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Have I Bought A 'bad One'?? - Focus 1.8Tdci


Nath1790
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Morning All,

As the title says, I'd like some advice and insight into whether I've gone and bought a dud. Last week I picked up a 2008 Focus 1.8tdci 5dr Titanium. My dad test drove the week before and said it felt ok and looked in very good condition so I said go for it. The car has 54k miles and FSH.

Although this is my first diesel I do believe it has a few problems and after 600miles this week I can report the following:

  • When clutch depressed in gear there is noticable vibration - DMF?
  • Squealing on start up for a few seconds - Belt?
  • Similar squealing noise when any amount of gas is applied but no noise when off throttle.
  • Pain to drive smoothly in traffic, ie. 1st gear is short and jerky, 2nd is useless near 10mph and it feels like it's about to judder and stall just below.
  • Odd noise from right rear door when locking the car.
  • Engine and gearbox feel similar to the work Transits I've driven! - Tad agricultural.

The car still pulls strongly and doesn't seem down on power or unwilling, I am getting 60+ mpg on the motorway easily according to the comp and it's actually a lovely car to cruise in and comfortable especially compared to my old mk7 fiesta zs.

I really hope I haven't managed to pick up a bad one but I've read that these cars can be prone to problems, I'm having it checked over and given a full service tomorrow morning by my local garage and the dealer said we had 3 months warranty on it but I've never had experience in chasing these things up and the dealer is 100+ miles away!

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, I am not mechanically minded unfortunately and I do 400+ miles a week so any problem would need sorting asap.

Many Thanks in Advance.

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It sounds like you have a number of unrelated problems and I'm not sure why you didn't pick up on any of it during the two test drives?

First, normally with DMF failure you'll get a rattling noise which goes away when you press the clutch in. Do you find that the clutch is slipping at all - accelerate hard (on a quiet road) and see if the RPM goes up, but the speed does not.

The squealing on startup, and subsequent noise, sounds like your auxiliary drivebelt needs replacing. It's not like a timing belt with teeth - it has ribs which run along the length of the belt - it's pulled along by friction only, and it can start to slip as the pulleys turn which causes the squeak. You might also want to get the tensioner checked, as you'll encounter the same problem if the tensioner needs replacing as there won't be enough tension on the belt to hold it tight around the pulleys.

Gears: Diesels do feel a bit "agricultural" if you've come from a history of petrol engines! But from what you've said, I'd suspect the throttle position sensor is faulty. My Focus used to do it at low revs in first gear - it'd bounce like a kangaroo sometimes. I remember once trying to drive through Blackpool Illuminations with it doing it. :/

If the engine has a distinct 'rattling' type of noise, most evident when setting off at low RPM, then you might want to get the garage to do a leak-off test as you may have an injector problem developing.

noise when locking - it's probably just the central locking motor labouring a little, and it could need replacing before long - it was quite a common issue on the Mk1 Focus. I take it you mean that the door sounds like it's trying to lock itself for longer than the other doors? I *think* they're sealed units so that being correct, there isn't an awful lot that can be done without sourcing a replacement. Whatever you do, don't squirt it full of WD40. Use proper electrical switch cleaner.

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Depending on how serious any fault your car may have is and how much you paid for it, you may have rights under the Sale of

Goods Act after the three months warranty has expired. It is just my opinion, but I have never thought it a good idea to buy a car too far away from home as it is a lot easier to complain/argue 'face to face' if there is a problem!

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Hi BigD, thanks for the informative reply!

Due to the situation of me selling my fiesta to my dad; my parents when viewing it actually bought the car once I said go for it. I trust my dads judgement and to drive it feels fine. It's once I notice these little things I fixate on them and need answers! None of the issues are massively prominent and with the radio on and not driving in traffic, all is fine.

DMF - there doesn't seem to be any rattling that I can hear (although I bet now I'll hear something) and when I've given it 'the beans' on my designated daily quiet road there hasn't been any sign of clutch slip. Only the vibration when in gear at idle.

I'll make sure to mention the Aux belt and it's tensioner tomorrow then, I had suspected this from my googling efforts.

The thing is I can pull away smoothly and also roll along at a set speed, say 7mph in 1st all smooth and fine. It's the instant my foot moves 1mm off the car with pitch forward making me look like a right tool who can't drive! I have adjusted somewhat to this over the past week but as you say, it may be an issue to look into. From what I've read, there does seem to be a dead area low down in 2nd whereby you're out of the powerband. I was hoping to get this sorted with a remap depending on the health check tomorrow.

The locking noise is odd but I assume something that just needs either cleaning out or greasing.

Many thanks for your reply, I'm a Ford man like my dad but these diesels seem to take the mick sometimes!

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Hi GrahamJC, your post never came up until after I'd posted again sorry.

With any luck any problems can be dealt with under the 3 month warranty but I understand they are also obliged to deal with issues for a year? I probably came across that on TV but thanks for the additional info!

