[Nissan doctor]

I think you need a garage that can actually diagnose the problem rather then just guess because they've heard that the focus often suffers coil problems.

[David09]

Originally Posted by audreyp

Is that expensive? My NCT is up, is there any chance this is the kind of thing the NCT would fine so then i'd know what to fix?
Would a full service be the best way to go at this stage?

If the "chugging" you describe is a violent jerking that only happens when the accelerator pedal is at a certain place in it's travel, the the throttle position sensor is most likely the problem.

[Bobo78]

Had similar problem with my previous car and it turned out to be a combination of dirty/faulty idle air control valve and air flow meter.
They can cause symptoms such as hesitating and staling at certain speeds.

[audreyp]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. On my way into work this morning the engine light came on and then started chugging really badly, I didn't think it would make it to work, thankfully I did and its in a ford garage now. They think spark plugs or Cat. Con. Does anyone have any idea how much I could expect to pay for a Cat. Converter?

[audreyp]

Originally Posted by Plug

Forgot to say, before you replace the battery check the T-peice pipe behind the inlet manifold. They can split and cause chugging.

I just got a call from the ford garage, as you suggested the pipe is cracked and there was also another fault, the Throttle Position Sensor is not working either. Hopefully this is it.

Thanks a millon for your help, it actually sounded on the phone that I knew what I was talking about. (Well more so anyway)

[How Strange]

Just giving an update on the chugging problem in my car (original post); the fuel filter was changed on the advice of a ford garage and there is a huge improvement. No chugging since and I've driven it lots however I've yet to go on a motorway and test it properly.

[RoverJames]

Fingers crossed it's sorted. I would fear it's not though as the fuel filter would generally be problematic when starting or in low gears as the filter struggles to prime due to all the crud in there. Hopefully I am wrong

[How Strange]

OK, I started this thread back in March and we still have the same problem with our car except its getting worse.

The mechanic changed the fuel filter, t pipe thing (don't know the correct name), coil pack, plug leads, spark plugs and theres been no improvement. The plug leads and spark plugs were changed just recently, the rest of it has been done over the last few months as a process of elimination.

Has anyone any ideas what we can try now? We really don't want to have to buy another car as we rarely use it and this one should see us good for another couple of years if we can fix this issue.

[Hal1]

Did your mechanic cleaning the trottle body? there is a a trottle position sensor too that can require cleaning occasionally. Easy to clean the trottle body, just follow the big hose from the air box that goes to the engine. Once hose is removed you will find it. Spray some carb cleaner in there and it will remove any carbon deposits or gunge etc. The sensor is beside it.



trottle sensor.

[audreyp]

Originally Posted by How Strange

OK, I started this thread back in March and we still have the same problem with our car except its getting worse.

The mechanic changed the fuel filter, t pipe thing (don't know the correct name), coil pack, plug leads, spark plugs and theres been no improvement. The plug leads and spark plugs were changed just recently, the rest of it has been done over the last few months as a process of elimination.

Has anyone any ideas what we can try now? We really don't want to have to buy another car as we rarely use it and this one should see us good for another couple of years if we can fix this issue.

We had the same problem and we replaced the plug leads and the coil pack. It was still broken and had to bring it to a Ford Garage. They said three things were wrong. T pipe cracked and the throttle position sensor was gone and lastly there was a software update my car never got.

So they did the update straight away and told me to collect the car and bring it in 3 days later when the other parts came in. When I drove it home after the update the car was a million times better! It didn't chug at all and never chugged since. I did bring it in to get the pipe replaced and the sensor replaced a few days later. And its been working since. Though the timing belt is due now! (Always something!)

The ford garage did say that often when all of those things happen together it is a sign the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. Have you checked that?

Have you gone to a Ford Garage and had a comprehensive diagnostics?

[How Strange]

Originally Posted by audreyp

We had the same problem and we replaced the plug leads and the coil pack. It was still broken and had to bring it to a Ford Garage. They said three things were wrong. T pipe cracked and the throttle position sensor was gone and lastly there was a software update my car never got.

So they did the update straight away and told me to collect the car and bring it in 3 days later when the other parts came in. When I drove it home after the update the car was a million times better! It didn't chug at all and never chugged since. I did bring it in to get the pipe replaced and the sensor replaced a few days later. And its been working since. Though the timing belt is due now! (Always something!)

The ford garage did say that often when all of those things happen together it is a sign the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. Have you checked that?

Have you gone to a Ford Garage and had a comprehensive diagnostics?

I think we had the pipe replaced but not the sensor. I never even thought that a 00 car would need software updates; I'd have thought only higher spec cars would.

As for the cat convertor, we had a problem with engine emissions for our nct last August and one mechanic said to get it replaced but another told us that cat convertors aren't even used in cars in Ireland so there's rarely a need to replace them. We put some solution into the fuel tank to clean the engine which worked fine and on our retest the emissions were back down to an acceptable level.

I haven't been to a ford garage yet, I normally go to independent mechanics as my experience of dealerships is they charge a hell of a lot more for the same work but perhaps its something we'll have to do.

[audreyp]

They do charge more than independent mechanics but we were at our wits end at that stage and went to ford. I think independent garages are fine for fixing the obviously problems but when something strange goes on like this I think it needs the car experts. I won't always go to Ford but I will if something like this starts acting up.

My timing belt as mentioned before needs to be replaced but will go to an independent garage for something routine like that.

Good luck, I understand your frustration :-/

I didn't think my car had software to be honest :-) It's an 01!

[How Strange]

Originally Posted by audreyp

They do charge more than independent mechanics but we were at our wits end at that stage and went to ford. I think independent garages are fine for fixing the obviously problems but when something strange goes on like this I think it needs the car experts. I won't always go to Ford but I will if something like this starts acting up.

My timing belt as mentioned before needs to be replaced but will go to an independent garage for something routine like that.

Good luck, I understand your frustration :-/

I didn't think my car had software to be honest :-) It's an 01!

well we're definitely at that stage too!

Our timing belt cost about €300 to replace with an independent mechanic and i think most of that was labour as it's quite labour intensive.

[How Strange]

Hal1 no I don't think this was done so I'll mention it to the mechanic

[Needler]

00 Focus Chugging

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