Hi all,

I have a 2008 Titanium 1.8 tdci, and the week before Christmas the battery light came on whilst driving home from work. I took it to a local garage who said it was the alternator and replaced it.

All was well for about a week, then went out to start it on a particularly cold morning, and as soon as I turned on the ignition, but without actually starting the engine, the speedo needle started jumping up to about the 20mph mark and the seatbelt warning started beeping.

It started ok, but when driving the engine was stuttering and the abs and esp lights came on. The stuttering cleared, but the lights stayed on.

Over the past week some or all of the symptoms have continued, not all at the same time, but sometimes are. Sometimes there are no faults and it drives normally.

I have a basic fault code reader, but no faults are showing.

It might be coincidence that it started just after the alternator was replaced.

Have any of you guys got any ideas or experience of this before I book it into my Ford Dealer at great expense?

Brian.

Sounds like possibly the wrong alternator has been fitted

Did you replace the battery as well?

Thanks for the replies. Checked the alternator and appears to be the correct one by the plate on it.

No the battery was not replaced.

I have it booked into my Ford Dealer on Thursday, so I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

I have read though that these are classic signs of the abs pump / module going....gulp. At over £700 for a new one plus fitting it might not be such a happy new year!

Thought you all might like to know where I am at.

Had the Focus into my Ford Dealer and came back with no fault found. The changed all the wheel sensors, but the problem persists.

Then, I was chatting to a guy at work who has his own garage. I described the symptoms, and he was convinced it was the battery that was on its way out.

He suggested that I turn on the engine, and all high load items such as lights, heated screens etc. If the voltage at the battery was above 13.5v he was sure it would be the battery.

It was 14.5v.

New battery fitted, and all cured.

Seemingly when the PCM detects low battery voltage it can throw up all sorts of weird fault codes.

So if you guys ever get the same weird behaviour, you'll know where yo look.

Brian.

So much for the dealer with all there sofisticated equipment nice one that's another one to look out for

Hold the bus, just when I thought my worries were over all the symptoms are back today. Really disappointed as it would seem I spent money on something I don't need.

I'm convinced now its the abs pump.

Has anyone else had this fail? What were the symptoms?

I'm preparing myself for a whopping repair bill, I've heard reports of over £1000 for replacement.

Brian

Might be worth checking out the abs relay before going for pump mine went on a vectra took it apart an a little solder cured it not sure if I,ve read somewhere that the Galaxy have a similar prob as your describing ends up being a relay .if you think about if a relay has a dodgy connection vibration would cause a jolt on it the other thing that showed on the Galaxy I think was a dodgy connection on one of the main lives around the fuse box under the bonnet could be worth having a look around there to see if you can spot anything .the relay that plays up on the Galaxy is number 19 and is the main one linking the ecus I believe possibly you could have a like wise problem .

Just a suggestion and well worth a bit of a look before shelling hundreds out .

Didn't think of that, I'll give it a try.

I can hear the abs pump working more than usual, same sound as you get when reaching over 12mph and it goes through it's self check.

Thanks for the reply.

Brian.