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A little gift , here are the PDF electrical wiring diagrams for the Ford Focus Focus Mk2/2.5 + ST PDF dated 2010 - Click Here Focus Mk3 PDF dated 2011 , not ST - Click Here Very usefull indeed if your trying to figure out additions to your car or find wiring Regards Preee Focus 2011 Wiring.pdf entire_schematics_ph8m5t-70000-ad.pdf

😀🎉 🎉 This morning my daughter had a baby girl. I'm now officially a Grandad 🎉🎉😀

Thought I would post a rare good news story about my 2013 MK3 Focus 1.0 EcoBoost, which has just had its wet belts changed at 202,000km. I bought the car in 2016 when it already had 149,000km on the clock. Service history was all from Ford and the car seemed to have led an easy life despite the high mileage. Presumably it was mainly used on the motorway. Since then, it has averaged only 8000km per year, probably 15-20% short trips, the rest longer runs. I'm ashamed to admit that although I roughly kept to the service schedule in terms of mileage, the low mileage meant that it went up to three years without an oil change 😬. It has only been serviced two times since I bought it, once by an independent in 2018 and once by me in June 2021. Both times the correct Ford-specification oil was used. All I can say in my defence was that I had a young child and only discovered the time-bomb nature of the EcoBoost engine last year (at which point I immediately serviced it and upgraded the degas hose to MK3.5 spec). Anyhoo, since finding out about the risk of wet belt fibres blocking the oil pump I've been worrying about the condition of the belts (and the engine) and whether it was worth changing them or just getting rid of the car. In the end I decided that I would get it done despite the eye-watering cost here in Sweden (£1,700), because I like the car, I believe in maintaining things to extend their life, and I knew that to replace it would ultimately either cost lots more money (to buy something significantly newer) or mean buying a similar age car but of unknown history. When I booked that car in I asked them to call me when the sump was off so I could inspect the oil pump and the belts, and I was delighted to see that the oil pump pick-up gauze was clean and the belts appeared to be in great condition. The mechanic said everything looked really good. I can now be reasonably confident it was worth doing the job and I hope to get a good few more years life out of the car. So, it appears a slightly dodgy (but not too terrible) service history on a 1.0 EcoBoost, operating in harsh-ish (cold winters) conditions, need not be a certain-death sentence for the wet belts. Having also just replaced the AC compressor (and the discs and pads last summer), I look forward to the gearbox falling out or a tree falling on it sometime in the near future.

Hi Guys / Gals I understand that some have had concerns as to my welfare due to my uncustomary silence. Rest assured I am still around and do look in on everything, however my workload has been horribly time consuming as of late. Hopefully i will be back to my usual (annoying) self on the club shortly. Sorry Fellas, you haven't got rid of me yet. Keep on driving and remember to keep the shiny side up.

Just taking stock coming up to the new year, and realised I joined this forum almost 5 years ago. I think I wanted an initial query on what model Focus I owned LOL The usefulness of this forum cannot be underestimated. Especially when you own a car heading into it's 19th year of life when it was designed to be disposed of after 5 years. It still amazes me the the level of expertise you find here, and the level of camaraderie to get problems sorted, and to simply have a yarn & a laugh about life in general. Although maybe not 'friends' in the traditional sense, there are folk on here I would class as such, and know I can rely on for help. Just wanted to say, 'Thank you...'

The wait is finally over. I've picked up this beauty yesterday and had a chance to get to know her a little bit. This is my first sports car and a dream that I've always wanted to achieve so I can't express how happy I am. How does it drive? Very good! I was surprised how livable this car can be. The engine is amazing, it pulls in every gear, even at low RPM. The steering is heavy but very precise and in my humble opinion it is not nearly as hard as some reviewers have discussed. The 19' rims and low profile tyres are completely ok, really. My favourite thing has got to be the sound. Its loud, even in normal. Turning it on feels super special, and the pops and bangs (which I know is childish but very desirable for me) are loud and fun. Also the colour. Its unique for sure, but I think that the Fury Orange looks better. I'd strongly recommend trying to see the colour in person before spending big money on it. I think the regular colours might suit the car just a tad bit better. Its still a head turner and I'm pleased regardless. I've been told to keep it easy for the first 2000 km, not taking it above 3000 RPM and to be mindful of oil temperature and pressures. I've come from a Focus MK4 so I can also talk a little bit about the differences between the ST and the ST-line (if any one is interested). Unless you are not a proper car enthusiast who's always dreamed of a sports car. As crazy as it sounds the 155 km or the 180 km Focus hatchback will probably suffice. Yes the 280 HP is much more and you feel the torque, but for everyday 155 km will be enough. The 1.0 125 km I had didn't pull well enough at all. Suspension wise, its much stiffer in the ST, but for everyday the ST-line is more comfortable and also fun. And of course exhaust and sound - not comparable. ST is next level. The 4.5 mk does have cost cutting (as mentioned by other users). I miss the side cubby the most (where I placed my garage keys) and there is a lack of ambient lighting (which I believe was available in the mk4). For anyone still waiting for their Focus. Its 100% worth the wait, it drives so well and the interior changes I'm generally pleased with.

