2004 Ford Focus - Can you identify this problem?
Discussion
Hello all,
I have a 2004 Ford Focus 2.0 Zetec. I have virtually just got the car an know very little about it therefore have come here to the ford faithful for a diagnosis!
I was parking up, giving full lock left then full lock right a couple of times. I noticed what appeared to be steam rising from the bonnet on the driver's side. I killed the ignition and jumped out to find a pink fluid (see picture) draining from the drivers side, under the bonnet. A general smell of burning was present also. The fluid continued to drained quite quickly for a minute or so then stopped. I have a feeling that it may be power steering fluid.
Two questions:
1) Can anyone diagnose the problem from the above information?
2) Is the car safe to start up and drive to a mechanic?
Many thanks in advance.
Edit: Not sure why the image is upside down but you get the idea of what we're looking at.
I have a 2004 Ford Focus 2.0 Zetec. I have virtually just got the car an know very little about it therefore have come here to the ford faithful for a diagnosis!
I was parking up, giving full lock left then full lock right a couple of times. I noticed what appeared to be steam rising from the bonnet on the driver's side. I killed the ignition and jumped out to find a pink fluid (see picture) draining from the drivers side, under the bonnet. A general smell of burning was present also. The fluid continued to drained quite quickly for a minute or so then stopped. I have a feeling that it may be power steering fluid.
Two questions:
1) Can anyone diagnose the problem from the above information?
2) Is the car safe to start up and drive to a mechanic?
Many thanks in advance.
Edit: Not sure why the image is upside down but you get the idea of what we're looking at.
Thanks for the response guys. It's a manual so I'd side with the power steering fluid I think. Whatever it is, it's emptied that's for sure, given the amount of liquid on the floor.
So it's not safe to drive then? Trying to think how on earth I'm going to get it to a mechanic from the underground garage it's currently parked in!
Is it a big fix then? Had it six days. Needless to say, not over the moon!
Progressive said:
Thanks for the response guys. It's a manual so I'd side with the power steering fluid I think. Whatever it is, it's emptied that's for sure, given the amount of liquid on the floor.
So it's not safe to drive then? Trying to think how on earth I'm going to get it to a mechanic from the underground garage it's currently parked in!
Is it a big fix then? Had it six days. Needless to say, not over the moon!
I just had a look at your profile to see where you were. That explains why your photo is upside down! So it's not safe to drive then? Trying to think how on earth I'm going to get it to a mechanic from the underground garage it's currently parked in!
Is it a big fix then? Had it six days. Needless to say, not over the moon!
However, that doesn't help... Have a look under the bonnet to see if you can tell where it is coming from. Make sure the cap is on the fluid reservoir. How good are you with the spanners? Can you see under the car to check?
I'm not sure what the rules etc. are in Australia but did you get the car from a dealer? Give them a call and see what they say. Or have you got breakdown cover?
On a focus the p.a.s reservoir and the coolant header tank are both mounted on the o/s macpherson strut housing. My focus has a pink coolant so i guess it's just a matter of seeing which reservoir is empty...
...and then getting it sorted
Eta. Seems like a lot of fluid and the p.a.s reservoir isn't huge. A coolant leak would tie in with the reported 'steam cloud' as well.
...and then getting it sorted
Eta. Seems like a lot of fluid and the p.a.s reservoir isn't huge. A coolant leak would tie in with the reported 'steam cloud' as well.
Edited by Dogwatch on Saturday 20th April 11:48
First of all, thank you very much to everyone who has assisted so far with this. It is much appreciated! A bit of an update on the situation:
I have had a look under the bonnet and have identified that the leak was definitely coolant, not power assisted steering fluid. The cap of the coolant reservoir was surrounded by the same pink fluid with was all over the floor yesterday. This can be seen in the first photo.
It seems fairly clear to me that the 'breach' happened at the cap, not from one of the associated hoses or the reservoir itself. Given the nature of the steam witnessed and the liquid present here, would it be fair to say that the reservoir was 'at pressure' and very warm and the seal on the cap gave? Although it must have been fairly extreme circumstances as the stuff was flooding out from under the car.
As can be seen in the second photo, there is still fluid in the reservoir (albeit less than the minimum mark) so the reservoir itself and the lower hose I assume are in tact.
Where do I go from here? Can I top the reservoir up and make sure the cap is on tight and keep an eye on it, or is something more serious likely to be required?
As an aside, the cap is very tight at the moment. I am struggling to actually remove it. I'm unsure whether this is just from years of been stuck, my insufficient strength or maybe another reason.
Thanks again.
I have had a look under the bonnet and have identified that the leak was definitely coolant, not power assisted steering fluid. The cap of the coolant reservoir was surrounded by the same pink fluid with was all over the floor yesterday. This can be seen in the first photo.
It seems fairly clear to me that the 'breach' happened at the cap, not from one of the associated hoses or the reservoir itself. Given the nature of the steam witnessed and the liquid present here, would it be fair to say that the reservoir was 'at pressure' and very warm and the seal on the cap gave? Although it must have been fairly extreme circumstances as the stuff was flooding out from under the car.
As can be seen in the second photo, there is still fluid in the reservoir (albeit less than the minimum mark) so the reservoir itself and the lower hose I assume are in tact.
