Ford Focus TDDi

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Tue 18 Jan 2005 00:15
Ford Focus TDDi - Grease_monkey
I'm just woundering has anyone heard of the timing belts failing on this type of car. I was told on Friday by a Ford dealer that they last upto 100,000 miles or 10 years my reply was 'what, on a diesel'. I've booked my car in for the belt to be changed on Thursday by Ford in Sutton Coldfield for £216. I think at 63,500 and 4 years old the original belt is doing very well.
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Tue 18 Jan 2005 00:23
Ford Focus TDDi - Leon on Derv
Yip, sounds about right. Have a Mazda 3 with the Ford PSA Diesel engine - belt change interval is stated as 120,000 Miles.

Was wondering about this myself and whether it is a belt or a chain?

Leon
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Tue 18 Jan 2005 07:13
Ford Focus TDDi - cheddar
The Mazda 3 is belt cam, I would never go beyond 60k between belt changes whatever the manufacturer says. Likewise 5 years should be the max whatever the mileage due to the belt perishing with time.
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Tue 18 Jan 2005 12:50
Ford Focus TDDi - Snakey
I've got a Focus 2002 1.8 TDDI and went through the indecision of whether or not to change the belt. Ford do say 100K or 10 years and I was tempted to believe them.

However when it came down to it, it will be me who pays for the wrecked engine so I changed the belt at 40k and will do again every 40k! £120 at a local garage isn't too bad either.

Not sure how long the tensioner and pulleys will last though so I think it might be a good idea to change all of them at the next (80K) change.
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Tue 18 Jan 2005 19:44
Ford Focus TDDi - derbyshiresteve
Never heard of Timing belt fail on this engine. Changed mine at 107,000 miles last March, now has 160,000 and belt looks good as new, Ford technical say it's unnecessary to change the belt before 100,000 miles.
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Tue 18 Jan 2005 21:36
Ford Focus TDDi - Grease_monkey
It's ok for ford to say it's not nesasary to change the belt under 100,000 miles but if it did snap they would not take any responsibility would they. For £216 there changing all the pulleys and tensioners due to it apparently comes as a kit?
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Wed 19 Jan 2005 12:55
Ford Focus TDDi - Snakey
The Backroom consensus of opinion does seem to point to changing it every 4/5 years or 40-50K miles depending on the manufacturer.

What Ford says is pretty irelevant - the bill for a snapped cambelt will land on your doorstep!

Has anyone seen any figures for timing belt failure for cars in general (not just Fords)? Not the sort of thing the manufacturers would produce but independents might.
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