Finally picked the car up yesterday after the long wait!

It’s being discontinued because “SUVs” and crossovers are higher margin. They can sell you a Puma at a higher price than a fiesta even though they are the same platform. Same with the Kuga on the focus platform. People will (did?) pay more because they thought they were getting more car for their money when in reality they are just over paying for the same platform. It’s higher margins on these unnecessarily bigger cars and the marketing to convince people they want them that have killed the hatchbacks.

To all Moderating / Admin staff, members new, old, past, present and yet to come- May I wish all that celebrate it a very Merry Christmas and a suitably enjoyable New Year. Hopefully I'll be more regular in the new year as I endeavour to transit into a new and less demanding career which should afford me more free time.

She was a mum, grandmother and great grandmother who was working up until 2 days before her death aged 96. For that alone she deserves respect whatever folks views on royalty.

Definitely will have it, sick of having tests every time some scum spits at me. Wife will defo have it too as she is a covid ward nurse so has seen first hand just how nasty the virus is. I think anyone who is a virus conspiracy nut or refuses the jab should be made to work a shift on a red ward and see the true horrors. Personally I think anyone that refuses the anti-virus for no other reason than they want to make a political statement is selfish and narrow minded. Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Hi folks. Been away for quite a while but with good reason. The titanium is gone: Really sad to see it go. But the ST2 is here [emoji16]: Some of you may know how long I've been crying about one of these so this is a really big deal for me lol I actually can't believe I finally have one. Delighted to say the least. It's mostly down to my wife that I was able to afford this car so I'm eternally greatful for what she's done for me. ST2 with style pack. 2 owners, 42k miles and 4x Michelin winter tyres included with sale: £10k This'll be a slow progress thread as usual but there will be small updates soon enough. [emoji41] Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

I know I'm not around much now but I would like to introduce Wally-

Hi all. This is by no means goodbye. I'm gonna obsess over this forum just like I have for the last 9 months watching others receive and enjoy their new cars. From what my dealer said, they're really coming through now, and reckons by the end of Jan, most customers waiting a while will have their car. But just wanted to say what a fantastic group you all are. Everyone. I never post in forums online, comment on YouTube videos or have any social media accounts. It's because as soon as you post something with a comma in the wrong place, a misspelt word or get a fact slightly wrong, someone's on your back correcting you / critiquing you. I just can't be bothered with it. This forum though, it never happens. Ever. Just supportive and everyone just wants each other to enjoy their new focus, and care less about whether things are splet proper. Best wishes my friends. I will continue to lurk.

The Beast is home! 140 mile journey back home. Quick review, it's ***** lovely!! Drives as good as it looks, I drove it back relatively slowly, but it wanted to go faster. Cracking stereo, adaptive cruise top notch. Overall, I am impressed, can't wait to do a few more miles in it.

I made a guide on how to install and activate cruise control and this guide is also helpful for some other activation's/deactivation's, have a look (https://bit.ly/2HOtm3s)

Can everyone send this to their dealers..

After 2 weeks waiting for transport at the border my Titanium X arrived. A real beauty and so nice to drive, worth the waiting. Here are some pics guys.

You've clearly run out of credit - have you tried putting a few more £1 coins in?

I went in to Starbucks today and the Barista was wearing a face mask. “Why are you wearing a surgical mask?” I asked her. she replied ”it’s not a surgical mask, it’s a Coughy Filter”

Sync 1 / 1.1 to Sync 2 Retrofit Guide Disclamer:- This guide is intended as an advice document only. You attempt the actions in this guide at your own risk. I will not be held responsible if you brick any modules or break your car. This conversion involves rewiring your existing cars wiring and should only be attempted by a competent and experienced person. Right! Now that’s my ***** covered lets get started! I couldn’t have done this conversion if it weren’t for the information available out there, sadly not much of this is in English or applicable specifically to the focus however it gave me the understanding of what needed to be done to carry this out and I will be linking to some of this information throughout the guide. Parts – Sync 2 APIM Sync 2 ACM Sync 2 FCDIM Sync 2 Fascia Sync 2 Media Hub + loom GPSM module - DE8T-19H463-DC Media hub bezel - finis number - 5326708 Mini USB to Mini USB cable Nav maps Pins - mouser - 1924955-4 HSD Code E plug or Fakra Z ( if you have OEM reverse camera ) Forscan ( with extended license ) and FoCCCus software I started by completely stripping out the car, partly because I wanted to wet vac the seats and partly because of ease of access. You don’t have to remove the seats but I strongly recommend the center console, and all the fascia panels. The sync 2 fascia doesn’t fit straight away, some trimming is required around the bottom, start by cutting off the locating lugs and then trim little by little until it fits nicely against the a/c panel the panel is held down by the 2 center holes in the same way the original is. Once your happy the fascia fits nicely then remove the fascia and a/c panel to reveal the sync unit, this is held in place by 3 screws and can be disconnected and removed. The sync connector needs to be rerouted to the top of the dash, there is plenty of length there it just needs to pulled back to the main loom and then directed up to the top of the dash. At this point it’s a good idea to tape back and secure and cables that you will no longer need, in my case it was the blue, pink and black fakra connectors from the fcdim module. Now peel back the insulation on the sync connector and give yourself plenty of exposed cabling to do the swaps required, unlatch the 2 clips and slide off the connector cover. *top tip* label any wires that are going to be moved or removed in case you ever revert to sync 1 or get lost with where the wire came from. Once you have swapped the 2 MM-can wires the unit can then be plugged in and will power up for basic testing, note that once plugged in the unit takes a few minutes to power up, it also does this everytime it reboots, don't panic! The pin swaps are highlighted in the pdf After you’ve completed the pin swaps its time to add in the additional wiring for the media hub, reverse camera adaptor (if fitted) ms-can and fcdim connector. I ordered the pins for the sync connector from mouser and although they work they are a little tight and did need to be manipulated in. if I were to do the job again I would buy a sync connector cut from a loom and remove the pigtails to solder onto *top tip* For the ms-can input you can tap into anything that runs on the ms-can network, I found the wires in the blue connector for the a/c panel. They will be the only external connections that you need to make. The gpsm is to be installed under the rear view mirror cover, for me the plug was already there so make sure to check this beforehand. To install the media hub I used 2 good quality usb to usb mini leads connected with a usb coupler. The media hub is mounted in a bezel from a mk5 mondeo, the finis part number I have attached above. For the fascia panel the radio controls are connected by mm-can as opposed to lin like the original. You need to add one pin and cut and solder onto the existing pin in the plug for them to work. For the acm connector you need to move 2 wires across from the main loom and into the accessory loom this is to transmit the tmc data to the screen for the naviagation traffic. If you’ve got this far, well done! The hard work is over. Time to tidy up your cabling, and bolt everything into place. *top tip* install the apim and screen first before sliding the acm into place. Pop in your nav card ( f6 is the most recent ) and also worth updating the software to the latest version (3.10) Put the rest of the car back together and grab yourself a brew, next up is coding! Using forscan plug yourself into the car, *top tip* if you’ve previously used forscan on the car delete any previous profile and scan it as a new car. If you don’t it wont pick up the newly installed gpsm module. You will likely have a bunch of dtc codes, clear them and see what comes back. There will be 1 dtc that definitely wont clear and that is for the central locking led in the bcm. There will also be errors on the acm which currently cannot have its as built data modified, however this doesn’t seem to cause any problems. Programmming the APIM Here comes the fun part. The apim will need to be coded to the spec of your car. The easiest way to do this is using the ford as built data. The way to do this is find a facelift focus with the same options as yours. For example mine is a titanium x, and the facelift titanium x has the same features as mine. To do this hop onto ebay or autotrader and find a facelift focus with the same features as yours, make a note of the registration and go to the ford etis website ( www.etis.ford.com )enter the reg and make a note of the vin number. Then you need to go to the motorcraft service website ( www.motorcraftservice.com ) click free resources and then quick guides. Towards the bottom of the list is an option for Module Build Data ( as – built ) hit this and enter the vin number you got from etis. This gives you the module as built data that you will need to programme the apim. Download the file and save it to your computer. Open up forscan and click on the icon that looks like a computer chip. You will see an option that says apim ( as-built format ) run this and load the file from your download ( don’t forget to change the file type to .ab in the search bar ) click write all and follow the instructions on screen. Once done you will see sync reboot and if you have done everything correctly it should now be programmed to your cars features. At this point you still aren’t done, you will notice that the voice control still doesn’t work correctly. Now we need to change a few things in the bcm and ipc. Open up foCCCus and load up the central config for your car, save a backup before you change anything!!! The lines you need to change are – 123 – Audio Aux Input change the value to 01 (without) 125 – DAB Radio System change the value to 01 (without) 154 – Module USB change the value to 01 (without) 157 – Bluetooth Handsfree change the value to 01 (without) 172 – Front Display change the value to 09 (DM8 with nav) 214 – ICP change the value to 09 Write these changes to both the bcm and the ipc. This got everything working 95% percent for me. I had to make some further changes to enable optical display for the parking sensors and the active park assist. I did this by modifying the as built data of the apim further by using this guide. ( https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uDSQ1Z5a2Wt8-kjrSiVSlDFGFHnfeuhb3RTMVz95730/edit#gid=1479139836 ) Im expecting some questions and I will help the best I can as im sure there are bits I have missed! Focus Sync Conversion table.pdf

