Stability Control dash light Focus Zetec Climate

[FocusMan06]

Hi all,

 

Focus Zetec Climate 3 door 1.6 petrol, Feb 2006 build.

On startup i used to see an orange light which would appear briefly then go off however quick or slow i actually started the ignition.The light was a "skiddy wheels" picture and i understand it is Stability Control (ESP??). I am not sure if i actually have Stability Control on the car, it was bought second hand. 

Anyway, recently i have noticed the light does not appear on start up. I cannot be sure but i think i have seen it come on and off extremely quickly whilst driving, maybe a couple of times but it happened so quickly i cannot be certain.

The car recently whilst driving lost all power and came to a stop. I tried starting it but it wouldnt have it and i was pushed to the side of the road. About 10 mins later i tried starting it but all i got was the click click noise of a low/dead battery. I got the local garage to pick it up the next morning, about 10 hours later. They said they had no problems with starting it and apparantly drove it back to their place about 1 mile away. However, after it was left there most of the day untouched they said it wouldnt start. I was told by the owner , guessing being told by one of his mechanics, that it looks like the immobilser, i wasnt convinced by this and he saw it on my face so he added "but would need more testing to find out". A day or so later the owner said that it was the fuel pump and when i said could it be a weak and old battery, it was the original one on or so we could tell, the garage owner said it was most definitely the fuel pump and nothing else and basically acted as if his knowledge was being poo-pooed. I got told it was the fuel pump and it had to be replaced as it was the cause of the stopping in motion problem. A new pump was installed at a cost of a few hundred pounds. No major inprovement happened. I then tested the battery myself and it was 12.23 v. Apparantly very weak.I suggested a new battery was needed and the owner looked as if he was being caught out.  A new battery was fixed by the same garage for about 50 quid. (they are 2 mins away from me so as much as  i wanted to go elsewhere it was mad not to use them). The new battery now is 14.4v. I am still getting some running problems but it runs far better than before and starts stronger. On the old battery, the gauges would have a delay of a few seconds before registering real values and the headlights would flick on and off on ignition even though the dial was off, now with the new battery all those problems have gone.

Is it possible they removed or disconnected something which would stop the Stability Control light appearing on startup?  I havent looked at fuses nor do i think the dash was removed by them so would a check with a Error Code reader come up with an error??

 

Any info / help very much appreciated, regards all

[sean.kerwin]

Do the dash bulb trick. Put your cluster into diagnostic mode. Hold your trip reset button with ignition off, then turn your key to power everything but don't start, all the while still pressing the trip reset button, after 7-10 seconds your cluster will say "test" and then as you keep repressing your reset button it'll go through different tests Susch as needle gauge sweep, and it'll illuminate every bulb on your dash to see if a bulb has blown...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrRedman]

This light came on briefly on start up on mine last night but I haven't broke down yet,I'll be interested to see what everybody thinks 

[FocusMan06]

I have done the Test as detailed earlier, thanks, and the Stability Control light is infact working. What would be the problem? It cannot be a fuse can it? if the fuse was gone wouldnt the light not work at all under test or in operation? I dont know if the car has Stability Control, it has ABS though. Oddly, since its a petrol engine, the diesel glow plug curly wire light was on when in Test Mode.

How can i check the wiring or the sensor for the Stability Control? 

Regards