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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...'

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.

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.

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...

The last few weeks has seen my car acting like it was drinking kangaroo petrol usually worse on cold start up and aggressive acceleration. Culminated on Friday when the judder felt like it was going to stall, and engine management light flashed for about 5 seconds. Today, the old girl was treated to a new set of Bosch HT leads & coil pack. The old leads/pack metal connectors were actually green with corrosion. She now drives as sweet as anything. I love a happy ending 😁

Now, we've discussed this before. If a manufacturer makes a bit of cr*p that fits my car, I feel it's my duty to buy it 🤣

Hi everyone, just to update it looks like my issues were being caused by a leak in the hydraulic system after all, Ford replaced a top hat seal, topped up the fluids and bled the system again. Drive home from the garage was much more like normal, no resistance getting the car to go into gear, no strange clutch action and more importantly no locking into neutral or 1st! It all felt like normal. Going to give the car a good run over the weekend but hopefully the problem is solved. Thanks again to everyone who helped out.

When I first applied for a passport, due to our location, the interview took place online. After a few minutes chitchat to lighten the mood the interview started. After a few questions the interviewer asked me where I worked. I replied 'Local council depot ' he then asked me how many people worked there! Apparently 'About half of them ' was the wrong answer! 😀 Cue tumbleweed moment!

Well, she's back on the road! I couldn't get that plastic piece out of the hose though. I tried everything I could think of - including all the helpful suggestions given here - but it wouldn't budge at all. In the end I decided there was enough play in the hose to just cut it below the end of the stuck plastic. Replaced the diaphragm and wrestled the hose back on and all seems well. No more limp mode - at least not yet anyway. I've done around 100 miles or so on varied roads since and it seems to be holding up well. Thank you all for your help with this. Without you lot I'd have either scrapped the car or ended up paying anywhere between £3000 and £7000 to get it back on the road! I really, really do appreciate all the help. All the best for the holiday season and new year!!

OP here, and thought it worth rounding off the thread. I can't believe it was back in March I was asking about this but having mulled it over all summer and autumn I decided to give it a go - just as we entered winter. Not the best of timing for such a big job out on the drive but there you go! I opted to DIY it primarily given the cost of getting a garage to do it, or rather the high cost being a reflection of how much work there is and I didn't feel comfortable leaving it to a mechanic who is working to the clock. I know many take pride in their work, but many don't, and it's knowing who's who that's difficult! Besides which, I figured the amount I'd be saving would buy a whole load of tools should I need them along the way and I'd still be quids in. I'd also be learning a lot along the way and would have a far better understanding about the engine, its layout an operation etc, once done. So, would I recommend it to other amateur mechanics (emphasis on amateur!) like me? I would actually. It's a big job - or rather a long job. What surprised was just how much stuff has to come off. Sure, the Ecoboost engine does look busy up top and so I knew all that would have to come out, but so much else was bolted to/around the timing belt cover that had to come off too which surprised me. I soon learnt that as daunting as the whole job was, if you just break it down into each stage - of which there must be easily fifty or so (and then another fifty to rebuild it!) - then it is reasonably manageable. I had a few issues along the way such as a stuck heatshield bolt, even more stuck exhaust flange bolts and also a snapped aircon compressor bolt. Nightmares at the the time but looking they were just learning experiences really and if they were to happen again I'd be a lot more confident about that sort of thing happening. Regarding the infamous crank bolt it is indeed quite a titan of a thing. Its size and tightness are more befitting of a railway bridge than a 1L engine. But there's no getting around it. I borrowed an impact gun to remove it although it wouldn't budge to begin with, but this turned out to be due to the 3/4"-to-1/2" adaptor robbing torque as when I bought a 3/4" socket it came straight off. For tightening I borrowed a torque wrench to get the 300Nm (mine only goes up to 250Nm), or it might even be 200Nm) and a 3/4" breaker plus scaffold pipe for the 90°. My biggest fear with tightening was whether the flywheel locking from my cheap (£40) timing tool set might fail (and end up inside the bell housing!) but it held good. In fact I was really impressed with the timing set - felt very well made. If anyone is thinking of giving it a go but has any questions to help sway them one way or the other, or is midway through the job and wants to discuss any aspect, do shout.

I do like it when a good friend gives me the perfect gift...

All this chat about the London police commissioner about allowing a palestinian protest march on Saturday so it doesn't clash with remembrance Sunday misses one very very very important point.......Saturday is the 11th which is Armistice Day!! There shouldn't be any other event whatsoever scheduled for that day other than bowing our heads for the dead of The Great War.