Where do I go from here? Can I top the reservoir up and make sure the cap is on tight and keep an eye on it, or is something more serious likely to be required?
As an aside, the cap is very tight at the moment. I am struggling to actually remove it. I'm unsure whether this is just from years of been stuck, my insufficient strength or maybe another reason.
Thanks again.
Or the cap might have been cross-threaded. Not sure that is possible though.
Anyway. Top it up the coolant and run the car with the bonnet up for five minutes and see if anything comes out.
How far from a mechanic / garage are you? If it doesn't leak from cold you should be ok to drive it there for a short time. I would definitely be getting this looked at though.
Anyway. Top it up the coolant and run the car with the bonnet up for five minutes and see if anything comes out.
How far from a mechanic / garage are you? If it doesn't leak from cold you should be ok to drive it there for a short time. I would definitely be getting this looked at though.
Another update on this for searchers further down the line or anyone who is interested in the outcome!
I considered just topping the coolant up and seeing what happened over the next couple of days but in the end, and after doing some more research online, decided against it.
I took the car into a local reputable mechanic today, after managing to remove the coolant reservoir cap. I undid it this morning and it literally fell apart in my hands (the spring inside came away from the base and the housing of the cap). The mechanic pressure tested the coolant system and confirmed a leak at the coolant reservoir cap, thus not holding the pressure of the expanded coolant. The replacement part has been ordered from Ford and will be fitted tomorrow and re-tested. Fingers crossed that this is the end of the story!
Thanks again for your help chaps.
Progressive said:
Another update on this for searchers further down the line or anyone who is interested in the outcome!
I considered just topping the coolant up and seeing what happened over the next couple of days but in the end, and after doing some more research online, decided against it.
I took the car into a local reputable mechanic today, after managing to remove the coolant reservoir cap. I undid it this morning and it literally fell apart in my hands (the spring inside came away from the base and the housing of the cap). The mechanic pressure tested the coolant system and confirmed a leak at the coolant reservoir cap, thus not holding the pressure of the expanded coolant. The replacement part has been ordered from Ford and will be fitted tomorrow and re-tested. Fingers crossed that this is the end of the story!
Thanks again for your help chaps.
I had exactly the same problem on my MG ZT (failing coolant cap), but while I lost coolant it was sprayed all over the top of the engine / bonnet. Luckily the cap wasn't expensive or exactly difficult to fit!I considered just topping the coolant up and seeing what happened over the next couple of days but in the end, and after doing some more research online, decided against it.
I took the car into a local reputable mechanic today, after managing to remove the coolant reservoir cap. I undid it this morning and it literally fell apart in my hands (the spring inside came away from the base and the housing of the cap). The mechanic pressure tested the coolant system and confirmed a leak at the coolant reservoir cap, thus not holding the pressure of the expanded coolant. The replacement part has been ordered from Ford and will be fitted tomorrow and re-tested. Fingers crossed that this is the end of the story!
Thanks again for your help chaps.
Picked the car up and drove it home, then took it for a twenty minute drive tonight. It drove fine (although it did before) and there was no coolant spewing out when I parked up.
One thing that did catch my eye though was the temperature gauge moved around quite a bit (both up and down) as I drove. It reached just below the 'mid-point' after around ten minutes of driving. After that, following a few seconds of putting my foot down would see it rise, as as I coasted for a while it fell. It did not fall below the 1/4 mark and did not exceed the 'mid-point'. Something sinister or am I reading too much into it? I have not long had the car so can only base my observation on my previous car (2002 BMW 318) which once at the 'mid-point' never strayed from here by a millimetre for the duration of my journey, regardless of how spirited my driving was.
Anyone able to put me out of my misery!? I'm also half thinking that twenty minutes wasn't long enough to replicate the heat present when 'the incident' occurred.
One thing that did catch my eye though was the temperature gauge moved around quite a bit (both up and down) as I drove. It reached just below the 'mid-point' after around ten minutes of driving. After that, following a few seconds of putting my foot down would see it rise, as as I coasted for a while it fell. It did not fall below the 1/4 mark and did not exceed the 'mid-point'. Something sinister or am I reading too much into it? I have not long had the car so can only base my observation on my previous car (2002 BMW 318) which once at the 'mid-point' never strayed from here by a millimetre for the duration of my journey, regardless of how spirited my driving was.
Anyone able to put me out of my misery!? I'm also half thinking that twenty minutes wasn't long enough to replicate the heat present when 'the incident' occurred.
Edited by Progressive on Tuesday 23 April 14:16
A rapidly moving gauge suggests air in the system, it may well need to be bled, though the simplest option is diy. A quick google will reveal where the bleed valves are. Just unscrew them let the air out till they bleed coolant only & do them back up again. best done with a bit of heat/pressure in the system.
I would not drive it much with air in the system
I would not drive it much with air in the system
cptsideways said:
A rapidly moving gauge suggests air in the system, it may well need to be bled,...
I've found the easiest way to remove any air in the system whilst filling is, with the cap removed, to give the flexible pipes a few good squeezes. This usually results in air bubbling up in the reservoir bottle.Gassing Station | Ford | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff