Should the glow plug "wait to start" dash light come on every cold start regardless of winter/summer.

I have just started driving a 08 ford focus 1.6 tdci and i have not seen it come on yet.

Car doesn't have a problem starting (lowest air temp I have started car about 6degrees C)

A dial test shows that the actual bulb is okay

Main glow plug fuse (60amp in engine bay) is okay

Small 10amp fuse (No28 from haynes manual) is okay

Never known the common rail engines to use the glow plugs to be needed to start. The temperature would need to be -20c lol common rail engines use the glow plugs more as a emissions burn than for cold start

Thank you for your response. Are you saying i should not expect to see the glow plug "wait to start" indicator when starting the car

i thought you would see it for a few seconds on a cold morning, when the engine is warm it will not lit up on my 1.8 tdci

The light came on for 1/2 second this morning - air temp 1 degreeC - First time i've seen in this car. Started driving it inJuly this year.

Good to know to expect it to come on if cold ( and likewise, not to expect it to come on if warm)

Hi

my car says engine warming when its very cold outside

the glow plug light illuminates also if its very cold

Jamie

i thought you would see it for a few seconds on a cold morning, when the engine is warm it will not lit up on my 1.8 tdci

Same here...but our engines are known for loooooong warm up time so it's normal.

On 1.6TDCi it should be shorter, in a very very cold morning it shouldn't be on for more than 2-3 secs. If it starts to light up for a significantly longer time, then it's time to change the glow plugs.

Hi Roman

I agree with you, you shoudnt have to wait long unless you live in the antartic or scandinavia hehehe

Jamie

You can find many videos on you tube where lads in Russia do cold start of tdci engines

The light isn't indicative of the plugs being on btw, they actually come on for most starts (even at 15c) for emissions but are not 'needed' to start. Even when the light is on you probably don't need to wait for it in the UK, never gets cold enough to 'need' them to start tbh.