Hi every one,

First post here, and I come with a problem.

I have a 2011 Mk2 focus Sport bought about 4 months ago from a Ford dealer. Car was running fine when I parked it up on boxing day. Tried to start it yesterday morning, but it was dead. Got it started with jump leads ok and drove it home. Put the battery on charge for about four hours, disconnected the charger, and it started fine. Went back about 30 minutes later and it wouldnt start. The dash lights are bright, the head lights are bright, all looks good untill I try and turn the engine. I have the battery out of the car now and on a 2amp smart charger. I've read that this will not fully charge the battery, but it gave it enough juice to get it started the last time.

My question is, does anyone know of any reason the battery would fully discharge like this ? Im saying "fully discharge" because its asking for the radio code, and as far as I know that only happens when the battery is removed or dead. Cant think of any reason, other than fault with the battery, but everything was fine on Friday.

Maybe Ford has a timer set to a month after the warrenty runs out.

Anyway, any help you can give is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Dave.

Ps,

Its still the original Ford battery. Silver Calcium.

Hi David, do you know how long the dealer had it in storage before they sold it to you, as batteries have habit of just giving up, you can have the battery load tested, and have the alternator tested as well, this should tell you what you need to buy.

There was a thread on here somewhere whereby the radio was on even when it was off running the battery flat do a search fot the thread ....

If the battery was discharged at the dealers its possible it has at least one faulty cell so the battery will charge but only just hence why it had enough go to start the car a simple dash test will at least show the charging voltage and battery voltage any garage will do a free load test

Thanks for the replies.

Took it to Ford today. They Wanted £80 just to test it.

I tested it myself with a multimeter and it seems to be ok. The battery is around 12.5 volts with the engine off, and 14.2 running with everything off. It does drop below 12v with everything running, lights, heater fan, AC, and front and back window heaters, but these are never on at the same time anyway.

Drove to Tesco this morning and by the time I came out the battery was dead.

Alternator seems ok, and I think if it was a bad battery it would have drained before now (charged for about 6 hours on a 2amp charger on Monday night).

Thinking maybe shorting from a loose wire somewhere maybe ???

Have you checked to see if anything is causing a drain on the battery when the engine is switched off? charging it at 2 amps for 6 hours wont have put much back into it, ideally you want to leave it as long as you can to fully charge it.

Try starting the engine and see what voltage you get. Ford charging £80 to test a battery is ridiculous, anywhere that sells batteries will usually do it for free in hope of a sale.

It will drop below 12 with everything on as the demand is more than the alternator can put back in as steff said either a drain or dud cells in the battery even Kwik fit will do a free load test on the battery

Ok, so....Tested with multimeter at around 4.30 and all good. 12.5v with engine off, and 14.2 running.

Tried to start the car just now and no joy.

Checked with multimeter and got 11.3v.

Lost a volt in the last hour and a half.

So either a drain or a bad battery ?

Is the dash display switching off or stayin on it should go off after 40 mins max interior light boot light etc 11.3v is still enough to start the car so I don't think its you're battery more an ignition or starter motor issue

12.5v with engine off doesn't equate to much, the voltage it provides while under load is important. what voltage are you getting when you try to turn the starter?

Im starting to think that myself. Turning the key and getting clicks. The engines not even trying to turn over.

Took earth lead off the battery. 12.3v and drawing 1.45 amps.

I know it should be drawing some power for the immobiliser, but is 1.45 too much ? Seen a youtube video that said it should draw around 50 mA with everything off.

does it continue to draw 1.45A or does it reduce eventually?

It was drawing more, but started reducing gradually. Left it for 5 minutes and checked again and it sat at 1.45. I opened the door though, so maybe that affected the reading.

Might take the battery out and let it charge over night and check again in the morning.

Easy option would be to take it to a garage, but I'd rather learn how to do it myself.

Took battery out. Reading 12.2v. Should it be reading this if its dead ?

No its not dead then so its no a battery then with that reading it should start easily so I think its an issue elsewhere .

the ecu will continue to draw power constantly which may explain the drain electrics aren't my strong point but it cant be the battery a dead battery wouldn't have charged up so quick to get those readings

You said it was dead when you tried to start it if the starter motor or ignition rings playing up it will do the same thing but you're lights etc will work

There's an was test start the car and press the heated front screen button if it goes on the battery is fine the screen will not come on I the battery is low you'll also get dtcs on the dash test

The voltage measured on a static battery gives an indication of charge but it does not necessarily mean it will provide enough juice to start an engine. This is the reason that anyone testing a battery in a garage or shop will apply a load to it and measure the voltage.

