Isfofix - 2005 ford focus
Discussion
Hey fella
Sorry to tell you that the Focus doesn't come with Isofix. My Wife recently bought a 2005 model and the previous owner had got Isofix fitted themselves, which made things easier for us, but as my old man has just bought one as well, i know for definate that the car doesn't come fitted with it as standard.
(Doubt it would be too difficult to have it fitted though.)
HTH
Gaz
Sorry to tell you that the Focus doesn't come with Isofix. My Wife recently bought a 2005 model and the previous owner had got Isofix fitted themselves, which made things easier for us, but as my old man has just bought one as well, i know for definate that the car doesn't come fitted with it as standard.
(Doubt it would be too difficult to have it fitted though.)
HTH
Gaz
Ford group seem to be one of the few not to have taken it up, including oddly my father-in-law's 3 year-old Volvo V70.
(Which is a bit of a pain cos he hasn't a clue how to put the seat in on the seatbelt either so my 16 month old is likely to end up floating round the cavernous back seat strapped into her Maxi-Cosi.)
(Which is a bit of a pain cos he hasn't a clue how to put the seat in on the seatbelt either so my 16 month old is likely to end up floating round the cavernous back seat strapped into her Maxi-Cosi.)
I bought my Focus in 2007, and only recently came across the aforementioned lack of ISOFIX points. Closer examination of the pricelist from the time I bought the car revealed that they are an optional extra, but with a price of zero - in other words if I'd asked for them when ordering the car they would have been put in for free. A simple case of "you don't ask you don't get." DOH! (I live in Hungary, so I don't know if Ford's policy is the same elsewhere, but it was galling to find that two years down the road I will now have to pay extra for them (equivalent of about 10-15 pounds, so not the end of the world, but still). I was talking to a mechanic from a different Ford garage (where I'm having a minor bodywork repair done), and he says when the cars arrive from the factory the ISOFIX hooks are included separately in a little bag in the boot. They certainly weren't there in mine... The only silver lining is that it's apparently not too tricky to install them yourself. A set of Torx drivers is needed. I'll probably try and fit some in mine within the next few weeks. Any problems I run up against I will post up here if anyone's interested.
surfymark said:
My 2006 S-Max has Isofix. Having said that it seems to be quite hard to find isofix seats nowadays. Is the standard on its way out?
M
Joking surely? Only 4 years ago we struggled to find **any** Isofix seats, now there's several types and makes.M
What would Isofix be replaced with? Genuinely curious because I think it works well and should be a cheap implementation (I know some manufacturers charge a silly fortune for the mounts) but it's not without shortfalls.
Okay, here's the info as promised in my previous post. I phoned the dealer and was quoted the equivalent of 10-15 pounds for isofix mounts (I live in Hungary, but shouldn't think there's too much of a difference.) When I went round to buy them it transpired that the price quoted was for ONE mount - in other words if you want isofix anchors on both sides of the car you need to buy two sets. (I couldn't find any holes for installing them in the centre, so I don't think you can have three isofix-mount seats in the Focus at the same time.)
Anyway, first the guy said they didn't have any on stock, but would have to order them in for me. Then, however, he went out the back and returned with one of the anchors in his hand, saying he'd found four of them, how many did I want? I put it to him that these (not recorded on stock, but physically present nevertheless) were the ones that had been supplied with new cars, but the owners hadn't requested them (see my previous post). He went away to speak with a superior, then returned looking sheepish and said I could have one free of charge, "because it would have come with the car anyway."
The upshot of this is that it's probably worth kicking up a bit of a stink at the dealer where you bought the car. If, like my dealer, they've got a pile of the things lying around gathering dust, maybe - especially in today's economic climate - they'll let you have one as a goodwill gesture. Even if not, a tenner (or two, if you've got two kids) won't break the bank.
How to fit them:
All you need is a 50mm torx key (like an allen key, but star-shaped), and a bit of patience.
First, fold the bottom half of the seat upwards and out of the way, then unlatch the-seat back but don't fold it down, just have it unlatched so you can move it about a bit to get access to the space underneath it.
Now push your hand under the bottom of the seat back and feel around until you find two flat-headed rubber bungs, almost flush to the surface of the metal. These are more or less under the axis on which the seatback hinges.
Pull the plugs out. (I accidentally broke the top off one, and couldn't get any purchase to pull it out, so I ended up pushing it in with a smaller torx key until it fell out of the bottom.)
The isofix mount is a long strip of metal with a couple of metai hoops sticking out of it, and two holes. Line the holes in the isofix mount up with the threaded holes you've just unplugged, and screw in the two bolts that are also in the packet. (Be careful not to cross-thread them.) It's pretty self-evident, but the two metal hoops should be at the bottom, with the holes above them. (That way, as you're looking at it, the Ford logo stamped in the metal will be upside-down.)
You do NOT need to remove the seat-back, as the seat foam can be pushed out of the way while you're screwing in the bolts. It probably helps to have someone to hold the soft part of the seat out of the way while you do it, but I managed it on my own with no particular hassle.