I support anyone's right to hold a peaceful and respectful demonstration of their sincerely held views. Without that, why did those we remember today give their lives? The problem is, as usual, that good intentions get hijacked by the inevitable pond life and rent a mob, which is a great pity.

Measures have been introduced to check for counterfeit batteries...

Well the guys over at North West Engines have done a full diagnostic including cylinder compression tests. The verdict: no major or obvious engine damage. They’re going to replace the wet belt along with the water pump, filters and oil for £800. Hopefully the car should be fine following that. Unfortunately they can’t fit it in until December but they’re going to keep the car there and if they get any cancellations etc. they’ll fit it in sooner. Not a major problem as like I said I’m fortunate enough to have the use of a family member’s car in the meantime so I’m still mobile. Thanks again for all the replies. I’ll let you know how I get on in the end.

Just catching up on this thread... Sounds like you're caught between a rock and a hard place there Dave... 😞 OK, I'll throw my two penn'orth in here.... It sounds like you have a conscience and would be willing to "save" the car if it's viable... if that's the route you choose then I think the earlier post from someone about getting a mechanic to drop the sump and check the oil pickup gauze is your first starting point. If absolute disaster has been avoided you then need to decide what to do about getting an objective view on moving forward to rectify the problem. I see you are based in Merseyside. It might be worth your while to give North West Engines in Rochdale a call for further advice. They are Ecoboost specialists and carry out wet belt replacements, engine refurbs and reconditioned engines. I took my 14 plate 1.0L Ecoboost there in May and they did the wet belt replacement plus all the seals and water pump etc. £850.00 all in and they did a great job plus they gave the car a once-over and gave me a few "advisories" to think about too. Very helpful and knowledgeable set of lads. Here's the contact details for you: North West Engines, Dane Mill, Bridgefield Street, Rochdale. OL11 4EY. tel: 01204 859044 Good luck whatever you choose to do and let us know how you get on. 👍

but looking on the bright side it could be the Ex-wife 🤣

It's not just elderly people, our society isn't setup for many disabilities. One of the most frustrating things for me is that I can order pretty much anything online, and have it brought right to my door...but as I can't reliably get to the door when a delivery arrives, most of them end up getting sent back to the depot...which I have no way to access at all now! No amount of signage or emails has made any difference. Same goes for supermarket deliveries. I'm now completely reliant on a relative in their 50's driving 30 miles to bring me some food, meds and any deliveries that need signing for each week. But I don't know how much longer they'll be able to do that... I've been genuinely shocked that there is no practical help for this sort of thing offered by the council. I've even started looking at sheltered housing, but not disabled enough or old enough for my local authority apparently. However, when I looked further into it, they specifically say that assistance isn't offered for shopping, medical needs or cleaning...so what's the point of it!? I'm also now virtually unable to speak, which prevents access to health services or emergency services. And despite clearly putting that in emails for anyone that has to deal with me - they still arrive expecting a conversation! This is the reason I try to improve 'society' where I can, whether that's disability access, or inclusivity, or the environment etc. I think most 'normal' people just don't realise how much they take for granted. Education is key IMO.

!! UPDATE !! Car is done and being dropped to my local Enterprise this evening. I'm collecting tomorrow morning subject to me running a close eye over everything. The timing is very fortuitous as it means I can indeed get to Ford Fair this weekend with a car I can put on the club stand instead of walking in. See ya there Guys. (Don't be afraid to come up and chat with me, I do not bite 😉).

This isn't my thread. But as you asked, I've bought & sold 60+ cars over the years...some complete dogs, some that weren't so bad. I've also helped out many other people with repairs, generally offering my own labour for free. I've had a lot of experience in working out what can be fixed cheaply on a driveway and what's beyond financial viability. There are hundreds of pounds to be spent on the OP's car (2002 MK1 Focus) if all the advisories are to be fixed and it's simply not worth it with garage labour rates. It could be sold on to someone who can complete the work themselves perfectly legitimately. As Lyndon has confirmed, the subframe mounting is actually part of the chassis - once you start poking that, you'll often find a large hole starts to appear. That then has to be welded (higher labour costs than a general fitter) and it has to be done with enough skill to ensure that the mounting is at least as structurally sound as it was when it left the factory. I can't weld, and I don't know of any welders I'd trust with that job. That's how I came to the conclusion that it would be better to upgrade than repair in this case. My current car is a 2012 Golf, bought 5 years ago, high mileage, cat N write off. Needed something very smooth riding but also super cheap to run (55+ mpg and £30 tax) and I certainly couldn't afford garage labour costs to have anything repaired on it! I have specifically only spent the bare minimum to keep it going since purchase - that's one tyre, one wiper blade and a couple of oil changes using the suction method. I did have to replace a rear caliper last year after it failed MOT, due to being sat unused through lockdowns. Couldn't find any garage to collect the car (including the one I'd been loyal to with MOTs) and couldn't find a mobile mechanic to repair it at a reasonable price so the car ended up unused until I was well enough to repair it myself. It's also been hit again since the write off, so the bodywork looks scruffy on one side, plus one of the previous cat N repair panels was cheap and has surface rusted badly, and the paint was not done well so it's peppered with large flaky stone chips. It's not worth repairing. I get a bit fed up of some members claiming a low income in every other thread when they can seemingly afford to run a 35mpg petrol and pay garage labour to have major components replaced every other month. I spent most of my driving career unable to afford less than 50mpg and never being able to afford garage labour, and that was before covid and COL crisis. Yes, I do now have some disposable income, but that's mainly because I can no longer drive, so a moot point really. People are not all in the same situation. I do try to base any advice I offer on the overall circumstances of the OP, which can be difficult with minimal information. In this case, I have made the assumption that the OP will not be fixing the car themselves and that the car in question will be of fairly low value. If any information is provided contrary to that, I will be happy to roughly price up each job needed.

