I'm looking for advice.

My car is a Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 diesel automatic with the option of manual override on a 56 plate, just over 90K mileage.

I recently broke down driving home from a holiday in Somerset.

The issue is transmission related, I have little or know drive forward or backwards, if feels and sounds like a slipping clutch.

so far I have been unable to get anyone to look at it, cannot drive to the garage, everyone including a Ford local dealership suggests due to age and mileage, scrap the car.

I do not believe the car has a transmission dip stick, so no way of checking the transmission fluid.

Has anyone else experienced an issue like this and got any advice, the car has been serviced every year since new and up to this point has been an excellent runner.

if it has to be sold for scrap or breaking, so be it, but I would hate to discard what I still see as a good car, just!

Thank you in advance

I don't know exactly what your issue is from your description. But if it is the clutch as you think then virtually any clutch specialist will be able sort it for you and may even collect the car as some do that if its not drivable. If it is a gearbox issue then the same applies .Just as you car is a 2006 doesn't mean its past it yet. I expext the local Ford dealership you went to didn't want to know (no profit in it for them and probably want a new car sale)so it was the wrong place to go try others there are plenty.  Mine is a 2007 Focus and just passed the mot with 1 advisory worn break pads plenty of life left yet in the MK2.

Is it a CVT gearbox in those?

Are you able to check for fault codes on the transmission ECU with something like FORScan?  Might just be a simple sensor fault...

 

Thanks for replying Gizza11 & TomsFocus.

I believe it is a CVT gearbox, the suggestion is that I would need a transmission specialist and the likely cost will be about £1000.

If that is the likely repair cost, the car is probably beyond economic repair rather than unrepairable.

I was just hoping someone may be able to offer an alternative.

I have been told that the gearbox fault codes are obtained from more specialised equipment but I will check that.

Why design and build a car without a transmission dipstick, thank you Fords:(

 

Yeah, an internally broken CVT box really isn't worth repairing on a car of that age and is quite a specialist thing.  You could swap it for a used one if you could find one, but it's still likely to cost around £300 plus labour if you're not doing it yourself.  

Forscan should be able to detect gearbox codes, it's Ford specific and uses just an ELM327 cable/dongle and a smartphone or laptop.   Worth a try for under £20 and useful if you have any other Fords in the family as well. 

There's no transmission dipstick because it's meant to be 'sealed for life' and doesn't use fluid or require top ups.  It's best not to give people the option of pouring something wrong in there by accident...