Initially my parents and I were looking within 20 or so miles of them as there is much more choice around Berkshire than Gloucestershire but how they ended up 50 miles away I have no idea! I only found out it was that far when I went up to collect the car! They did say they'd carried out a service the week before and that there wasn't any problems. I agree that face to face is always much better!

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Hi Nathan,I have never heard of any legal requirement for a garage having to deal with issues for a year after purchase but awarranty only adds to your legal rights under the Sale of Goods Act and does not restrict them to the length of the

warranty despite what sellers would have you believe! Your rights under the Sale of Goods Act are quite strong and cannot be taken away from you. Unfortunately, if you buy from a private seller you have very few legal rights unless the item you

bought was mis-described or the seller did not pass you good title (the item was not his to sell). I hope the car proves to

be fine but should you want more detailed advice I would be happy to help you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just to resurrect this thread..

I had a 1.8 TDCi.. It was pretty bulletproof up until it's death last week (don't worry, I'd done a LOT more miles).

Mine was always a little jittery in first, and there was quite a large flat spot at the bottom of second.

Weirdly it was probably the most "stallable" car I ever owned.

But when you get used to these little foibles it's a lovely engine/transmission actually.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

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i too have a 1.8tdci and have done the EGR blank and this i feel made a difference.

I too struggled with the jerkiness/stalling issue and found that if i moved away frm standstill without pressing the accelerator pedal it was fine but if i'd pressed it and not enough then it would be jerky/stall/very sluggish to pull away, especially at junctions.

i've had mine now about 18 months and have no major issues at all. been really good to me to date.

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i also own a 1.8tdci titanium on a 2008 plate. the gears:- maybe low on box fluid as they get stiff check this. there is a nut on the front of the box open this up and squeeze some 75/90 box fluid in... i used a syringe but a fairy bottle will do...

pulling off, as mentioned blanking the egr valve will greatly improve your issues, but try pulling off with a little rev, say 1200 rmp, this is what i do and never have any issues when changing into 2nd try be in the power band ie change at say 3k then u will be fine...

the squeel is likely a the aux belt stretched, try slackening the alernator of, jamming a prise bar in any move it enough to take up the slack of the belt and re-fasten this may go for the squeel on revs also....

unsure about the vibration/dmf sorry

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I'm glad to hear some of you have had good experiences with 1.8tdci!!! I chose this engine as I read so many horror stories about 1.6 and 2.0 engines!! My car is at the garage as we speak for them to explore a 'hiccup' type thing when doing 60mph and also hubby asked me to mention the flat spot exactly as you have all mentioned above but it only does it when he is driving- :) so far the garage can't find these faults.... Again mine is under warranty so we'll see what tomorrow brings!

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

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  • 2 months later...

Oh eck here we go again. Update was basically that they changed fuel filter which seemed to solve the problem ........ But only for a short time and it's started doing it again so back in it goes and hopefully they can resolve it.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

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Oops on never replying back on this thread, I always forget sites and usernames with a few forums registered etc.

To respond to the previous post, I've had a slight hiccup around that speed also but also in my 1.6 petrol fiesta. I'd describe it as a small deadspot where it feels the car may die for a split second. I'd say it's just fords and not a fualt as such, possibly the ECU mapping.

I got round to having the aux belt and tensioner replaced and also the gearbox mount which was already shot. Vibration has reduced at idle and the squeal upon startup has gone.

After roughly 5000 miles when I first started the thread I'd now describe the low speed jerkiness and flat spots as pure characteristics of this engine and transmission. If I can be bothered I may just get it remapped as apparently this helps considerably.

The car itself isn't bad but it seems you may have to change your driving style to suit. Also Shell diesel ftw. 600+ miles to a tank is lovely.

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Oops on never replying back on this thread, I always forget sites and usernames with a few forums registered etc.

To respond to the previous post, I've had a slight hiccup around that speed also but also in my 1.6 petrol fiesta. I'd describe it as a small deadspot where it feels the car may die for a split second. I'd say it's just fords and not a fualt as such, possibly the ECU mapping.

I got round to having the aux belt and tensioner replaced and also the gearbox mount which was already shot. Vibration has reduced at idle and the squeal upon startup has gone.

After roughly 5000 miles when I first started the thread I'd now describe the low speed jerkiness and flat spots as pure characteristics of this engine and transmission. If I can be bothered I may just get it remapped as apparently this helps considerably.

The car itself isn't bad but it seems you may have to change your driving style to suit. Also shell diesel ftw. 600+ miles to a tank is lovely.

Thats the EGR valve opening, often described as a "flat spot" or "hesitation"

engines run better on clean, unburnt, oxegen- rich air, re-injecting burnt exhaust gases (no oxegen) reduces power when the valve is open

Cure - fit a solid EGR blanking plate - it can make a big difference on many cars, eliminating the "flat spot" "hesitation" and improving throttle response, and reducing lag - as a bonus once the plate is fitted the inlet/ manifold will no longer be continually contaminated with carbon (Diesel engines)

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Does the blanking plate not cause any other problems??

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

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nope, only benefits

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