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Hi
My daughter is about to experience the joys of parenthood and a new car is on the to do list. I thought a Ford Focus Active estate would be a fine choice but given that she insists on petrol that means we're looking at one of the 3 cylinder Ecoboost engines...gulp!
My question is: Given that they have been around for about a decade now, do they still have inherent weaknesses and reliability issues or have Ford gradually sorted them over the years?
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Pretty much sorted now . Early models were definitely an issue. There are millions of these running around with no problem. It’s imperative that the correct oil is used , an any coolant loss is fixed straight away. All modern engines are fragile and don’t like any abuse .
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Be aware, even with an independent, a cam belt change on one of these will be in the region of £800.
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Isn’t the recommended change interval 150k miles? If so it won’t be an issue for a later vehicle for some time.
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Regardless of engine, and apologies for the tangent, but are you sure this is the best choice of vehicle? There's nothing wrong with a Focus, but my experience is that a decent SUV is better for babies - mostly because it's so much easier to get them in and out of something higher up.
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Regardless of engine, and apologies for the tangent, but are you sure this is the best choice of vehicle? There's nothing wrong with a Focus, but my experience is that a decent SUV is better for babies - mostly because it's so much easier to get them in and out of something higher up.
No, it's a very fair point. She prefers the driving dynamics of a 'regular' car to an SUV and the slightly jacked up nature of the Focus Active (30mm/34mm) makes it a wee bit more practical than the regular Focus. I suppose a Seat Ateca might be worth a look at as by all accounts they drive very well. Having said all that, we managed fine back in the day with a Vauxhall Belmont 1.3 merit....
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<< ... the slightly jacked up nature of the Focus Active (30mm/34mm) makes it a wee bit more practical than the regular Focus. >>
30-34mm ?? That's little more than an inch. Does that make much difference ? I'm sure you might notice it, but I would guess it's a smaller difference than between similar models ?
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Isn’t the recommended change interval 150k miles? If so it won’t be an issue for a later vehicle for some time.
Yes it is. Just put on for information. But l do know of someone with a 1 litre ecoboost who regularly as clockwork had annual fully synthetic oil changes & at just over 100K the belt went. Of course this may have been an anomaly.
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Be aware, even with an independent, a cam belt change on one of these will be in the region of £800.
Useful to know, thanks
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Pretty much sorted now . Early models were definitely an issue. There are millions of these running around with no problem. It’s imperative that the correct oil is used , an any coolant loss is fixed straight away. All modern engines are fragile and don’t like any abuse .
Good to know, thanks
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How about a B class Zetec ?
That sliding door would be handy getting a baby into a car seat ?
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It does appear the 1.0 eco boost issues have been dealt with but no harm bringing that cambelt change forward to 100k or 6 years old.
Much like the 1.2 pure tech engine found in various Citroen’s, Peugeots, Vauxhalls and Opels it’s essential the correct oil is used when serviced.
I would even go as far as buying the correct oil yourself and giving it to the garage if your using an independent garage.
The wrong oil in these engines does make a difference.
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It does appear the 1.0 eco boost issues have been dealt with but no harm bringing that cambelt change forward to 100k or 6 years old. Much like the 1.2 pure tech engine found in various Citroen’s, Peugeots, Vauxhalls and Opels it’s essential the correct oil is used when serviced. I would even go as far as buying the correct oil yourself and giving it to the garage if your using an independent garage. The wrong oil in these engines does make a difference.
Have some experience of this. We own a new MG HS which is meant to use 0W20 oil. There have been reports of other owners getting their vehicles serviced by main MG dealers no less and finding they have used 5W30 for the oil change. I'll be very careful to ensure the correct oil is used when our first service comes around!
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It does appear the 1.0 eco boost issues have been dealt with but no harm bringing that cambelt change forward to 100k or 6 years old. Much like the 1.2 pure tech engine found in various Citroen’s, Peugeots, Vauxhalls and Opels it’s essential the correct oil is used when serviced. I would even go as far as buying the correct oil yourself and giving it to the garage if your using an independent garage. The wrong oil in these engines does make a difference.
Have some experience of this. We own a new MG HS which is meant to use 0W20 oil. There have been reports of other owners getting their vehicles serviced by main MG dealers no less and finding they have used 5W30 for the oil change.
;;;and what happens? The higher viscosity oil dissolves or busts the belt?
Not saying this couldn't happen, on an allegedly too-delicate-for-this-world "modern engine" but it seems...er...a bit of a stretch
Incidentally, I think its Ecoboom not Ecobang
So the answer is no
Edited by edlithgow on 14/09/2022 at 02:41
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I don't know about MGs, but in Fiat Twinairs it runs lumpy and you have to get the magic bits replaced. Something to do with the 'Multiair' unit...
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The early ecoboost had problems with the degas pipes failing causing loss of coolant and therefore damaging the engine, I would think this has been sorted by now, I’m on my 3rd ecoboost powered car with no problems, albeit mine has a few months left on the warranty, if, as others have said, it’s looked after with the correct oil ect, then it should be no worse than any other engine..
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I am sure the latest are chain now not the old wet belt.
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By latest do you mean 2022? This article from a year ago says they are belt
good-garage-guide.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/16...n-
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Apologies, my mistake, they are all belt as far as I am aware.
Edit: I thought they did change to chains but there is very little online. It looks like they may be chain from 2021 onwards (the hybrid versions) but I honestly canot be sure. I think the turbo has moved to the back on these versions.
Edited by Paulsxf on 14/09/2022 at 22:22
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I purchased a new Active in July/Aug this year and I have been advised by an engine engineer that is chain driven rather than the wet belt.
My sons 2014 Ecoboost has just suffered a welt belt failure at 51k which is at this stage looking like a £1400 recon engine replacement - however, this was purchased without service history so the comments about correct oil may well apply. Ford quoted up to £6500 for a new engine..................
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My sons 2014 Ecoboost has just suffered a welt belt failure at 51k which is at this stage looking like a £1400 recon engine replacement ..........
I think there is much we do not know about the sourcing of cambelts by car makers. For such an important continually stressed item, high quality is of the utmost importance. The excellent PSA 1.2 puretech engine's reputation was marred by a poor quality batch of belts which crumbled. I have no idea who made them. If you search 'cam belt manufacturers' , seven 'well known brands' appear.
We had a Ford Focus whose high quality original belt lasted the lifetime of the car (21yrs and 162,000 miles), as it was designed to do. I suspect there are cases where owners, observing Ford's precautionary advice of changing it at 100,000m or ten years...or even earlier thinking they were being extra safe, had cheap inferior belts from obscure makers substituted for the perfectly good original one, which failed a few tens of thousands of miles later - quite apart from the risk of cack-handed mechanics taking short cuts and causing collateral damage, e.g.timing issues.
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