Hi all, Got the wet belt changed a couple of weeks back on my 2012 1.0 Ecoboost Focus and thought I'd share some photos of the belt (and other pieces) that came out. Being a 2012, the belt was a year or so overdue given the 100k miles/10 year service interval but it took me a while to make the decision about whether the sell and move on or front the cost for replacement, and in the end, the replacement won. My car is in fantastic condition and has "only" done about 54,000 miles - so there was some economic sense as the sale value (sans belt change) wouldn't come close to getting me something of equivalent spec and condition. The belt that came out looks mostly perfect to be honest, still absolutely worth getting done as there are some signs of wear, but nowhere near as bad as some you see. From what I was told, they dropped the sump and cleared everything out and there was no sign of anything in the oil pick-up gauze. The car has been regularly serviced with either Ford or a local mechanic that is extremely familiar with Fords, so it's always had the appropriate Ecoboost oil etc. The water pump also got replace and again, looks perfect. Although this is not the original pump as I had it replaced under warranty about 6 or 7 years ago, so it's only around 25-30k miles old.

Never had a car where I didn't immediately remove such stickers - they don't advertise me, why should I advertise them!

It has finally arrived!

There ya go all. Wintery pic for ya. Car is completely filthy, but you'll be waiting till march for a clean pic now. 🙂

Picking it up on Wednesday, finally!

Just been told my car has arrived in Dagenham!!

And I want to thank you guys for listening to my rants. Due to the fact we are now selling both of our Fords after this debacle - it means I will no longer be a member of the Ford Owners Club. It has been great seeing your words of wisdom and advice and listening to a blonde bird with no car knowledge rattle on ... who with her first car ( an Austin Metro ) didn't know where the oil went, so grabbed a funnel and poured it in through the hole where the dipstick came out from !!! I know, I know..... 😄 So thank you all once again... it's been a pleasure to meet you all !! Sarah.

Dropped swmbo to work last night and decided to go for a scenic drive across Dartmoor to make the most of one of my few nights off I now get to enjoy. 40mph stretch which is very twisty and the road rises up pretty rapidly after a very sharp bend. Some chuff in a Golf GTI overtakes "at speed", totally stuffs it up and hits a grass verge right in front of me, catches air and all wheels leave the road. Cue front end damage, fluid everywhere plus a couple of belts appear to fly off. I had a fun 2 hours on open moorland with darkness rapidly coming and a nasty low cloud / fog forming. Local colleagues attend (handy having my radio with me) and guy found to be known for mental health problems plus his VRN comes back as being of interest concerning 3 other speed related reports within 6 hours. Result- car recovered, driver reported for possible prosecution with regards to reckless driving and providing false details to obtain insurance. Me - laughing my butt off at his very weak excuses (plus accusing me of causing the crash - until I dug out my warrant card, radio and issue hi-vis jacket). Chump of the highest order.

