hi everybody ihave a problem with my Ford Focus 2004 1.4 petrol.

 

For the last few weeks its not been starting immediately and needs turning over for a good few seconds before it eventually starts.

Engine system failure appears regularly and the car will not start when this message appears. Acceleration Reduced also appears randomly while driving. and the car sounds awful, no power on acceleration and generally sounding like a lawnmower.  all the times I've turned the car straight off and re-started and its fine sounds normal!

I had it checked  it with several garage  who couldnt find anything wrong.They said there are no fault codes and its passed everything. I changed the battery because it could have been this error but no the message is still the same. i google it and i find out that may be is the instrument Cluster had to be repaired which resolved the issue

My question is can they come on for no reason as the garage made me feel a real idiot!! 

Any replies would be gratefully received.

 

If there is a warning light or message about the engine then there will be a code.

The codes are what trigger the light.

You might need a more specific Ford code reader to pick them up. Forscan is really good with a modified ELM for all but security related stuff.

Generic readers don't pick everything up.

i also feel certain there must be a code held in the cars system somewhere.

many people on this forum get a code reader from here (the modified one with the extra switch). 

https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/

 

software  Focus is supported well with free software: 

https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/page/help

 

Well I'm not as familiar round an engine as most on here, but I would hazard a guess at spark plugs and or coil pack issues. But yeah, get a code read if you can before spending money.

Im not saying it's the same problem but I had the ecu go on my 1.6 mk1.5 which turned out to be caused by a failing coil pack.

Congrats on winning the "longest thread title ever in the history of the universe" award, by the way ;)

I would also go at coil pack/leads/plugs leading to you running on 3 cylinders once in a while (the lawnmower sound). Get Forscan on it first though. A message like yours would usually log a code too.