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Clicking Relay When Starting Engine - Car Starts Fine Though


daveyboy123
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As per title, my focus has started to have a weird clicking sound which appears to be coming from relay in passenger dash when starting engine.

the engine does start though so unsure of what would be causing it. when engine is hot and i start engine again it doesn't do it. seems to only happen from cold start.

any ideas?

thanks

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It always turns over though, if it was flat it wouldn't start at all would it? Also service included battery test and no problems came back

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It's a common symptom so may not necessarily be the issue, but perhaps the battery is just on its way out... Does the car start straight away or does it struggle a little or a lot?

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I am thinking along those lines too, the car doesn't struggle as such bit defintately takes longer to turn over from cold than it does when warm. When engine is warm, there is no clicking.

Do you think it's a battery that's losing a bit of charge then?

Take it the only fix would be new battery?

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Yeah that's exactly what happened to me the last few days before I changed the battery, took an extra 2 seconds for the car to turn over, then after as little as a 5 minute run it turned over straight away.

I think the battery is not charging properly as it's just a standard battery it doesn't charge efficiently and instead just trickles really, so will lose charge quicker than it gains...

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Yeah sounds pretty much like problem I've been experiencing. Once you changed battery has it been fine?

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Problem is as well that I do a lot of shorter journeys, not many long distance ones. Could it be that it needs a lengthy journey to charge back up or in your opinion is it pretty much dead?

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You need a decent motorway run to charge it fully. I was speaking to an auto electrician who fixed my airbag issue recently, offered some great advice saying I needed to get the battery fully charged with an intelligent charger...

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Do your accessory sockets/interior lights work before this relay clicks?

Wonder if it's the battery protection relay?

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Yeah everything from remote locking to interior lights etc all work fine before starting car, it's just a clicking relay sound that I get when actually trying to start.

What's this battery protection relay?

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I was under the impression the Focuses have a protection relay to prevent the interior accessories killing the main battery, at least in mk2.5 -- I may also be talking out of my backside!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Ford OC mobile app

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Ah right, do we still think it's more likely to be a battery on its last legs or just needs a good run to charge?

I've had the car which I bought second-hand for 3 years,it's now 10 years old and I've never changed battery, not sure if it's ever been changed in its life

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I'm still of the idea it is the battery, that sort of battery would be good for emergencies, just keep it charged next to a set of jump leads and you can boost the car with it if it drains, or, do as I did, buy yourself a 12v socket that crocodile clips onto the terminals, and you can run 12v accessories in the shed or house.

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Ok, thank you for your help. Think mechanic will test battery first to ensure it is in fact the battery at fault and if so I'll get it changed over

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Just a quick update - not had it checked yet, hopefully that will be in the week. However I have noticed that when this clicking occurs the headlights flicker on and off - even though the lights aren't actually switched on? Still battery you think or something else.

Even interior light will flicker if I have door open etc when starting car, is that normal though?

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That Is a dead sign of either a failing battery or a bad earth and take it from me I had both last week...

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If it was a bad earth, would it not do it all the time? Once I've used car for 10 mins or so and I turn engine off. If I start it on straight away, the car will start fine, no clicking and no flashing lights when they are turned off. After a couple of hours the problems will start again.

Will mechanic be able to tell straight away if it's battery, even if I've driven it that day?

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Right well day after battery was checked the car wouldn't start, battery was replaced and is now perfect again, no clicking relay anymore etc

Thank you for helping me get to bottom of problem

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Think mine is going down the same route too. Noticed in the last couple of weeks that when I turn the key to start there was a 2 sec delay before the starter spins up. Since saturday when it does it my speedo and tach go all the way round to the right. I reckon me battery is toast. Must put the meter on it for the craic. Remember when your starter spins up it draws a massive amount of current from the battery, particularly when its a cold start as it does not take as much grunt to spin over a warm motor. Been readig a lot about early focus's needing a calcium battery? anyone shed any light on that or will an ordinary one do the trick?

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My Speedo didn't go around etc, all that happened with mine was clicking relay, lights dimming a lot including interior lights when starting and it taking a bit longer to turn over than usual.

I had this problem for just over a month or so until eventually battery just died.

Not sure what battery it takes as mechanic sorted that for me.

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Hopefully correct battery has been fitted to my car then. Mechanic who bought battery I'm sure would have found that info out if servicing cars all the time

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Just check under the bonnet and mention the model is fitted with

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