Tony_M

Hi Smett72, fryboi & adzmcp I guessed it was probably the case that tax bands are based on the official emissions of a particular model when new, so cannot be altered by subsequent mods, but thanks for your replies anyway.

Hi I have a 59-reg Zetec bought last Oct when the 1.25/82PS was emission rated at 133g/km, since then Ford have apparently tweaked it to produce an official figure of 129g, which means a first year £0 annual car tax, and after that £90 instead of £110 for mine. As I'm not too knowledgeable about these things, does anyone know if Ford dealers can retrospectively mod existing engines to lower the CO2 emissions officially so as to lower the car tax band, or would it be so prohibitive as to not be worthwhile? Thanks

Hi There to all of you who have been contributing to this thread. Because there hadn't been a recent new message I didn't realise this topic existed when I posted the thread entitled "Usb Memory Stick Usb Problems" this morning. Could I possibly ask you all to have a quick look at this thread, which is on a very similar subject, although not about Bluetooth streaming, but about my (and one or two other owners) problems trying to play .mp3 music files off a flash memory stick, when the audio system often fails to recognise the stick whenever it is inserted into the USB port. Would very much appreciate all useful suggestions to show to my dealer. Many thanks in advance.

Thanks for the info Stewart, I have an Integral USB SD camera card adapter/reader which works well into my PC, although the Fiesta has never recognised it - could be wrong file format for .mp3 music files.

As has aleady been said, all Mk.7 Fiestas are likely to never have a locking fuel cap, thus breaking with a necessary tradition since leaping oil/petrol prices in about 1973-74 caused a spate of fuel thefts. Surely what is more to the point is, how do we all feel about this, ie. can we be confident that Ford, in what was probably a cost-saving move but described as an improvement (like substituting the spare wheel + jack with a compressor & sealant) have got it right, and that our expensive fuel is safe from theft and deliberate contamination by vandals? I would like to see some kind of official reassuring statement from Ford, but I have yet to find anything in Ford brochures, adverts, web-pages, or Fiesta handbook on this subject. They seem to be very reluctant to say anything on the subject - Ford Customer Services haven't answered my queries in writing, only told me verbally and vaguely that they understood there is some kind of one-way valve below the visible shutter operated by the fuel pump nozzle or Ford plastic funnel, to prevent syphoning also some kind of device to protect the fuel from tampering.

Thanks very much StewartM, it's very useful to know that you've got exactly the same random problem, even though you are no nearer a solution than I am. At least when I next speak to the dealer's workshop technician (cars are too hi-tech these days to call them mechanics) who has been working on it, I will be able to let him know, also Ford Customer Services, that other owners have exactly the same problem. Both have been suggesting that my problem was a unique, to them, one-off. By the way, if you come back to this thread soon, Stewart, it would be interesting to know what is the make/model of your 8GB stick - is it by any chance another San-Disk? If it is, then it could possibly be an incompatibility problem between the Fiesta and San-Disk memory sticks only. I'm about to raise this possibility on the San-Disk Community Forum to see if anybody there has any answers/suggestions.

Hi Maffoo Thanks for the quick suggestion - no, this 16GB stick was my first and is my one and only memory stick, bought especially for in-car music of my choice without the inconvenience of carrying around stacks of CDs, let alone unsafely attempting to change a CD whilst driving! I had originally intended to get the 8GB version, but typically Amazon put the price up hugely from one day to the next, which on the day made the 16GB only a little more expensive than the 8GB! I see you haven't actually got your car yet - before splashing out on another smaller-capacity stick maybe I'll wait and see if anybody else with the USB option can shed any light on the problem, but many thanks. As you will be having the same option perhaps you will be able to get an idea too. As has been mentioned in other threads, the Fiesta handbook leaves a lot to be desired, and although I believe Ford have a list of known compatible Bluetooth mobiles and MP3 players, they don't seem to have a similar list for memory sticks, nor any warning regarding not using larger capacity ones.

