Please would anyone out there, comment whether there is a minor problem with my 2003 Focus 1.6. ?
Even after a long run the exhaust tailpipe shows a very black appearence inside, and on certain occasions when pull away the engine can \'pink\' slightly.
The performance is reasonable (In line with HJ\'s Car by Car-description) and the car produces 36 mpg. In all other respects the car drives perfectly.
My local Ford dealer thought the performance to be in line with other 1.6 Focus\'s but I believe they only did a cursory check.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Andrew
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What are you trying to say? ;o)
Doesn\'t sound normal to me on any modern petrol car.
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What I am trying to say is that in the old days (Pre Engine Management Systems) I would believe the fuel mixture was too rich, and possibly the ignition timing slightly advanced.
The \'pinking\' is only very slight, e.g When trying to pull away in 3rd Gear rather than 1st.(In error!).
My thoughts are that maybe i have a lazy sensor in the engine management system (e.g.Lamda Sensor) however unless the problem is severe the Ford Dealer is unlikely to volunteer to do anything
about it.
I hope this makes sense Sooty.
Regards
Andrew
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Does it use any oil?
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Not a drop,it does not need topping up between services.
Regards
Andrew
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Modern EFI cars run very lean, I\'d be surprised to get evidence of rich running except on very short runs.
Lambda sensor does sound the obvious first choice - you could ask your dealer to check this. If they checked emissions the CO/Co2 levels could confirm a problem existed?
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Andrew
I too have a 2003 focus. It has also been pinking a lot recently. I have taken it to my dealership - who charged me £50 for a software update on the Engine Management System assuring me that this would cure the problem.
A week later.....and it was still doing exactly the same. Upon ringing the dealership again....I was advised to try shell optimax fuel for a good few thousand miles......
Yet again....this problem still persists.
I have just re-booked the car back into the garage - and it is due to go in on the 21st. Can you advise if you have had any luck with sorting yours out?
I also noticed that mines giving a black deposit on the exhaust after a weeks driving.
markymarktaylor@hotmail.com
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My C5 has done almost 36,000 miles and the inside of the tailpipe is so clean you can poke your finger in and it comes out clean. The metal is still bright inside.
Oh - nearly forgot - it's diesel (with particle filter)!!!
Graeme
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My C5 has done almost 36,000 miles and the inside of the tailpipe is so clean you can poke your finger in and it comes out clean. The metal is still bright inside.
I think I'd sooner have a Focus with a sooty tailpipe than a C5 with the following alleged bad points!
Bland looks compared to Mondeo and Laguna. No rear wiper. New 2.2 HDI not brilliantly economical with combined figure of 44.1mpg and many complaints of much poorer economy from users. Not as enjoyable to drive as the Xantia. Open hatchback can deposit water into load area in wet and windy conditions. Self levelling suspension ECU can go wrong. Reports of problems with electronic low oil level warning system on 2.2HDI. Also of water getting into air filter with result that ECU puts engine into limp home mode. Lots of problems reported with gearchanges of automatics, apparently curable by an ECU software upgrade, but also caused by faulty 'electro valves' (solenoids). Joint fourth bottom in 2002 Which reliability survey of cars up to 2 years old; 34 cars surveyed. Limited lifespan on link rod arms and heavy on tyres. On HDIs, rubber cushioned timing belt pulley needs replacing at same time as timing belt (60k - 70k miles) otherwise can separate. Alloy wheels corrode to hubs making them very difficult to remove even with the weight of the car on them (need treating with copper impregnated grease). Only 88% breakdown free in 2003 Which survey. Citroens generally had average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 99.84 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk Rated average for breakdowns and poor for problems and faults in 2003 Which survey. 16th from bottom out of 137 models in 2003 Top Gear survey. 2004 Which? quote: "Hard to know what's worse about this car - the horrible drive or annoying tendency for various bits to stop working." Facelift model only scored 1 NCAP star for pedestrian impact safery and 3 stars for child protection.
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L\'escargot.
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I have recently bought a 1.6 Focus.Mileage 42000 fuel consumption in the low 30 s. This also had a sooty tailpipe. No oil used and I suspect fuel mixture too rich. Result I have just had a new cat fitted under warranty which I believe was due to a rich mixture. The warranty has now expired.
Is there anyway of having this checked and sorted without paying a fortune.
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Hi
Can software be updated for any reason.
Would my car benefit in any way from up to date software
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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A message from "across the pond" so to speak. I had a sooty tailpipe situation on my 2000 Focus SE with the 2.0 liter Zetec motor. My dealership changed the fuel pump/fuel filter assy (voluntary recall by Ford) in the tank and viola.....no more sooty tailpipe and my fuel economy went up considerably.
I hope that this tid-bit of info helps. Not sure of the Ford of England setup and regulations, but it is worth looking into.
Scott from Rome NY / USA
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Cars ran weaker before catalytic converters and stoichmetric fuelling came in.
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Cars ran weaker before catalytic converters and stoichmetric fuelling came in.
If so,which I doubt,how would that explain soot?The Stoichiometric ratio,14.6 for petrol,is the ideal at which all fuel and air is combusted.
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16/1 or 17/1 or even higher with lean-burn;they had to come down to stoich to get the catalyst to reduce not oxidize(oxidizing cats only work on CO and HC-not NOX).
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Ford would only calibrate the focus engine to run at the ideal fuel air ratio 14.6:1 under low load conditions (used to pass EEC emission cycle tests).
Under real world conditions when the car is driven more aggressively, the air fuel ratio can drop below 12:1 which gives more engine power. Under these conditions the catalyst isn't working so emissions/soot is a problem.
Possible for pre cat cars to run lean but most didn't because of low tech fueling systems and engine designs so most tended to run slightly rich to avoid flat spots etc.
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Partly true;upto Stage III emissions there was a let-out clause that engines were allowed to run open-loop at WOT if required to protect the engine;all manufacturers took advantage of this in some way-some running totally open-loop at WOT but most delaying the re-introduction of closed-loop fuelling for upto 30 seconds.Stage IV emissions require closed-loop at WOT(wide open throttle)all the time.
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