Just got the keys to my new unit so I can start filling it with stuff! I have mentioned here before that I do a bit of powder coating for my own stuff just out in the shed but wanted to have a go at doing it on a commercial scale. I have a lot of contacts in the machinery trade etc and an interest in cars and bikes so it makes some sense to me. My oven is being built right now and I don’t know when it will arrive...but here’s the space as it is now still empty. I will update this thread with progress and let me know your thoughts of course.

2020 - You no longer need lights as you're only allowed out for essential trips and everywhere is closed at night...

UK Virus ALERT The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent virus threat and have therefore raised their threat level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, level may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. The virus has been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A ***** Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “***** Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada. The Scots have raised their threat level from “***** Off” to “Let's Get the *****.” They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years. The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability. Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.” The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbour” and “Lose.” Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels. The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. Australia, meanwhile, has raised its alert level from “No worries” to “She'll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is cancelled.” So far, no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level. The Russians have said “Its not us”

Please remember folks, that the "New Member Introductions" area is just to say "Hi, My name is... I drive a .... and I am interested in...." Please do not post "should I change...." or "What do you think...." or any other conversations in this area, only post hello's and if you are looking for help then you need to post elsewhere (please read on). 1) If your driving one of the main Ford Groups (Fiesta, Focus, CMAX, SMAX, Galaxy, Sierra etc) then please post your questions, advice, guidance, how do I's in this appropriate category if it refers to your car. for example "My Fiesta wont start" - Fiesta forum. "My CMAX blew up" - CMAX section. "My Mondeo is driving me crazy" - Mondeo Section. If your posting about a particular make of car, put it in that section. 2) Only post in the "Guides" sections if you are posting a guide (like you see in Haynes!) on how to do something. "A guide on how to remove the pollen filter from a Focus" - Focus Forum - Focus Guides sub forum. "A guide on how to replace a battery on a Fiesta" - Fiesta Section - Fiesta Guides Sub Forum 3) If you have questions, or suggestions of a cleaning / detailing nature - "How should I wash my car?" or "what polish can I use to make my car sparkle" belong in the detailing and cleaning section. All of these will help you to best get a response. Please do not post anything and everything into either the introductions, or the "general chat" sections. On this forum, we have a lot of members, who between them have an excellent level of knowledge in specific car area's, and they tend to congregate more so in their own area's. If you want a quick answer, Post directly in that section and someone can hopefully come back to you soon. Please DO NOT post multiple copies of the same thread and/or post, as these are likely to be removed. Please review the main forum page, and familiarize yourself with the categories and forum's that we have. We are here to help, and as a forum, pride ourselves as being the best on the net (top of most ford related searches!) as such, to ensure that you get the best from us as a new member, please help yourselves, and help us to get back to you sooner rather than later.

Here in NI we know a thing or two about marches. Everyone taking part in one has a self belief that there's is a true & just cause, and dam any consequence of anyone that doesn't like it. However, one of our big news stories was this summer, when an 'orange' (read primarily Protestant) march delayed their usual parade to allow a GAA (read primarily Catholic) to celebrate a recent sporting victory - indeed many in the Orange parade stood and applauded them. All it takes is a bit of conciliation, and the the reducing of arrogance that your cause is the only one...

Some very basic pics. Focus st line vignale in race red

The final countdown has begun.

So I rang the dealership this morning as I'm getting all my paperwork together, I thought I had best check where I stand on my private registration. He said not to worry, they'll sort out everything. They'll ring me about a week before the car is due to get to them and be ready to come in and go over everything. Great, no worries with that then, log book service book keys locking wheel nut etc etc all in safe, memorable, places! 10 minutes later, he rings me back. Oh s**t I think.. Quote, " how would you like to be in your new car next week?" 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 he checked the system after speaking with me the first time and turns out it's on a transporter on the way to their local holding site, expected to be there today! 🙈 I've arranged to go in on Monday for all the handover things, log book, finance etc with a view to pick up late next week once it's all been checked over! 🥳 I'm really sorry, and hate to be that guy, but turns out I'm (hopefully) one lucky MF!