Hi Has anybody else suffered intermittent problems when trying to play MP3 music tracks from a memory stick via the AUX-USB port (described by Ford as "Connectivity" on p.189 of the MK.7 Fiesta handbook) on cars factory-fitted with the AUX-USB, Bluetooth, Voice Control option? My dealer has now had my car back 3 times without success, even after loading a software update and replacing the USB connector and internal cable to the audio unit. Briefly, and this happens either when plugging in the memory stick before or after switching on the radio, the audio unit displays either (1) "USB device initiallising please wait" as it should do, in which case pressing the AUX selector button correctly brings up the track info and starts playing, or (2) "USB device not supported", in which case when pressing AUX the display shows "Line in active" but no music, or (3) absolutely nothing happens at all, in which case pressing AUX either gives the same display info as (2) or ignores the AUX button completely and continues playing from the RADIO input. The 3 different reactions to plugging in the memory stick seem to be completely random, although it does go through phases of working OK and then deciding not to, or vice versa. Also, whether I use a USB2.0 extension cable or not doesn't seem to make much difference. The memory stick is a San-Disk Cruzer Micro 16GB, purchased new Dec 2009, with its pre-loaded back-up software removed in case this was the cause, formatted with FAT32 file system, has no other files other than .mp3, has no playlists loaded, and a very simple 2-layer folder arrangement down to the actual .mp3 tracks. The flash memory-testing program H2testw v1.4 which fills up the stick with files and then reads/verifies them, reported no errors, a write speed of 4.60MB/sec and a read speed of 23.3 MB/sec. The more-important in this case read speed is therefore an average USB2.0 figure even though the write speed is slow. I would be pleased to hear from anybody with any experience/solution/ideas on this, as I am naturally getting very fed up with this variable fault, which has very much taken the edge off the pleasure of having this new car, to the point when I sometimes wonder whether I made the right choice. Also, disappointingly, Ford Customer Services aren't any help either. :(

Will do Cheers

As you say, Titanium, the unprotected light bulb projecting below the dashboard is obvious when you open the driver's door and stand back. The trouble is, replacing it with a LED bulb doesn't solve the problem as these are larger & more expensive if you accidentally break it. Although it would be a real grovel of a job, remounting the lampholder a little higher up behind the dash would make it safer from damage. As my car is only a couple of weeks old I plan to show the problem to the dealer to see if they can do it FOC.

Hi Fiesta Mk7 Members I think maybe my query below on this subject got lost in another topic about changing the colour of the lamps. I have noticed that the right-hand (driver's) side footwell bulb looks very vulnerable to being accidentally kicked and broken, causing shards of glass to end up on the floor. In my Fiesta the driver's side footwell bulb projects below the bottom edge of the dash by 12mm, almost 1/2 inch, but on the front passenger side the bulb is completely recessed and safe from damage. The unprotected bulb is only a couple of inches away from one's foot when it is on the brake pedal. With a mirror and torch I can see a strong metal bracket about an inch or so higher up behind the dashboard which looks unused, which would be a much better position for the lampholder. Is it just me being fussy/unduly concerned? What do those of you with footwell lighting think?

Following on from the query as to where the switch is, which I think is due in my opinion to the manual being rather poor in terms of layout and overall quality (very thin cover and paper), now that the cold and damp weather of autumn has arrived, does anyone have any comments about the effectiveness of the rear screen heater/demister? A couple of days ago the inside of my rear window was well misted up, but even after half an hour of switching it on, there was hardly any significant demisting effect.

Hi 10 Corsham See manual page 76. The separate switch is the button incorporating a tiny led in the centre of the right-hand red-blue heating temperature control.

I have noticed that the right-hand (driver's) side footwell bulb looks very vulnerable to being accidentally kicked and broken, causing lots of lovely small shards of glass to end up on the floor. In my Fiesta the driver's side footwell bulb projects below the bottom edge of the dash by 12mm, almost 1/2 inch, but on the front passenger side the bulb is completely recessed and safe from damage. Is it just me being fussy/unduly concerned? What do those of you with footwell lighting think?

Forgot to add though that, in agreement with Sarc, it's good to know that although one can no longer claim that the Fiesta is a British car, at least the engine and gearbox are British-made.