That reminds me.... My wife says I don't pay attention when she talks to me, so we sat down and had a bit of a catch-up last week, which was quite nice, but apparently she's been made redundant from Woolworths.

Slightly off topic but it seems to me that cars are now unnecessarily complicated becoming mobile phones on wheels. In my olden days cars went to the the scrapper when the bodies rusted out but the mechanicals were still OK. Then the manufacturers improved the rust proofing and cars lasted much longer and went to the scrapper because the mechanicals wore out and were beyond economic repair. Now car life seems to be shortening again and the cars are going to the scrapper with good bodies and mechanicals but with failed electronics being beyond economic repair. In addition these electronics, being built to industrial rather than military standards, cause all sorts of puzzling complex faults, as they age and become unreliable, which are beyond the capability of most owners and garages to diagnose. Progress or not? Rant over!

So, it irked me that my prep for leaks didn't find a crack or other problem before I re-fitted the cylinder head. Out of interest I thought I'd try and find out why. I found that the static water leak test I previously dreamed up was and is far too slow to notice a leak into a much larger coolant passage volume. I can now see a slight drop in water volume after waiting 24hrs but even then it's not as conclusive as I would like. Using bits and pieces from around my home I have now rigged up a better test, albeit still Heath Robinson. Nevertheless, take a look at the pics and video I've just taken with a bit of mains water pressure. Took a while to decide whether to post here or in Have a Laugh 😁

Time to change the battery in the smoke alarm 🤣

If it were me (and I've been in that position), I would seek out the services of a local independent auto locksmith who will have the appropriate equipment to supply and program a working key fob. It will cost more than buying an AliExpress one, but at least you know it will work and be stress free. I would budget about €80 or so...

I'm always ready to criticise new innovations, but having had this on several Fords over the last dozen years or so, I think it's great and have never had an issue. My wife's car has a conventional locking petrol cap which now seems a complete PITA in comparison. (Odd how it always seems to need fuel when I drive it, too!😀)

It should be practically unused in the UK 🤣

Thanks. As expected, 90% rants, no technical diagnosis... Buying a used car does not reset the engine to as-new condition. Having owned a used car two weeks is not relevant. The car having an RRP of £30,000 4 years before it broke is not relevant. Having the car serviced by an independent garage is relevant and makes the likelihood of incorrect oil much higher. If the timing has shifted that's potentially due to a failing chain tensioner. (Oil pump belt alone can't change timing). I would need to see some proper diagnosis for that. The engine failing at 70mph without the driver being able to coast it off of the carriageway seems very odd. Possibly poor observation skills and a missed oil pressure warning. The oil pump belt with all teeth missing is the most interesting post there. But doesn't say what caused it, so again not actually helpful. You are welcome to choose whichever engine you like. Funny thing is, when I first joined here, it was with the 1.6 TDCI (that has morphed over the years into the 1.5 EcoBlue) and everyone was saying how terrible the 1.6 TDCI was back then and that they should be avoided!

I had a dream that I got a payout in 20 years time for the great wetbelt scandal of the 2010s. 🤣 I can just hear the tv adverts now. "Did you own a ford ecoboost engine between 2012 and 2023? You could be entitled to thousands in compensation. Thats our no win no fee guarentee"

For heaven's sake don't let @StephenFord see that.

Chances of it having been done is almost zero. If it had of been the seller would have made a point of telling you. If you get Ford to do the work expect to pay £1450 to £1800 !!!! Some specialist Ecoboost garages will do the work for around £900 The less you drive and the shorter the journeys the more likely the belt will snap. Also you will need to do at least yearly oil changes with the exact Ford specification oil. In short the less you use it the more you need to look after it.

