st 40,000 mile and I have a grinding noise at low speeds 0 to 30 miles a hour coming from passenger wheel. I was thinking it was a wheel bearing but had it at garage and says there's nothing wrong wi it but it's getting a little worse as weeks go on. Thanks

I have the same problem too, although it is really noticeable from 15-70 mph and only when I steer right (noise coming from the passenger wheel).

It's not so much a grinding but it sounds like rubbing in time with the tyre tread (note that it may not be the tyre rubbing, it just sounds like that). Suspension looks fine and I have just had the front trailing suspension arm bushings replaced. Any other ideas?

Mine is an '06 Mk2 Estate Diesel btw.

[TehJazzi]

On 6/14/2016 at 0:36 AM, TwitchingFocus said:

Hey guys hopefully yous can help.

I have a Focus 1.8 Deisel Tdci Zetec and last week while driving the Car lost power (Turbo wasnt kicking in) and engine malfunction light came on. I was in the middle of no where so had to drive it home other than the loss of power the car seemed grand, once i was home i switched the off and back on again this time no Engine malfunction warning but still loss of power...

Any ideas guys before i head to the garage? Just want to know what im dealing with before the butchers get their hands on her 😢

Have you checked the glow plugs? Mine was the same, engine malfunction message and limp mode. Changed fuel filter, no joy. EGR delete and remap, no joy. Run it though a diagnostics and it comes back as glow plug 1 fault, so it'll be going into the garage at the end of the month for a new set of plugs. 

[Tdci-Peter]

On 14/06/2016 at 0:36 AM, TwitchingFocus said:

Any ideas guys before i head to the garage? Just want to know what im dealing with before the butchers get their hands on her

Any news or feedback? Or are the butchers still doing their worst!

It might help others.

3 hours ago, TehJazzi said:

Have you checked the glow plugs?

Hi Giulia,

Like James (TwitchingFocus), I have the 1.8TDCI. Shortly after getting my car, I found the main glow plug 60A fuse had gone, so no plugs at all, not for some time. It was autumn, & car seemed to start ok without plugs, & ran fine, no warning lights.  So it seems my car does not care about the Glow plugs so much, that is why I did not spot glow plug possibility on your 1.6, and had to get an answer from Tom

But I don't know if that is some oddity in my car, or the 1.8 in general, so I guess it is always worth checking. Thanks

Peter.

 

[Owljason]

Hi guys

I have a 2008 2.0tdci focus, love the car but have an irritating fault on it.

Now and again, but more often than not, when I'm going through the gears and putting more emphasis on gaining speed through the gears and then quickly slowing and going back down the gears, and then repeating again (imagine a succession of roundabouts) the car will sort of stutter when applying the gas after changing up a gear, and will also use more diesel when it goes into this state. I've also noticed a weird dump valve sound coming from the turbo when this happens. Also when parked and engine switched off I've noticed the average mpg dips considerably, almost as if the car has been sat idling for an hour, when in fact it's actually been completely off.

Please help, does anybody else have similar problems or have any ideas on what the cars problem is?

[Tdci-Peter]

34 minutes ago, Owljason said:

Also when parked and engine switched off I've noticed the average mpg dips considerably

Are you using an in-car display for mpg? If so, it probably uses the tank gauge for fuel measurement, and temperature changes while parked could alter the apparent level.

Re stutter & turbo sound: Do any lights come on, or messages appear?

When was fuel filter last changed? Fuel starvation could do it.

Possibly even the air filter or air intake hoses etc.

Regular (6k miles) oil changes are vital on the 1.6TDCI, I am not sure about the 2.0TDCI, but do not exceed the Ford recommended limits!

EGR valve is a possible, but would normally light the MIL if seriously mis-behaving.

Most major electrical failures will usually put a warning light on, but there could be some codes even if the light is not on, occasional minor errors are stored but do not set the MIL. (warning light).

If the problem persists, or for future use, It would be worth investing in a diagnostic scanner yourself, I think.

For diagnostics, you have some options:

1) Go to a garage for a diagnostic readout. Free if they know you and are generous(?), up to £100 otherwise.

2) Find a mate with a scanner: Cost you a pint or equivalent maybe!

3) Get a generic OBD2 scanner. From about £10.00. I got a U480 off eBay, worked fine. Very easy to use, self contained, but limited capabilities.

4) Get a powerful Ford specific system. Cost £15.00 for the interface. Needs a computer of some sort. (COM port, USB, bluetooth or WiFi interfaces available). Not as simple as the self contained OBD2 scanner.

Post here if want more info, or with any results.

Peter.

