Focus Battery (???) Issue or Something Else
Discussion
Evening all,
My 66 plate Focus 1.5 diesel Duratorq is in at my local Ford dealer with some issues.
Sunday morning the car started fine and I drove a mile or so. I got back in an hour later and the car wouldn't start, it just kept clicking. Eventually after five or six attempts, it fired up and was fine.
I drove the car that day on a few journeys and all was well. That night, I drove a mile or so to the shops and when I got back in, again it refused to start. A couple of tries later and it fired up again.
Yesterday morning I got in to go to work and nothing. A few clicks followed by what looked like a flat battery. After a jump start, it went fine for the rest of the day and again it fired up this morning with no issues.
The garage has said that it is the battery that needs replacing, the battery showing 12.4 volts and just 32% charge. They are going to keep it on charge overnight and check in the morning.
I'm not a mechanic and I don't profess to know a great deal about cars but surely if the battery was bad, it wouldn't start so sporadically or am I wrong? I always thought if the battery was flat, it was flat. Both I and the technician that I handed it over to this morning thought some sort of electric fault but ow they are saying its just a battery.
Low and behold, its not covered by the warranty and they wan't £150 for a new one.
Am I getting my pants pulled down or could it be the battery?
My 66 plate Focus 1.5 diesel Duratorq is in at my local Ford dealer with some issues.
Sunday morning the car started fine and I drove a mile or so. I got back in an hour later and the car wouldn't start, it just kept clicking. Eventually after five or six attempts, it fired up and was fine.
I drove the car that day on a few journeys and all was well. That night, I drove a mile or so to the shops and when I got back in, again it refused to start. A couple of tries later and it fired up again.
Yesterday morning I got in to go to work and nothing. A few clicks followed by what looked like a flat battery. After a jump start, it went fine for the rest of the day and again it fired up this morning with no issues.
The garage has said that it is the battery that needs replacing, the battery showing 12.4 volts and just 32% charge. They are going to keep it on charge overnight and check in the morning.
I'm not a mechanic and I don't profess to know a great deal about cars but surely if the battery was bad, it wouldn't start so sporadically or am I wrong? I always thought if the battery was flat, it was flat. Both I and the technician that I handed it over to this morning thought some sort of electric fault but ow they are saying its just a battery.
Low and behold, its not covered by the warranty and they wan't £150 for a new one.
Am I getting my pants pulled down or could it be the battery?
They tend to play up this time of year, they should be able to test it quickly. We test batteries as part of a normal service, it gives state of health - it’s ability to hold charge, and state of charge. Ours normally says a battery will need replacing at around 80% state of health - it reduces the cold cranking amps. We tend to advise people that if it starts ok then leave it, but the moment it starts to struggle then that’s your only warning.
The Focus uses an EFB battery, you should be able to get one for around £100, there is no coding needed - although that does vary. Ford usually cover batteries for 12 months when fitted new....ironically they ones they will sell you normally have 3-4years .....
The Focus uses an EFB battery, you should be able to get one for around £100, there is no coding needed - although that does vary. Ford usually cover batteries for 12 months when fitted new....ironically they ones they will sell you normally have 3-4years .....
Just driving the car for short distances after flat/low battery problems won't do much in the way of charging the battery. Bit of a surface charge but that will be about it.
Needs to be fully charged with a proper battery charger then see what happens.
As steve says, it's the time of year that finds out dying batteries.
Needs to be fully charged with a proper battery charger then see what happens.
As steve says, it's the time of year that finds out dying batteries.
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