Hello everyone!

I currently have a Ford Focus Mk2.5 Facelift, and i keep having trouble with it not starting. Its an automatic, the message i get most of the time when it won't start is ESP off however the ESP does work as on my way to work most of the time i hear it kick in on the country lanes. Also Occasionally i'll get a transmission failure warning and then the car starts beeping at me.

If i turn it off and try again it will struggle and then start. This doesn't happen all of the time. Around once a week? Where it is automatic i am hoping there is nothing wrong with the box, as it will be expensive. Dads a mechanic and he has no idea what it could be.

Any help greatly appreciated!

TIA

Jonathan.

Could be a gearbox software glitch stepdad had that with a vauxhall once to be honest it needs checked out on diagnostics it may be software or the actual gearbox

Sorry was setting up mailbox rules and saw this message!

If i have my own ELM reader which i am looking to get for MODS could i read it with that? I have a generic code reader however that never shows up any codes.

It's strange as it hasn't done it for a couple of weeks but then all of a sudden it will do it again. Also it ticks when it's cold don't think that is anything to do with it though.

Sorry for the very late reply!

Jonathan

ELM software will read DTC's off each of the modules so in your case that would be the TCU if the fault is transmission related.

One other potential is if the MAF sensor is playing up then this will also bring up the ESP fault. The system uses MAF reading to calculate and control torque if it decides to intervene. Wouldn't necessarily bring up transmission fault as well though, but worth checking I'd say. Maybe unplug it and see if the car starts any differently or brings up similar faults.

Struggling to start could be a battery issue, a weak battery will also wreak havoc with electronics/systems so could explain the errors.

Thanks for your suggestions! The battery is fine i think. Get a solid 12.3 volts it was when i did the reset trip button thing. When driving it's around 13 (Charging i guess?) Where is the MAF sensor? And can i just unplug it or will i have to take it out? Thanks for your help guys!

Jonathan

Measuring the voltage of a static battery doesn't prove much, it needs to be tested under load.

Also, 13 volts with the engine running is too low.

When i drive to work tomorrow (about 20mils) ill keep the battery voltage thing up. What should i be looking for?

Normally just over 14 volts when engine running

Get battery tested first then take it from there as said a weak battery can cause lots of different errors

With the battery voltage, the reading before you start the engine is important as it gives a more representative measure of it's health. Should be over 12.5V ideally.

Once the engine is running, the value you'll see is artificially raised by surface charge. But as Steve has just beat me to above, it should be over 14V as combination of battery voltage and charging effect of the alternator.

Thanks for info. I had the screen up today and driving to work i was getting 14.2-14.4.

I will see what it is reading when its ignition on tomorrow :) (Don't have a batter tester have to use the diagnostics menu)

I suppose i could use a volt meter

Thanks

Jon

Measure the battery voltage when you try to turn the engine over and see what it dips down to. Measuring the voltage of a static battery may well provide 12.5v but so would 8xAA batteries and they won't start an engine. The important thing is that the battery voltage doesn't drop down to low or you will struggle to start.

There is good reason that battery testers put a heavy load on the battery and don't just measure voltage

I'll give that a go!

Thanks

Also i

ELM software will read DTC's off each of the modules so in your case that would be the TCU if the fault is transmission related.

One other potential is if the MAF sensor is playing up then this will also bring up the ESP fault. The system uses MAF reading to calculate and control torque if it decides to intervene. Wouldn't necessarily bring up transmission fault as well though, but worth checking I'd say. Maybe unplug it and see if the car starts any differently or brings up similar faults.

I tried to locate the MAF sensor however it looks as if my car doesn't have one. Google tells me that some cars don't have them!

Forgot to mention is Petrol also.

Thanks

Jon

Went to a customers house today and shen i jumped back in the car wouldn't start. Came up with Transmission malfunction. I kept it going and it did spring into life but wasn't running very well it got me back to work though and then home again. It's annoying it's done it since we've had the car but since i've been using it i don't want it to get any worse as i don't have the money to repair it yet haha

Get it to a garage and get them to test the battery, even resort to haufrauds if you have to. Make sure you give it a good run before taking to garage so battery is charged up for testing.low cranking voltage will give all sorts of dtcs, and faults, esp abs/traction control and auto transmission.

you need to iliminate the battery first before moving on to other causes

Is there anyway I can test the battery myself? I never have the time to go to garages! :(

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