[JSFocus]

So i've purchased a Focus Style 1.8Tdci from 2007, 81.000 on the clock... I was happy until a few weeks ago, clutch pedal started to be high, a bit more noisy don't know what kind of oil was used when i bought the car maybe TripleX stuff :( , iddle slighty increases to 1500rpm when driving in start/stop traffic. I still have one month warranty with the dealer, any advices are appreciated

Regards,

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, JSFocus said:

clutch pedal started to be high, a bit more noisy

Clutch problems like: Increased vibration felt on pedal, uneven or jerky feel or noise on pulling-away, noises (clanking) when starting/stopping the engine, these could just possibly indicate a worn out DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel).

If under warranty, it might be a good idea to take it to a clutch specialist, or trusted local garage, for testing.

If you take it to the warranty dealer/garage, its 80% certain they will deny everything. DMF problems are expensive.

I have not had this problem myself, but if you only have a limited time of warranty, it is worth checking, even if the check costs a tenner or two.

Peter.

 

[JSFocus]

Yes i was thinking to a garage and request a diagnostic!

I don't feel any vib on the pedal, there's a slightly noise in 2nd Gear, also i feel that when i'm in a start-stop situation(1stGear) doesn't have that "push" it hesitates 1 second and then goes, it's a bit of lack of power that second but then goes well 

[Tdci-Peter]

29 minutes ago, JSFocus said:

 doesn't have that "push" it hesitates 1 second and then goes

In my inexpert opinion it sound less like DMF, from what you just said.

These 1.8 engines do have a fair bit of turbo lag, and sometimes do sulk a bit when asked to accelerate from low rpm (below 1500).

But in mine, when I get into 3rd, at say 1800rpm, and open the throttle, is just goes like a mini-rocket. (or so it seems to me anyway!)

Still worth having an independent check over before the warranty expires, though.

Peter.

[JSFocus]

1 hour ago, Tdci-Peter said:

In my inexpert opinion it sound less like DMF, from what you just said.

These 1.8 engines do have a fair bit of turbo lag, and sometimes do sulk a bit when asked to accelerate from low rpm (below 1500).

But in mine, when I get into 3rd, at say 1800rpm, and open the throttle, is just goes like a mini-rocket. (or so it seems to me anyway!)

Still worth having an independent check over before the warranty expires, though.

Peter.

Yes i will the clutch checked asap, also i've spoke with my colleague that used to work in LifeStyle Group and gave me some advices as well.

 thanks for your help Peter

[JSFocus]

On 30/06/2016 at 2:10 PM, Tdci-Peter said:

Clutch problems like: Increased vibration felt on pedal, uneven or jerky feel or noise on pulling-away, noises (clanking) when starting/stopping the engine, these could just possibly indicate a worn out DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel).

If under warranty, it might be a good idea to take it to a clutch specialist, or trusted local garage, for testing.

If you take it to the warranty dealer/garage, its 80% certain they will deny everything. DMF problems are expensive.

I have not had this problem myself, but if you only have a limited time of warranty, it is worth checking, even if the check costs a tenner or two.

Peter.

 

I've done the diagnostic test on the weekend and it pulls away from 3rd gear, i just want to speak with the dealer and explain the best way the "issue" that i'm worried, i can't afford a big repair at the moment

 

[Stereosammy]

Hi folks, I have a 2011 1.6 TDCI. Got the dreaded engine malfunction and limp mode problem, I have had the DPF tested and the code when the warning comes up is P0299 which is a turbo under boost. Had a couple of perished pipes replaced on the DPF but still its the same when the turbo should go to work. Now been advised that my turbo needs removing and 'deep cleaning' in anyone's experience does this do the trick ??

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, Stereosammy said:

code when the warning comes up is P0299 which is a turbo under boost

I have not seen any references to "deep cleaning". How much do they want to charge, and how much do you really trust that garage? I would look around first.

There is some info on this site, see:

If you just google "Focus P0299", more references to this site, and others will appear.

Split intercooler hoses seems to be the favourite. These are the big hoses going right down to the intercooler in front of the radiator.

Peter.

[Elidka55]

Focus mk2. Rear right side speaker is not working.. I double checked speaker wire with multimeter, also checked the speaker and everything is ok. I think it could be stereo fault? Is it possible? Maybe someone have faced this problem? Any help would be very appreciated :) btw radio is 6000cd. Thanks.

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, Elidka55 said:

Rear right side speaker is not working.. I double checked speaker wire with multimeter,

I do not have a Ford stereo, so can not help directly. But the fault could be in the stereo, in the multiplug at the back of it, or in the wiring from there to the speaker. To check this will need the steroe to be removed, which is the first hurdle. It should be possible to find instructions for this somewhere on the net.

