I have had my car for about 1 1/2 years now, it was bought second hand from a ford dealer, but as it was a demo car even though its 2002 year, it only had 1100 miles on the clock when I bought it. A few months back I was driving on the motorway about 70mph and eac fail started flashing on my dash, when I slowed it was extremly hard to get any power back up again and eventually when I came off to a roundabout, when I tried to pull away in 1st gear it cut out on me. I turned the engine off and back on again and it was like nothing has happened. I called fords and they said may be a glitch see how it goes. 2 weeks later it done it again, called fords and took it into them. They put it on their diagnostics and £70 later they said I needed a new throttle body but it was on back order at the factory so I would have to wait. They said I could continue driving the car in the meantime. I waited 9 weeks for the part with the car continually doing it to me. It started every two weeks but then was happening every other day. Eventually whent he part was in, they fitted it. 2 weeks after this so called repair the car done the same thing again called fords and have to take it back again for diagnostics, have told them I am not paying them for it! I am due to take the car tomorrow but yesterday it happened again doing it's usual. I pulled off the motorway to turn off and back on again, but when I started to slow I changed down into 4th gear and when I released the clutch it jolted like it was too soon to release and a few moments after as well as eac fail flashing, my engine management light and oil light also came on and it seemed as though I lost my power steering also.
Any ideas what the problem could be? have seen some posts on the net and am getting concerned that this is going to cost me and they may not even fix it!
Thanks
Jaz
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Jaz
I'm surprised that they changed a throttle body without replacing the pedal assembly first. The pedal is peanuts and takes only a few moments to fit - just cleaning it's plug contacts with a proprietory spray often sorts this very common problem.
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Screwloose, thanks for that
I am not clued up on cars at all but all they said was that they checked the codes and it needed a new throttle body and made me wait 9 weeks for it then charged me £160.00 for the part and fitting.
Could the pedal be what also caused the engine management light and oil light to come on also? This has only happened once so far, usually I get the eac fail and power loss. Car has felt sluggish for a while.
Jaz
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Jaz
The "EAC fail" message is the electronic accelerator control system fault warning; but it can often flag a code in the main engine management self-diagnosis system too. A code read would find the exact reason.
The oil light would come on if the engine had stopped running with the ignition still on - not uncommon under those circumstances.
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Screwloose
Thanks for that info. What sort of potential problems could i have if it is flagging a code in the main engine managment self diagnosis system? I have seen quite a few posts referring to people needing new ECU, which seems costly. Could this be the case with my car?
Also do you know where I stand with fords because they fitted a part and charged me and it is obvious that the part they changed was not faulty, therefore I dont think it fair that I pay them anymore money, afterall they said a new throttle body would fix the problem?
Thanks
Jaz
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Jaz
All speculation without the exact code; but the most likely engine management code would be some unspecified EAC fault. [It's the same ECU; just two different self-diagnosis programmes and they sometimes cross over.] ECU failure is very rare; 90% of replaced ECUs are perfectly servicable.
As to whether you should pay more; I'd say no - but there are two sides to every debate and that one could run and run.
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Thanks Screwloose,
Just dropped the car at the garage so i'll let you know what they say.
Jaz
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Hi Screwloose
Just heard from ford, they said that no fault codes were showing on the diagnostics, however on further inspection they noticed that I did not have the latest calibration update so they have done that and road tested it and the car is fine. Going to collect it and see for myself.
What do you think about that, could that be what was causing my problems? Shouldnt they have re-calibrated it after fitting the new throttle body?
Jaz
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Jaz
Uploading the latest software version is always worthwhile; but out-of-date software isn't going to cause your problems.
So the EAC and engine lights had been on, yet there were no codes - really?
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Hi Screwloose
Picked the car up and again they said there were no fault codes but software update needed doing so they done it. The first time I had EAC the codes were showing as the throttle body which I have had replced so wondering if perhaps they fitted the new one but because they didnt update the software I was still getting the problem, but no fault codes now as the throttle body had been changed?
I said to the man that could just the software had caused eac fail and engine cut out and he said yes?
Car seemed better when I left the garage but I suppose time will tell in a few weeks if I get the eac again.
My Engine light on ignition is also now illuminating as it should and then going off.
Jazz
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Hi Screwloose
Well you were right, car done the same EAC fail this morning when I was doing about 65mph, have now got to take it back to fords again! What do you think, do you think its the pedal?
Jazz
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Hi Screwloose
Just spoke to the manager at fords and he mentioned that it could be to do with the wireing that connects to the throttle part they fitted. Do you think this is likely?
Jazz
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Jazz
The wiring is one possibility - out of many....
As before; without even the original codes, it's impossible to assess where the problem really lies.
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The problem is within the throttle position sensor and the fuel charging wirnig harness. ford issued a bulletinlast year and have re-issued it this year. The contacts in the old type sensor and looms were not made of a good enough conductor for the sensitive signals being sent to the pcm. the new loom and sensor have gold plated contacts and can be bought as a kit from any dealer for around £140. There is no need to replace the whole throttle body as the sensor can be bought seperate. I would advise your dealer to check there bulletins and that you would like the repair foc due to the 12 months parts and labour guarantee you get at any main dealer. hope this helps.
ford 1
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Fordmechanic1
Thanks for that, am going to mention this to them. I dropped the car to them last night and have a curtesy car. Have already paid them about £250, so appreciate the info about the 12 mnths garantee.
Jazz
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Hi fordmechanic1
Just called the garage to pass on the info you gave me and before I could explain they said they were just going to call me to advise they had changed the wiring loom linked to the engine and they were going to test the car this evening and if ok should be able to get it back tomorrow.
Thanks for your advice, do you think this was also why the car has been sluggish?
Jazz
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hello Fordmechanic,
another one for you here im affraid. Ive got an 03 Fiesta 1.4tdci and for a long time it has had this same EAC warning yet it is intermittent, and Im convinced it only comes on when its been a very heavy downpour or when ive driven through a deep puddle or two. As with jezz mine looses power and restict s my speed to 30 Mph maybe a bit more if you tootle it through the revs. I havnt had it on a diaognostic yet or taken it to ford. Is this a common probllem on the TDCI's? and could this be due to a bad earth on battery? Im sure its due to water egtting into somewhere.....any advice greatly apprechiated.
Charlie.
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Hi
Well three weeks after having the engine bay wiring loom replaced, it has started doing the Eac fail thing again! Have taken car back to fords again today. Please does anyone have any suggestions as this has been going on for 4 months now.
Thanks
Jaz
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The same warning has just come on in my 03 plate 1.4tdci. And coincidentally it has been tipping it down all day and I inadvertently hit a large puddle in the dark lanes. It didnt loose any power (well i didnt notice any anyway) and only came on when i was going down a steep hill on overrun (not touching accelerator). As soon as i pressed the throttle the warning went off then released the throttle and the warning came on again.
A guy at work seems to think that it is something to do with the water hitting the alternator and belt, making the belt slip, thus creating a fault that the alternator is not sending a feed to the battery.
Could there be any truth in this as he was under the impression that on one of his previous cars, EAC stood for Electronic Auxilliary Charge.
Ian
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Hi
I have previously posted about this issue. I have had an intermittant EAC Fail message on my car. Originally the Ford dealer said that I required a new throttle body and wiring loom, which after waiting 9 weeks they finally done it at a cost of £230. This didnt work and I was getting the eac again. they then recalibrated the computer but they also didnt work. They have now said that ford technical have advised that this is a known fault with my car, year/make and usually throttle body replacement is the fix, however the problem with the throttle body has had a knock on affect and now has damaged the main engine bay loom which to fix will cost around £800. Ford technical have said they will contribute 50% but as the car was out of the 5 year registration it would not cover the whole cost. I am arguing the fact that I have only had the car 1 year and when I bought it, it only had 1100 miles on it as it was a ford demo car, it now only has 15000 miles and to develop and engine fault so early is obviously a manufacturing fault and also why they didnt recall the car if that was a known fault therefore they shld cover the cost. I have also been advised by the dealer who is repairing the car that although the car was manufactured in 2002, the other dealership where I bought it didnt actually register it til 2005 as it must have been just sitting until then, therefore I am only in 3 years from that date so shld be covered. I am waiitng for a manger at ford to call me back to disuss further but would like some advice if anyone could help.
Thanks
Jaz
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Hi. Before I start, I don't think I can help much with your problem (sorry!) but just wanted to add a few points as I have had the same problem. Mine is a 2003 1.4ltr petrol Fiesta and I first had the problem with EAC fail a few months after I bought it. I took it onto the Ford dealer who couldn't find any fault codes. I checked to see if there were any fault codes myself using the self-test facility but I couldn't find any either. The Ford dealer said that as they couldn't find any codes they couldn't help, but if it happened again, don't turn the engine off and crawl back to the garage (OK if nearby but not entirely convienient!!!). Been back numerous times since and no one has been able to shed any light on it. The problem clears up by just turning the engine off and on again but it is not ideal. I've just learnt to live with it as it only happens every few months and always around 2 miles from the start of my journey. Sorry not been able to assist but I will keep reading the post to see if any solutions are found!
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Hi,
Have you managed to get rid of this annoying problem? I am struggling with the same. Any help would be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
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