Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!!

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Tue 2 Jun 2015 14:24
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - dac1

Hi all,

I purchased a Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol, with 30k on the clock and FSH, from an elderly lady two years ago.

One year after owning it (so last year with 42k on the clock) I couldn't engage the clutch. The slave cylinder went so I replaced the clutch kit at much expense.

One year later (so now with 53k on the clock) the car is difficult to steer and making an awful noise when turning the steering wheel. The diagnosis is the power steering is leaking at the Union and that the hose needs replacing.

1) What should roughly be the cost (parts and labour) to have this fixed at a local garage (based in Cambs)?

2) Is this really a common fault with Mk2 Focus' and if so can I claim anything from Ford if it's a known fault?

3) Having only owned this car two years and with only 53k on the clock should I being expecting these two problems to happen or do I just have a dud Focus? I thought Ford Focus' were meant to be good cars?

Thanks.

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Tue 2 Jun 2015 14:31
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - old-school-tech

common fault, not just on the focus, but mondeo's, fiesta, ka's suffer too, they leak where the supply pipe leaves the pump and its usually in my experience the pipe that is faulty or rather the seal that is fitted into the pipes union.

not possible to replace the seal so usually a new pipe is required, however if its been leaking for a while and the pump has been ran dry this can lead to wear in the pump itself.

also a little tricky to replace because of where its located, alternator etc in the way, so not a quick job.

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Tue 2 Jun 2015 14:36
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - skidpan

Its not a dud, its a 9 year old car thus even though its low mileage you should expect issues.

You could have done worse, much worse.

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Tue 2 Jun 2015 14:37
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - Chris M

30k miles in 7 years is a low mileage. Possibly lots of short local journeys with plenty of clutch use. Low mileage isn't necessarily a good thing.

Now a 9 year old car and things can start to fail on age rather than mileage. A failed hose isn't the end of the world. Don't know how much to fix but I don't see why Ford would (or should) give you any help.

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Tue 2 Jun 2015 17:54
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - Bromptonaut

As other have said if you run an older car these sort of things go with the territory. At least Ford parts are reasonably priced and the cars common enough for the everage local garage to see lots of them.

While it's a PITA to fork out for these things it's less money than the depreciation on a replacement.

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 19:47
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - dac1

Thanks for all your messages.

Having read up on things it does seem a common problem.

During the month before the PAS leak occurred I was loading my car with bags of sand (doing a DIY project) and then driving 12 miles home to unload them. Once per week, for four weeks, I loaded my car with 12 x 25kg bags of sand. The last of these four loads was on the eve of the PAS leak occurring (or whining noise starting). The bags were evenly spread about the car but the bulk of them were in the boot.

Do you think that loading the car the way I did has caused this PAS problem or do you think it is purely coincidence?

Thanks.

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 20:10
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - RobJP

Pure coincidence. Though putting 300kg of sand in a car like that is rather a lot.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 13:55
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - dac1

Well, I got it back. It was leaking PAS fluid at the Union on the hose but had to have a full blown hose kit installed replacement. Apparently they don't just replace the hose part nowdays but instead a new hose replacement kit is issued. This hose replacement connects not only to the PAS pump but to a couple of other engine areas (I dont know the names). It was a Ford supplied part.
Does anyone know if this hose replacement sounds like/is the new, redesigned hose that should prevent this well known PAS fluid leak from happening again. The part had to be purchased from Ford for £140 and a connector for it was about £35.

The whole job Parts and Labour (parts being the new hose kit, PAS fluid, new drive pully thing) for just over £300 by a local mechanic in East Anglia. Sounds a fair price?

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 14:52
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - old-school-tech

it is indeed a redesigned hose...but you'd be wasting your time getting ford to admit its a design fault...

drive pulley thing?

you only pulley that has anything to do with the PAS is the pump itself...unless something else on the AUX belt drive system needed to be replaced at the same time.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 16:59
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - dac1

All I care about now is that this PAS leak doesn't occur again hence me asking if the new hose has been redesigned to prevent the leak from happening again? I don't want to be folking another £300+ on fixing it.

'drive pully thing' - I'm referring to the drive belt. The belt that when the gas is pressed actually moves the car along. This was replaced incase any PAS fluid got on it and made it slippery.

How many hours would you say it would take do this job, and do you feel just over £300 is a good price for this parts and labour?

Also, anyone got an idea what this connector thing would be that costs £35? I understand it is a connector associated with the replacement hose kit.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 17:32
Ford Focus Mk2 - Ford Focus 2006 1.6L Petrol - proving costly!!! - skidpan

If you got the PAS pipes and a new cam belt etc all fitted for just over £300 I would say you did very well indeed. But I actually suspect you got the auxiliary drive belt replaced which is much easier and cheaper to do. Even then £300 does not sound that bad.

I will also suggest you have nothing to worry about with regard to the PAS pipes leaking again. Just consider the originals lasted 9 years, in 9 years time the car will be beer cans. As for being a design fault, design faults don't last 9 years.

What you had is a component failure on an ageing car. It happens. It will happen again. Its inevitable.

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