Help Please

[The Artful Dodger]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this site & need your help, I am a plant fitter by trade & know my way around cars ( a bit ) I have a 55 plate focus that's doing very odd things,

1st thing is when the cars cold it starts OK but the headlights flash & when its running for the first 10 seconds the dash gauges flicker,

2nd thing is when its hot, when i try to start it says engine systems fault & i can hear a relay chattering in the fuse box on the passengers side, but there's no fault codes in the error log, & its a sod to start,

I have had the fuse box out & took the lid off & there's been water in there & showing signs of corrosion on various fuse holders & pins,

Has anybody had this or heard of this & if i change the fuse box do i need to get the ignition key recoded to the new fuse box,

Cheers

Paul

[AdeMk1]

Quite a common issue to suffer water ingress in the fuse box.

Unfortunately 9 times out of 10 you have to replace it.

Get the part number from your fuse box & get a replacement one. If you're lucky you will find a second hand one, which will be much cheaper than a new one, but the part numbers must match & check it thoroughly for any corrosion or other issues.

You could try cleaning up your existing corroded fuse box terminals with some switch cleaner & patience, you may get lucky, but you will probably need to replace it if you are having issues with it.

[The Artful Dodger]

Thanks Ade, I have ordered a new fuse box & spoken to a local auto electrician & the key is coded to the module inside the fuse box.

Total repair will cost £400.

[jeebowhite]

Sounds like you have a dead battery!

the clicking, the flickering and the guage sweep are all common factors to the signs of its death!