You can get non-contact liquid level sensors e.g. this one (picked at random I hasten to add!).

Coupled with a delay-before-on 555 timer IC to reduce false alarms I imagine it could work well.

It may also work strapped to a (fat) hose.

Here's a photo of how one of the original (old type) front hoses (engineering code C1B1 8K276 AE, part number 1802620) can end up looking like as a result of corrosion from the airflow through the intercooler:

The replacement hose (engineering code C1B1 8K276 BC, part number 1804469 - around £20 from a Ford dealer) is rubber from end-to-end hence not vulnerable to this issue.

Note that the hose clips are also corroded - those that check their pipes may find that these are not in which case you can probably regard the above as an extreme example and an illustration of what happens to cars that are born by the sea! Ford obviously saw fit to remove the risk but that's not to say it will necessarily affect everyone (noting that there was no recall).

On 15/04/2017 at 9:04 PM, jbell said:

Early ecoboost fiestas (~13 / 63) had a recall for the degas hose

Does anybody have a reference number or anything regarding that? My 63-plate 1.0 Ecoboost Fiesta's de-gas hose has the metal section which is badly corroding, but a local dealer told me there are no recalls or technical service bulletins on the car.

Photos here: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/95740-2013-10l-ecoboost-engine-rust-problem/?do=findComment&comment=696892

6 hours ago, dom550 said:

Does anybody have a reference number or anything regarding that? My 63-plate 1.0 Ecoboost Fiesta's de-gas hose has the metal section which is badly corroding, but a local dealer told me there are no recalls or technical service bulletins on the car.

Photos here: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/95740-2013-10l-ecoboost-engine-rust-problem/?do=findComment&comment=696892

I'm not aware of a recall for metal pipes in relation to the degas hose problem. 

The recall in question was for a plastic pipe that would become brittle under heat and crack, spilling coolant everywhere (often then starving the engine). 

I don't have a TSB number unfortunately but someone else might. 

9 hours ago, jbell said:

I'm not aware of a recall for metal pipes in relation to the degas hose problem. 

The recall in question was for a plastic pipe that would become brittle under heat and crack, spilling coolant everywhere (often then starving the engine). 

I don't have a TSB number unfortunately but someone else might. 

Ah ok, thanks for the info. Mine looks metal, but is also ready to crack and leak coolant everywhere pretty soon (photo in last post) - so similar but different :)

1 hour ago, dom550 said:

Ah ok, thanks for the info. Mine looks metal, but is also ready to crack and leak coolant everywhere pretty soon (photo in last post) - so similar but different :)

Actually I could be mistaken there - just looked at the photo and it rings a bell; You might have some luck giving the part numbers (with the photo) to the dealer. 

 

Edit: Went down to check mine, entirely rubber other than that section pictured being metal. Minor surface rust visible. Think I might call the dealer soon and get that replaced... 

I thought that there was a known issue with the degas hoses on the Focus Ecoboost engines. Perhaps somebody with a Focus could help.

My degas hose is one of the newer full rubber soft hoses.

They must have changed them before they got to my model year (potentially due to the recall).

According to Microcat they changed to an all-rubber hose from Feb '14 on the Fiesta. 

13 hours ago, Zico said:

I thought that there was a known issue with the degas hoses on the Focus Ecoboost engines. Perhaps somebody with a Focus could help.

Sons friend just had a recall to fit the new type hose on his focus ecoboost!

On 4/15/2017 at 7:54 PM, 540itouring said:

Hi , I have a 2013 fiesta titanium X ecoboost 1.0 123 and has been a fantastic car and just got to 20k on the clock with no problems. I have just got the new car mechanics magazine and lists a problem with the degas hose which I think goes from the coolant  tank to the turbo and can be the cause of rapid coolant loss and a cooked engine as to warning on dash in time. I have had a google and found lots of problems with the degas hose plastic part braking but all relate to the Ford Focus. When this happens the engine is often scrap due to over heating and also found other posts on the Focus with cracked cylinder head.

 

Do any of these problems relate to the FIESTA . I also read on the focus it is the early cars and my fiesta was registered the end of march 2013.

