Hi all.

My daughters 04 1.4 petrol fiesta ghia showed a EAC Fail light after a trip up north.

She had trouble starting it, gave it a rest and it started.

She got home and I had a look at it.

The EAC light is no longer showing but the dash is behaving rather strangely.

When you turn the key and the engine starts, the dash takes several seconds to respond.

There are no fuel bars, rev counter, odometer etc.

When the dash does does spark into life the fuel gauge has a single bar run up and down a couple of times as though it is resetting itself then everything starts working.

Bizarre behaviour.

Any clues?

Cheers

Failure in the electrical system somewhere. Possibly water related if it's been as wet where she has been as it has here. Best bet is take it to Ford.

Thanks for the reply.

It has been wet and she said she had been through a big puddle the day before.

A local garage said it may be the key?

They tested stuff but didn't find anything, no charge.

Ford want £60 to diagnose but no guarantee they will find anything.

I could do with it on the drive for a day and unplug stuff to see if it's wet.

Darn!!

The car has not failed since.

The dash is still behaving strange but I'm hoping the last reply was correct and it's drying out.

Anyone know which plugs to check for water?

I'd like to give them a wipe and a WD40 ing.

Cheers

I'd suggest looking around the fusebox in the engine bay. It's possible water has gotten into the box through the cable loom. I've no real knowlege to the location of everything in the engine bay but certainly worth a view. If you can get the car in a garage, you could run a small electric fan heater into the bay, may help to dry out the area also. Just don't have it so close it stands the chance of singeing anything. Either that, or just have it idling on the drive for an hour or two. Of course, keeping an eye out for someone who;d take advantage of a running vehicle unattended.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'll keep an eye on it and see if it fixes.