To explain that a bit better, take 8xAA batteries and you will get 12v (although we know it will measure more) but try and start an engine with those batteries, it wont happen.

I think you need to look at what is draining the battery. removing the battery and charging it overnight would certainly do no harm and means you will get the car started tomorrow for sure.

Its not that it charged up quick...it was showing 12.2 volts as soon as I took it out of the car, before I even put it on the charger.

It seems like the car isnt drawing enough power from the battery to start the engine. But it will start with jump leads or when i charge it.

Going to charge it over night and check it out in the morning.

Thanks for the help Arthur. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

like I have said, its probably that the battery has not got the juice to give the car - the car is trying to draw the power. charging the battery or using jump leads also confirms this.

ive started a focus when the battery was showing 10.3 volts whilst starting and only 11v in the battery like stef says give it a go se if it works if it does it may be one or more cell is dead

Just hope its ONLY the battery.

@Stef...the battery is showing full charge on the meter. Can the battery show full charge, but not have the juice to turn the engine over ?
I honestly dont know much about cars, but I have a vague understanding of how electricity works.

Just thinking of the way I read about it in a book (about the electric chair, none the less) described as a hosepipe pumping water.

Amps measure the size of the opening the water comes out of, ie: the draw of elecricity into the car.

Volts measure the pressure of the water being pumped, ie: the power leaving the battery going into the car.

So is it possible for the battery to show a reading of 12.5 volts, but maybe lose power when ignition is turned on ?

like I said guys, it doesnt even try and turn the engine over and the dash lights stay fully lit. Just clicks really fast. And not like a starter motor...sounds like inside the car. Ive had a few cars, and had to change a starter motor before, fair enough, the last time was in an XR2, but still....

@Arthur...Mate, like I said...wouldnt start, yet, when i checked it was still showing good voltage.

I just came home now and checked the battery. Its been on the charge since arond 8 oclock, in the spare room of my house away from the car. Its showing around the same voltage as when in the car and engine running (14.3).

Took charger off and gradually lowering.....

Leveled out at 12.93v. Sorry, i started writing this post an hour ago, so, an hour after charger removed...battery leveled out at 12.93 volts.
I reckon to load test this battery, I need to connect it to a source of drain, that at least eaquals the source of input ?

Save the hassle get a garage to do a free test takes 5 mins to do I still say its not the battery the voltage is too good on it I've had fords that just click and it was a starter motor that wasn't completely knackered but worked intermittently it points in my mind to an ignition issue or starter

Right...

Left the battery on charge from Friday night till about 6 last night. Indicator in the charger showd full charge. Measured 12.7 volts on the meter. Left it overnight till now and tested again. Still 12.7 volts, so seems to be holding the charge.

Put it in the car and measured voltage while starting. Dipped to 12 volts to start, then up to 14.5 when the alternator kicked in.

So I think its safe to say the battery is ok.

For some reason the radio started playing which is strange because when i took the battery out the last time it asked for the code, and I didnt enter one. Then when I tried the radio again, it wont even switch on to let me enter the code. Think maybe there is a fault with the radio ?

Gonna pull the fuse and see what happens.

Hi Guys,

I got my battery load tested today and it failed. I bought a new Calcium battery from Halfords earlier tonight and charged it for a while. Car started fine, so I went for a short drive...no problems. Tried starting it again a few minutes ago and its dead.

The Halfords battery has more cranking amps than the stock Ford one (Halfords has 425 cca, Ford is 390). Ford wanted to charge me £150 for a new battery, so its as well I didnt buy it.

Anyone any ideas where to look next ? Starter moteor maybe ?

Cheers.

Ebay you'de have got a Bosch silver for £60 it looks like you're going to be easier and cheaper having it professionally looked at

As I stated before the radio has been known to cause said problem either pull the radio fuse to see or unplug it to eliminate the radio as a possible cause.

also remove parcel shelf lock car and look through to see if the boot light goes out as\ well, I would check radio first :driving:.