 

Please can any info of fiesta ecoboost coolant loss , hoses or head problem as I do not want a cooked engine in the near future if I can help it. Has the degas hose be modified on the fiesta range ? or are we sure it is only focus models which came out before the ecoboost fiesta.

 

thanks for all your help.

 

 

Yeah, my sons Fiesta ecoboost just failed. Its the 140bhp black series. His is a 64 plate. His was not part of tee recall and ford just told us nothing is covered under any warranty. So I hvve booked it to get the engine reconditioned. 

Ian. 

Sorry to hear this Ian. Can you elaborate on what happened? 

On 8/6/2019 at 8:59 PM, Ian! said:

Yeah, my sons Fiesta ecoboost just failed. Its the 140bhp black series. His is a 64 plate. His was not part of tee recall and ford just told us nothing is covered under any warranty. So I hvve booked it to get the engine reconditioned. 

Ian. 

From what I’ve read they don’t recondition well. You might be better off with a low mileage secondhand engine from a written off recent model (late 2016 onwards). 

On 8/6/2019 at 2:59 PM, Ian! said:

Yeah, my sons Fiesta ecoboost just failed. Its the 140bhp black series. His is a 64 plate. His was not part of tee recall and ford just told us nothing is covered under any warranty. So I hvve booked it to get the engine reconditioned. 

Ian. 

Maybe this will be of help?

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-ecoboost-engine-failures-customers-receive-refunds

Ford don't know their ***** from their elbow, so whilst they have agreed to pay for these issues, they may also be telling people who don't specifically ask that they must pay.

I'll be back on the phone tomorrow.  My 2013 Ecoboost is now on it's 4th cooling system failure

- Degas pipe (I spotted it by chance)
- Failure of pipes to heater matrix, causing coolant in the drivers footwell (A BIG bill)
- Crack in the coolant reserviour
- Pipe to the right end of the replacement degass pipe now leaking coolant.

Starting to seriously regret getting this engine.... :(

On 8/28/2019 at 10:15 PM, phatboy said:

Maybe this will be of help?

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-ecoboost-engine-failures-customers-receive-refunds

Ford don't know their ***** from their elbow, so whilst they have agreed to pay for these issues, they may also be telling people who don't specifically ask that they must pay.

I'll be back on the phone tomorrow.  My 2013 Ecoboost is now on it's 4th cooling system failure

- Degas pipe (I spotted it by chance)
- Failure of pipes to heater matrix, causing coolant in the drivers footwell (A BIG bill)
- Crack in the coolant reserviour
- Pipe to the right end of the replacement degass pipe now leaking coolant.

Starting to seriously regret getting this engine.... 😞

Yours a Fiesta or Focus ? 

What model year would I need to buy a 1.0 Ecoboost secondhand to be sure it has all the fixes for the coolant issue (and other issued technical notices)? 2015 onwards ok?

Is that the same for all models (focus, fiesta, c max)?

Short answer: 2018 onwards. The new 2018 onwards model has different coolant tank, different coolant hose connectors to the tank and some other things fixed.

Thanks Jeipii, is there anywhere I could find out what has been changed by year? The 2018 models are fairly expensive still. I’d be interested in pricing up the new parts and fitting them to a 2015 or 16 model (C Max). I’m not sure what would need to be done to a 2015 C Max. Can you help?

Mine is 2015 model Fiesta with 125 bhp Ecoboost. Only thing I have done is that I renewed the coolant tank and two coolant hoses that connect to the tank with plastic connectors recently (car has been used over 4 years and 97 000 km).

Also I painted two metal pipes with heat resistant paint. Those pipes connect the turbo into two coolant hoses. Otherwise just regular maintenance and not any trouble with the car. 

I know for sure that Focus and Fiesta have some differences like a different coolant tank, some different coolant hoses etc. Don't know about C-max. Also I've heard rumours that Ford added an additional engine temp sensor from 2016 onwards. It's just a rumour though and I don't know if it was for all Ecoboost engines or just for ones in Focus or Fiesta. Maybe 2016 model year or newer would be safer bet.

There is some additional info about Ecoboost engines in Fiestafaction forum.