The Beast is on British shores!! Tuesday collection arranged, a 3rd party will be detailing it on Monday.

I had a estimated delivery date of 1st October but that slipped and my new Focus arrived at the dealer today. It’s just a shame that I’m away with work now for two weeks and will have to wait to pick it up! I did have a little look round it and it looks good! Not bad considering that i ordered this mid November!

Picked up my new ST Line Vignale 155Mhev last night

My car has just landed! Looks super smart I am v pleased with the silver colour choice. Sync 4 seems very responsive. only minor niggle has asked above is that the eco boost engines come with a linear shifter rather than the rotary, which is contrary to what the dealer told me. Having driving round the block it makes no difference so not worried about that. the eco boost engine 155 feels nippy and sounds quite throaty at 3k revs plus - an added bonus!

I do like finally finishing a model kit I first started 5 and a half years ago. It's a very special model that i was supposed to finish by the time the aircraft took her final flights across the UK in October 2015. Yep, I finally finished my 1/72 scale Avro Vulcan XH558 model kit.

Had some tool in a bronze coloured, 20 plate Suzuki Swift go flying past me on the inside lane this evening while I was going 70 in my work car. He shortly slammed the anchors on due to two cars in front being parallel with each other at the speed limit and I could see him getting pissy as he started weaving and trying to bully them out of the way. He was even more upset when I lit him up and ticketed him for speeding (95 in a 70 zone) and reckless driving. Btw, it was a hire car because he stacked his company Mercedes three weeks ago and has a pending court appearance due to the crash being speed related (85 in a 60 zone) [emoji1787] Some people are just incapable of learning from their mistakes. Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Don't like seeing my Chief Constable on the news tonight looking like a right scran bag. You need to turn the iron on before you press your shirts Boss. [emoji846] Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

MK4 Mondeo I love the built in shower from the boot, brilliant work ford as always. Free shower everytime it rains, saves on the water bill 👍😝