Hope this helps.
Anyway, first the guy said they didn't have any on stock, but would have to order them in for me. Then, however, he went out the back and returned with one of the anchors in his hand, saying he'd found four of them, how many did I want? I put it to him that these (not recorded on stock, but physically present nevertheless) were the ones that had been supplied with new cars, but the owners hadn't requested them (see my previous post). He went away to speak with a superior, then returned looking sheepish and said I could have one free of charge, "because it would have come with the car anyway."
The upshot of this is that it's probably worth kicking up a bit of a stink at the dealer where you bought the car. If, like my dealer, they've got a pile of the things lying around gathering dust, maybe - especially in today's economic climate - they'll let you have one as a goodwill gesture. Even if not, a tenner (or two, if you've got two kids) won't break the bank.
How to fit them:
All you need is a 50mm torx key (like an allen key, but star-shaped), and a bit of patience.
First, fold the bottom half of the seat upwards and out of the way, then unlatch the-seat back but don't fold it down, just have it unlatched so you can move it about a bit to get access to the space underneath it.
Now push your hand under the bottom of the seat back and feel around until you find two flat-headed rubber bungs, almost flush to the surface of the metal. These are more or less under the axis on which the seatback hinges.
Pull the plugs out. (I accidentally broke the top off one, and couldn't get any purchase to pull it out, so I ended up pushing it in with a smaller torx key until it fell out of the bottom.)
The isofix mount is a long strip of metal with a couple of metai hoops sticking out of it, and two holes. Line the holes in the isofix mount up with the threaded holes you've just unplugged, and screw in the two bolts that are also in the packet. (Be careful not to cross-thread them.) It's pretty self-evident, but the two metal hoops should be at the bottom, with the holes above them. (That way, as you're looking at it, the Ford logo stamped in the metal will be upside-down.)
You do NOT need to remove the seat-back, as the seat foam can be pushed out of the way while you're screwing in the bolts. It probably helps to have someone to hold the soft part of the seat out of the way while you do it, but I managed it on my own with no particular hassle.
Hope this helps.
Just wanted to say thanks for the advice. I came across it via google, followed exactly what you said and now have isofix fitted to my 2007 focus no problem. It took ten minutes and cost £15 for the isofix bracket from my local ford dealer and £10 for a set of torx keys from halfords. A nice saving on the £130 the dealer quoted me for doing it!
thanks for the info.
despite having no car knowledge I have just fitted mine.
however, I DID HAVE TO REMOVE THE REAR SEAT. there was NO WAY I couldve fitted it without removing the seat. mine is a 54 plate ghia estate and I couldnt get under the seats to screw in the screws.
once i had decided that I had to remove it, it took me 1 hour in total to remove the seat, fit the isofix bracket, then replace the seat.
I put it on the driver rear side seat, which may've been easier, as that part of the fold down rear seat is the single part.
as Beanfeast says, you lift up the bottom seat part. you can then remove the plugs.
now remove the fold down back part of the seat with a T40 torx key. I bought set that contained the T40 & T50 for about £6 delivered on the big auction site. they were good enough for this job.
you just have to unscrew 4 screws, 2 on each side, at the bottom of the seat, at the rear. use the T40 torx key. lift the whole of the seat away from the hinges and out of the way.
with the seat out the way it is easy to fit the isofix. again put the loops at the bottom as described (thanks Beanfeast).
use the T50 torx key.
once it is tightly in, replace the rear seat.
job done!
despite having no car knowledge I have just fitted mine.
however, I DID HAVE TO REMOVE THE REAR SEAT. there was NO WAY I couldve fitted it without removing the seat. mine is a 54 plate ghia estate and I couldnt get under the seats to screw in the screws.
once i had decided that I had to remove it, it took me 1 hour in total to remove the seat, fit the isofix bracket, then replace the seat.
I put it on the driver rear side seat, which may've been easier, as that part of the fold down rear seat is the single part.
as Beanfeast says, you lift up the bottom seat part. you can then remove the plugs.
now remove the fold down back part of the seat with a T40 torx key. I bought set that contained the T40 & T50 for about £6 delivered on the big auction site. they were good enough for this job.
you just have to unscrew 4 screws, 2 on each side, at the bottom of the seat, at the rear. use the T40 torx key. lift the whole of the seat away from the hinges and out of the way.
with the seat out the way it is easy to fit the isofix. again put the loops at the bottom as described (thanks Beanfeast).
use the T50 torx key.
once it is tightly in, replace the rear seat.
job done!
Edited by harryhaddock on Tuesday 16th February 16:55
Edited by harryhaddock on Tuesday 16th February 16:59
Edited by harryhaddock on Tuesday 16th February 17:04
Mars said:
Yeah, thanks from me too. I bought a set (both sides) for 15 quid a side for my Mom's MY55 Focus, and fitted them myself. A little tight to get at without removing the seat but very "doable".
I bought the parts for my ST the other week, although i haven't got round to fitting them yet, £13 a side from my stealer.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff