Did I buy a lemon?? (Focus)
Discussion
Recently bought a focus (Zetec 1.6 2005) and I get the feeling we are not going to get on with each other.
It is probably little things that i cannot accept are normal. If anyone can enlighten me on any of the following I'd be greatful:
Alarm light on the dash (red light in between temp and petrol) flashes in some strange sequences once started. e.g very fast - then slower - then stops after half a mile.
The radio and milage green lights stay on for (what I think is) far too long. An hour + at times.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
Other than those annoying problems i find it a lot like driving an H reg escort I used to own. It has some very small but similar qualities.
It is probably little things that i cannot accept are normal. If anyone can enlighten me on any of the following I'd be greatful:
Alarm light on the dash (red light in between temp and petrol) flashes in some strange sequences once started. e.g very fast - then slower - then stops after half a mile.
The radio and milage green lights stay on for (what I think is) far too long. An hour + at times.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
Other than those annoying problems i find it a lot like driving an H reg escort I used to own. It has some very small but similar qualities.
The radio and milage green lights stay on for (what I think is) far too long. An hour + at times.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
Edited by Terry the tool on Wednesday 20th January 15:10
Terry the tool said:
The radio and milage green lights stay on for (what I think is) far too long. An hour + at times.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
its a common fault across the range Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
Edited by Terry the tool on Wednesday 20th January 15:10
Does this common fault include the odometer / trip computer backlight staying on for a long time by any chance?
We picked up a 57 plate Focus Zetec in the week and the battery was knackered on that. We put it down to sitting on a forecourt for a few weeks in the recent cold weather but last night following the fitment of a new battery we noticed the odo backlight was on when we looked out before going to bed. I couldnt get it to turn off so had to leave it, and my wife confirmed it was still on this morning. Since then though it's been driven a couple of times and the back light has gone off fine within a minute or two, so not sure it was something to do with the battery being disconnected or whether it's something that's going to reoccur.
We picked up a 57 plate Focus Zetec in the week and the battery was knackered on that. We put it down to sitting on a forecourt for a few weeks in the recent cold weather but last night following the fitment of a new battery we noticed the odo backlight was on when we looked out before going to bed. I couldnt get it to turn off so had to leave it, and my wife confirmed it was still on this morning. Since then though it's been driven a couple of times and the back light has gone off fine within a minute or two, so not sure it was something to do with the battery being disconnected or whether it's something that's going to reoccur.
Cheers, will keep an eye on it and if it does it again it will be going into the dealers. Cant understand why as an interior designer why you'd want it to stay on at all anyway, every other car works perfectly fine with the back lights switching off with the ignition with the rest of the interior lights!
I have the backlight problem on my 56 2ltr petrol 3 dr and have been trying to get it fixed for 6 months.
Three different ford dealers, being the useless w@nkers they are, claim it is not a problem and they cannot fix it, despite me printing off pages from the internet about the common fault. You are not alone, quick search of the net shows there are thousands of us. Mine stays on for hours and went through a stage of being permanently on.
Three different ford dealers, being the useless w@nkers they are, claim it is not a problem and they cannot fix it, despite me printing off pages from the internet about the common fault. You are not alone, quick search of the net shows there are thousands of us. Mine stays on for hours and went through a stage of being permanently on.
neiljohnson said:
Terry the tool said:
The radio and milage green lights stay on for (what I think is) far too long. An hour + at times.
Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
its a common fault across the range Twice the battery has died - leaving me stranded. I have now bought a new battery so will see how it goes.
Occasionally it will take about 4 seconds of turning over to start the engine. I put this down to possibly a naf fuel pump or something, thus killing the battery when trying for too long?
I had this problem on my 57 plate fiesta st, it was a faulty radio/cd player. Replaced the battery and a few days later the car would not start. Ford checked the car out and could not find any problems, but i noticed the radio lights staying on for ever, phoned up the dealers and they replaced the radio under warranty, its never done it since. Worth checking out mate.
Edited by Terry the tool on Wednesday 20th January 15:10
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