I've intended to post this one on my 290km journey home from my mother's on Sunday night as the wife was driving; but she was talking the entire way and I couldn't compose correctly, I also didn't want my wife to get drowsy as I was quite willing to drive myself but she doesn't like sitting with me on motorway 😅 I then intended on writing it yesterday but I was too exhausted from the busy and sometimes stressful two days I had in my mother's. So without further adieu; I do like taking a Saturday off from the usual six day week of work routine to travel up to my mother with a few gifts for the house to make her life easier by eliminating methods which she has difficulty completing, My mother is 69 this year, She lives alone and has a plate for an ankle bone since 1994, had breast cancer and colon cancer, as result of scar tissue within the colon; is on a liquid diet for life now, I phone once or twice per week and visit around three or four times per year due to my busy schedule with work and financially keeping my own family, We went up to visit between Christmas and New year; She's bad on the feet as the left foot can't bend, and her right hand is now starting to stiffen up with arthritis, The foot is a long term issue but the arthritis in the hand is/was really depressing her because she can't turn on a normal tap, or pull out segments on the heating time clock, She's also afraid of dropping the kettle when making tea, The left hand doesn't have much strength as the breast cancer had an affect on her arm, She started turning the heating time clock wheel to get the heat to come on but that then changed the time; resulting in the heating coming on at random hours costing money when not required. All background story said now; I went home and had a think about how I could improve things and reduce her depression without medication; she wakes up happy but through the course of the day; becomes depressed from the little disability reminders. My dad agreed to change to kitchen taps to ones with tabs which turn 90 degree was a great help, I started saving some money as soon as I went home after Christmas and put off a bill or two until feburary which enabled me to purchase a few items to make her life easier, I began to shop around online and across the weeks of January pieced together everything with the intention of fitting in all in a single visit, I then took last Saturday off work and went up to install everything, I was wrecked yesterday because I only slept from 1am Sunday to 6am Sunday due to getting everything done in the time frame aswell as talking her through some things. She wanted her living room television on the wall after seeing ours done like that, so I agreed to do it as a late Christmas present, So I had some 75x50 PVC trunking left over from the attic, I took a chip of wall paint from her living room at Christmas and bought a matching sample pot from B&Q, ordered some 4 metre HDMI cables and a six socket power strip, I then purchased a mechanical oil level gauge which is around 3" inches in size of the gauge, no batteries or dodgy radar it's float sits on top of the oil for accuracy without maintenance https://purchase.ie/product/energy-saving/oil-tank-gauge-3 makes it easier for her to budget knowing what's in the kerosene tank. I then went to Currys and picked up a Brevelle instant hot water kettle, it has a volume control to suit cup size, just push button and it passively heats the water when it comes through, no lifting excess weight and no hot water in the resivour only what's inside the cup, She can fill the resivour using a cup or small jug eliminating the need to lift a kettle or risk of dropping the kettle. She was delighted with that, Moving on from this; she's paying for broadband service as part of her home phone and tv package; but she doesn't know how to use a computer or anything like that she doesn't have a smart phone just a simple Nokia, As result she couldn't use a wifi socket on a smart phone to switch on a light in the living room, But there was another way; I done some research online aswell as communicating with some helpful people on here to discover I could use my smartphone to initialize an Amazon Echo Plus which she can then use completely independently of any other devices to switch on and off things using her voice, it would also be a source of online information, since she's already paying for broadband. So I dug deep and bought an Amazon Echo plus, a Hive Active Heating Control kit, a Philips hue bulb and an Amazon Wi-Fi Socket, She can add more wifi sockets later out of her own investment but I covered all items which I provided to get the ball rolling, If it all worked and understood her northern accent then it was a good investment, Alternativly if it didn't understand her accent then at least we tried and she wasn't out of pocket either way. So I started with the television mounting and got that done Saturday day, I then had my dad arrive Saturday night to fit the hive heating control which replaced the segment switch with a wireless thermostat control that operates much like a light dimmer switch; turn up or down the temperature, She can now position the control unit in a comfortable location and adjust temperature by turning a volume wheel I then went back to the living room Saturday night to put two coats of paint on the cable ducting so if now matches the wall, Sunday morning I completed the television wiring and moved on to setting up the Amazon echo plus; the device fully understand my mother's accent;🕺 it's capable of turning on/off the wifi socket which we named "sitting room light" Ive chosen genuine Amazon Wi-Fi Socket as some non genuine wifi sockets can cause problems or fire in Reality HD😂 it's also working with the heating control unit, we ask it to set temperature or boost heating for 5 minutes 10 minutes 30 minutes etc. The Philips hue bulb in in the ceiling of the bedroom, She just says "Alexa turn on/off bedroom light" if says OK and does it. I've also added an app to the echo which now knows which colour of wheelie bin is going out next Monday, it will remind her the evening before to put out the blue bin or green bin etc. 😀 It even plays her favourite local radio stations which she had difficulty receiving signal on in the bedroom, since it's now coming through the internet signal isint a problem anymore. I have my own personal spotify account which I changed to a family account and set her up a spotify account under my family subscription on the family account which only costs an extra €5 per month for me and she can request any song atall; the Amazon echo then plays it from her spotify. I've since put an order in for two Amazon Echo dots which are a smaller scale of the echo plus without the smart hub, they will go in the bedroom and living room, giving her full control everywhere aswell as her favourite local radio stations without signal issues. To finish everything off then I also provided a book and a highlighter pen to help her get the most from the device because she doesn't know how to use a computer or YouTube for information but she can read books. She's now a totally different person, She phoned me today to say how happy she was with it and that it even plays ocean sound effects, shes amazed it was able to tell her the weather in the local area ☺ and the book says I can listen to pod casts from the radio. Overall I'm delighted I was able to take time out of my own busy working life to spend time with family and see there life improve by removing the daily reminders of things they can't do and replace them with something wonderful. Can't put a price on that And thanks for reading, thought I'd share with others in detail as were all getting older; these ideas may help someone you know too.