While I wait on blood test results , they've offered me a bed in resus that's not in use to have a sleep due to a long wait for the only medic on duty. . Hope I wake up again. 🤣🤣🤣

Just to be clear. This is completely incorrect. The low oil pressure light illuminates every time you switch the ignition on as there is no oil pressure created until the engine starts turning over. If there is still low oil pressure with the engine running, the red light will stay on until the pressure reaches the required level.

If you're not that familiar with 2 pedal cars, that's a very good idea to get used to it. I can almost guarantee that whenever I drive an auto, at the first stop "muscle memory" causes me to depress the non-existent clutch pedal, hit the brake instead and come to a halt rather more suddenly than intended!😀 That's good - even though it's a Ford it shouldn't have broken down just yet!😀

Actually, it's a very useful button this time of year, as you can see, it's an icon of a Christmas tree. Pressing the button once will allow your car to seek out the cheapest tree in your area, pressing it twice will let you seek a more expensive one...

But there will be because the, minority, hard left has the loudest voice and the Police will do nothing If you counter protest you're a hard right racist

This is what you need to properly clean the cat

Last Friday 13th (!), on driving onto the motorway, a RangeRover cut in front, no surprise, but it happened to chuck up a rock onto my windscreen which caused a sharp crack noise, and a noticeable scar. Went online to my insurance recommended windscreen people, completed a very easy form, and guy was out at 9am this morning to my house. Very professional repair and fascinating to watch. Also, because it's a repair, it was a 'no cost' to me procedure. Well pleased...

Well this turned out to be excellent advice. Thank you! After speaking to them and explaining everything they said it sounds like I might get away with a belt, oil and water pump change, which they'll do for £850. They've quoted me £50 for a diagnostic to find out. If not and a new engine is needed they've quoted me £1800 for a replacement fitted with a 3 month warranty or £2000 for a repair and refurb - also warrantied for 3 months. At those prices it's a no-brainer as I can get the car repaired and sell it, with clear conscience, for more than it's cost to repair, which at this point is all I'm interested in. The only problem is they're so booked up it might be a couple of months before they can get it boxed off, but I'm in the fortunate position of being able to borrow a family member's car in the meantime so I can live with that. Thanks again. I'll let you know what the diagnostic throws up next week.

I'm pleased to report that I've had a letter this morning stating that both tickets have been cancelled.😀

Just thought I'd update everyone. I just got my Fiesta back today from the mechanic. He changed the wet belt, oil pump belt, oil pump and water pump. The coolant and engine oil were also replaced. The car has approx 72.000 miles and is a 2018 Ecoboost. So the mechanic said it was an absolute pig of a job and mentioned both the wet belt and the oil pump belt had a series of cracks and were on their way out. He also showed me the oil pump and it had a lot of debris accumulated in the gauze area and was starting to get blocked. He said it was good I had provided all the parts to be replaced as all of them were needed. Overall I'm glad I got this done. It wasn't cheap, but the belt wouldn't have lasted much longer. I change my oil every 6 months or 6,000 miles, whichever is sooner. However my wet belt still wasn't in good shape. The previous owners had used Ford's extended service schedule (oil change every 2 years :O), so maybe this contributed to the wet belt degredation.

Sadly, my vital equipment wouldn't even touch the sides, let alone get wedged in!

Our mortgage is with NatWest! I'm gonna rip it up straight away! 🤔😃

"worth peanuts" he says !! It's got more than half a tank of petrol 🤣

I'm not sure, but the oil pump losing its belt teeth could be a secondary effect of the loss of lubrication. That engine he stripped was unusual in that it had a balance shaft, which according to the workshop manual that I have was only fitted to cars with a 6-speed automatic transmission. On these the oil belt has its own tensioner, which is not present on normal engines. When he took the front cover off the bits that fell out, and the subsequent large bits of metal he found elsewhere appear to be from this tensioner that seemed to have failed and broken up. In failing it might have jammed or partially jammed the oil pump belt causing the teeth to shear off.

There's a huge amount of de-skilling, electric starter motors should be banned, if you can't hand crank it to start you shouldn't be allowed to drive 😁

Most unlikely in my opinion. The narrower tyre may have a slightly lower rolling resistance but i doubt it would net you another 5mpg and definitely not 15mpg. Most of your energy losses are through aerodynamic drag and braking and affected a lot by your driving style. I think 45mpg overall is pretty good for an Ecoboost Focus anyway. Whoever told you could get 60 mpg in a normal driving mix is pulling your leg.

Just shows we all think differently Would be boring if we al thought the same way.