Next hurdle is the pin connections, see pics below. (From Mk2 wiring diagram, may not be the same for all cars.)

If you probe the speaker with the multimeter set to diode test range (if it has that), or to continuity or ohms, you may hear some clicks or crackles. If not, try with a 1.5v battery. Then do the same test at the speaker pins on the radio connector, to see if the same sound gets through. If it does, and replacing the connector does not cure the fault, then it would seem the stereo must be to blame.

[oldie]

Greetings all Newbie here with a potential problem, dunno if it  comes under the heading of 'common problems' or not but have been looking around the site before I joined and have not been able to find it mentioned anywhere.

Okay the problem, my wife has got a 1.6 focus climate automatic 2006 reg which has done about 70000mls  and it is showing 70 CN------9 followed by a 0 and SLM04807 on the display where the millage normally shows. She has tried to remove the 'fault' by pressing the reset button on the end of the indicator stalk but without success. Was wondering if it has anything to do with the air con as she says it came on after she used it?

Does anybody know what this means? 

[Tdci-Peter]

10 minutes ago, oldie said:

1.6 focus climate automatic 2006 reg which has done about 70000mls  and it is showing 70 CN------9 followed by a 0 and SLM04807 on the display where the millage normally shows

All I can say is that the Instrument Cluster (IC, or the dashboard with the dials), on Foci around 2006 are rather notorious for developing odd faults. It is usually related to the quality of the soldering on the pcb.

Odd displays on the mileage (usually just -----, or similar), odd lights on. It may be nothing, and go away, but it can worsen, resulting in power loss, or immobiliser malfunction, where the car will not start.

Probably all you can do at the moment is observe it, see if it changes. Do you have any diagnostic tools? If it does worsen, that might be useful to narrow it down. Keep an eye open for any odd warning lights.

If it is the IC, and the car goes to a dealer, they will probably replace it for up to £800, but, in most cases it is possible to have the unit repaired (with a warranty) for under £100.

It may not be that at all, I do not want to alarm you. And even if it is, and it worsens, there is usually a period where it is intermittent, and can be fixed well enough to get home by tapping around the dashboard (worth giving that a go now, perhaps?). So keep using the car, but perhaps try to avoid situations where a breakdown would be extremely inconvenient or expensive. I have not heard of any safety related issues while driving with this. The safety critical functions are independent of this unit.

If you have more information, or want advice on suitable diagnostics, please post here.

Peter.

[oldie]

10 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

All I can say is that the Instrument Cluster (IC, or the dashboard with the dials), on Foci around 2006 are rather notorious for developing odd faults. It is usually related to the quality of the soldering on the pcb.

Odd displays on the mileage (usually just -----, or similar), odd lights on. It may be nothing, and go away, but it can worsen, resulting in power loss, or immobiliser malfunction, where the car will not start.

Probably all you can do at the moment is observe it, see if it changes. Do you have any diagnostic tools? If it does worsen, that might be useful to narrow it down. Keep an eye open for any odd warning lights.

If it is the IC, and the car goes to a dealer, they will probably replace it for up to £800, but, in most cases it is possible to have the unit repaired (with a warranty) for under £100.

It may not be that at all, I do not want to alarm you. And even if it is, and it worsens, there is usually a period where it is intermittent, and can be fixed well enough to get home by tapping around the dashboard (worth giving that a go now, perhaps?). So keep using the car, but perhaps try to avoid situations where a breakdown would be extremely inconvenient or expensive. I have not heard of any safety related issues while driving with this. The safety critical functions are independent of this unit.

If you have more information, or want advice on suitable diagnostics, please post here.

Peter.

Thanks for the info Peter, my brother-in-law is an electrical engineer, he could possibly repair it if I asked him nicely. Failing that any idea where I could get it checked and repaired if need be in Derbyshire and is it relatively easy to access the pcb?

[Tdci-Peter]

12 minutes ago, oldie said:

he could possibly repair it if I asked him nicely.

I am an electronics engineer, & I repaired my IC. It was just a bad solder joint, but after a week of on-off, it had completely disabled the car.

In principle, it is dead easy to remove, two little bolts at the bottom, clips at the top, one connector on the back. The clips at the top can be a pig though, you can not apply force to the IC unit without risk of cracking the cover.

Just google Focus cluster repair, you will get lots of hits. I have no information as to individual recommendations.

But I suggest you don't rush ahead too fast yet, unfortunately it would need to be malfunctioning on a fairly regular basis before proper diagnosis & repair can be done! And it may be something else altogether. Is the odd display still present? And have you tried tapping the fascia around the IC?

For my repair, download: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=40491

For diagnostic info (Forscan is best for this multi-module type of problem), See