As some of you may know, I've been waiting for the 2018 Fiesta ST for some time. I placed my order back at the end of April, and it finally arrived at the dealers yesterday. Here's some pics they took of it being unloaded, and then some pics I took after I went to look at it today and take it for a spin. It sounds and drives amazing, can't wait to pick it up Saturday! 😁

I do like a random act of pure kindness and charity I experienced tonight. At my local Tescos topping up with petrol and a guy at an adjacent pump filling a Honda Jazz asks me if I'm running on ths standard Goldyear F1 tyres. On confirming that I am He then offers me a spare tyre for nothing. The guy had recently chopped from an ST to a 17 plate RS and had the tyre loafing in his garage since. Admittedly I at first invisaged waking up in a bath of ice minus a kidney but he appeared 100% gen so went along with it. He lived literally just around the corner from the store and on following him there find he indeed has a cracking RS on the drive. The tyre has had a professional mid tread puncture repair but has zero visible wear so seeing that new F1 tyres are £114 from the likes of Blackcircles.com it was a no brainer. A sincere thanks goes to a decent honest guy, a rare commodity nowadays. Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

Rear light clustets boot hinges and spoiler seal all leak tell tale signs is a damp or wet boot process of elimination though its best to use quality sealant and seal all 3 suspected areas. Power steering hose just behind the radiator and at the join to the pump are prone to leaks from corrosion recommend every 6 months applying grease to the area such as vaseline to prevent this. Noisy aircon pumps can be from either the bearing or the system needing regassed since the regass is cheap its best trying this first also the ti vct uses a different aircon pump a vss pump which varies the gas so it does not click on and off regularly like older pumps but runs continously. The heated windscreen can fail on one side either its a simple fuse issue to which there are 2 1 for each side or some cars under the scuttle panel have the electrical ribbon loose which gets rubbed by the wipers when in motion causing it to fail. Rear hatch gathers water so when it rains and the boots opened water pours in ford sell 2 self adhesive plastic strips which is supposed to address this issue it helps but doesnt prevent it happening. The design of the door seals means after or during rain once the doors opened water runs into the car there is no fix and its a common issue on the mk2 The aircon drain can get blocked or detatch allowing water into the dtlriver footwell the drain is found behind the plastic panel at the drivers left leg a poke through with a wire hanger usually clears it if loose its best to reattatch with silicone. Dash displays stay lit after the car is locked for between 20-40 minutes the ecu remains live storing vehicle data for this period of time monitoring under bonnet temperatures once the ecu shuts down the display remains off displays which stay on for long periods such as overnight usually have pcm issues which bbereman can repair cheap. Despite fords its galvanised claims the focus rusts particularly on the front and rear sills as well as front and rear arches therefore its imperative you deal with paint chips pretty quickly. Rear bushes like the mk1 are prone to wear around the 5 year mark some are easy to change some are not. The ti vct can go into limp mode with no power this can be either the ti vct timing relays on top of the engine or the cam itself the cam unit is not easy or cheap to repair so should be left to a dealer the cambelt will also need replaced during this average cost £500 minimum. Worn or cheap brake pads and disks can cause a distinct click when braking. A noise like a knock or thump between 10-15 mph is the abs test and is normal should happen only once usually when first using the car. Poor idle can be due to the pcv valve needing replaced the springs weaken and can gunge up for the sake of £10 its best to replace this. Rear drums prone to sticking in cold damp weather a clunk will be heard from the rear as it unsticks getting under the rear and spraying wd40 on the rear handbrake cables both sides before winter sets in can cure if not help this. Paint removal on the sills lower doors front and rear is common a plastic protector should be attatched though this helps its advised to fit mudflaps even this will not stop road salt blasting paint away but reduces the effects dramatically. Wind noise from the front windows is common often sounds like the window is open slightly when its not ford have no fix for this the mk2.5 recieved thicker door seals and glass to prevent this. Rattles from under the car more often than not are loose heatshields or a broken rear or midfle exhaust hanger a new exhaust is not needed since the hanger detatches at the exhaust removing from the hanging rubber and buying a bracket clamp from ebay for £8 solves the issue and is easy to fit. Rear washers not working can be a detatched hose inside the spoiler or a detatched hose in the car at the driver rear in the headlining where it stops at the boot For winter a good screenwash used pure down to -10 -20 such as preston is needed as the screenwash bottle is under the wheel arch liner and will freeze heated washers wont defrost this. leaky washer jets is common upgraded parts available but still leak only answer is to silicone them Check all electrics work as they should let the car idle and sit in it any bad shudders could indicate the coil pack plugs and leads need replaced to solve misfires its best to do all 3 and use dielectric grease on the spark plug terminals at the plugs and coil pack. Dpf failures are common and expensive however its possible to get companies to remove the dpf fault by removing the dpf altogether saving a small fortune and endless headache Diesel issues ill leave to the diesel owners