Focus TDDI jerking/kangerooing at small accelerator openings in 1st and 2nd gear.

[Sgt Pepper]

Hi,

I've recently bought my TDDI Focus and I love it in nearly every way but it is an awful tendancy to jerk/kangeroo at small accelerator openings in 1st and 2nd gear, espcially if I'm driving over small(but steepish) sleeping Policeman. I've been to my local garage who say that this is a known 'fault' on an older Focus but couldn't offer a remedy other than to say that the rocking motion set up by a bump ends up creating a small enough rocking motion in my foot to create the kangeroo-like jerk I'm experiencing. i.e. as my foot rocks from the first jolt the small movement in my foot then causes the next jolt and so on. However it is not only on bumps that it happens- I can just as easily experience the same thing in normal driving away from a junction. I've been to a diesel specialst who tested everything they knew how to but couldn't pin the problem down as their tests showed everything to be ok.

Has anybody else experienced this problem please ? and if so, did you manage to diagnose and resolve it in the end ?

Many thanks,

Sgt.

[Nug878]

I can't help you there, I don't have that problem with mine. So I'd get a second opinion from another garage.

[gaz6076]

Could be a dodgy injector(s) but if you have taken it to a diesel 'specialist' they should have figured that out

[Purdy fpv]

Hi,

That a good one. What diesel specialist did you take it to? They do not sound much of a specialist to me. If they can not fix a Focus!!!!

It could be one of the following-

1. cam shaft sensor

2. air flow sensor

3. poor fuel

Has the car been regulaly serviced and when was it last serviced? Has it ever been run on red diesel?

[Sgt Pepper]

Hi,

That a good one. What diesel specialist did you take it to? They do not sound much of a specialist to me. If they can not fix a Focus!!!!

It could be one of the following-

1. cam shaft sensor

2. air flow sensor

3. poor fuel

Has the car been regulaly serviced and when was it last serviced? Has it ever been run on red diesel?

I'm in agreement that nothing should be unfixable on a Ford, even on a 10 year old. The garage is Thomas Autos in Ashford-they seemed pretty professional, and to be fair to them, the kangerooing seemed to have tamed itself quite a lot that day. However, it is back to a full on Skippy now and I do want to get it fixed as it spoils my driving enjoyment.

As far as I'm aware it seems to have a decent service history and was last serviced in November last year. I can't answer about red diesel.

Do you know of a Ford/Diesel specialist who is likely to get to the problem quickly please ?

Thanks,

Sgt.

[hotelfoxtrot]

Sorry to bump an old thread but could this be the throttle pedal failing? It is fly-by-wire and the signal under light throttle may not be getting through.

[alz]

yes, Hotelfoxtrot is about right.. The electronic accellerator pedal,, could need changing,,, a new electronic accellerator pedal should (cost about £90) also known as (Pententiometer) this should put it right,, you could try a second hand one, if so, try and get one off a newer car. one with low miles. this will keep your costs down. if it fails to work..

[SierraYankee99]

yes, Hotelfoxtrot is about right.. The electronic accellerator pedal,, could need changing,,, a new electronic accellerator pedal should (cost about £90) also known as (Pententiometer) this should put it right,, you could try a second hand one, if so, try and get one off a newer car. one with low miles. this will keep your costs down. if it fails to work..

Yeah my ex wifes focus did this terribly. Changed the pedal and it cured it.

[Sgt Pepper]

Many thanks guys.

My local garage steered me away from this solution but seeing as a few of you know about it and one of you has actually fixed it, I will probably do the same.

Many thanks once again.

Sorry for the long reply.

Regards,

Sgt

[Sgt Pepper]

Epilogue !

Hi

I did buy and fit a new accelerator pedal last week and the kangerooing/jerking has now gone !!! :)

Many thanks to those of you who shared your experiences. :)

I hope 'our' experience is now helpful to somebody else.

Regards,

Mike

[catch]

Epilogue !

Hi

I did buy and fit a new accelerator pedal last week and the kangerooing/jerking has now gone !!! :)

Many thanks to those of you who shared your experiences. :)

I hope 'our' experience is now helpful to somebody else.

Regards,

Mike

I just love it when somebody comes back and says that fix worked or not, that way we all learn something