Ford Focus instrument panel

Franjoe

Hi All,
Has anyone had a fault on their instrument panel/cluster? I have an 2003 Ford Focus Estate 1.8 TDI and in the middle of last year the speedo and rev. counter dials started dropping back to zero and mileage reading disappeared on an intermittent basis. Later on the engine warning or battery warning light started coming on and off at regular intervals. When eventually checked by my local ford dealer, I was told that the panel would have to be replaced. Cost €380+
Contact with Henry Ford & Sons Cork has offered no joy as car is outside warrant period. Replacement means you lose all mileage history.
To me this is an obvious manufacturing defect and Ford should cover the replacement cost.
Anyone else had this problem?

see weblink on. http://forum.rac.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1926

crosstownk

I've seen this before - usually it results in replacement dash clocks.

I know you say it's a manufacturing defect, but warranty does have a specific period which, in your case, has expired. A line needs to be drawn somewhere. Your car is now 5 years old - warranty in 2003 was 1 year.

Surely it is possible to reprogram the new dash cluster with the previous mileage?

TychoCaine

This has started happening to my wife's Focus, and has happened her friend's one in the past. Her friend took hers into our local Ford dealer who has a mechanic who seems to know all the tricks with the Focus. Apparently the alternator on these things aren't the best, and the dash electronics don't tolerate much less than 12V. A swift thump with a hammer later and the dash started behaving.....

Healyc

TychoCaine wrote: »

Apparently the alternator on these things aren't the best, and the dash electronics don't tolerate much less than 12V. A swift thump with a hammer later and the dash started behaving.....

I wouldnt hit it with a hammer but it does sound like a voltage supply issue.

Most likely the PCM module is faulty (The unit that controls all the cars accessories, interior lights, central locking etc.....) but this will be a costly fix also. Get another Ford garage to have a look at it.

As crosstownk said they should be and can be reprogrammed with the previous mileage and service history.

lubie76

Yes, have the same problem with a 2001 focus. Speedometer keeps dropping back to 0 intermittently when I'm driving it. When my partner is driving it rarely happens. He is a more experienced driver than me, more fluid gear changes etc so I am wondering if this has something to do with the problem. I done my driving test a few weeks ago and was praying the whole way through it wouldn't happen entering a different speed zone in case the tester was checking the speedometer.

Franjoe

The guy in Ford's HQ in Cork told me that you can't programme the previous mileage into the new instrument panel. Who do you believe?

Meantime, maybe it's not the panel but the alternator or PCM that's faulty.

Sorry crosstownk, I don't accept your warrant limitations. I expect the instrument panel to last the reasonable lifetime of the car. It's to easy for Ford to walk away.

maidhc

Franjoe wrote: »

Sorry crosstownk, I don't accept your warrant limitations. I expect the instrument panel to last the reasonable lifetime of the car. It's to easy for Ford to walk away.

What can you do. Even the law recognises there is a period of time when defects are no longer the manufacturers problem.

Healyc

Franjoe wrote: »

Sorry crosstownk, I don't accept your warrant limitations. I expect the instrument panel to last the reasonable lifetime of the car. It's to easy for Ford to walk away.

Crosstownk is correct, warranty is their for a reason and your car is probably the focus mk1 and the focus mk 3 is about to be launched.

jimogr

Sorry, old thread I know but did anyone with this problem get it fixed - what needed to be done?

Reading around the net it seems like the speedo dropping to zero on the focus can be caused by a number of different things and it’s a mater of expensive trial and error - alternator, speed sensor in the gearbox, instrument panel...

bluemachaveli

jimogr wrote: »

Sorry, old thread I know but did anyone with this problem get it fixed - what needed to be done?

Reading around the net it seems like the speedo dropping to zero on the focus can be caused by a number of different things and it’s a mater of expensive trial and error - alternator, speed sensor in the gearbox, instrument panel...

9 times outta 10 its the Insrument Panel.

If ur lucky it mite be the sensor on the box, which is a pretty cheap fix.

I work in a parts dept for ford parts so i'm selling these everyday.

Get a good mechanic to have a look.

jimogr

bluemachavel wrote: »

I work in a parts dept for ford parts so i'm selling these everyday.

How much is the Instrument panel, do you know, approx? I saw numbers like £400 sterling floating around...

bluemachaveli

i think there about 280 + vat, not 100% sure tbh.

ill check it out tomorrow and i can give a definite price if u like!

jimogr

Great - thanks.

Captain Slow IRL

Franjoe wrote: »

The guy in Ford's HQ in Cork told me that you can't programme the previous mileage into the new instrument panel. Who do you believe?

It can be done, I've done it many times.

It's most likely the cluster - you'll have to bring it to a ford dealership or specialist to diagnose correctly.

bluemachaveli

my mistrake, i underpriced a bit

326.99 + vat is the correct price

jimogr

Thanks for the info

jimogr

This problem was on BBC watchdog last night:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/transport/transport_20080414.shtml

castleman

Following the BBC raisiing the issue I read that Ford UK have accepted that it is a problem with the car & are replacing the Cluster for £99stg - Is this true?

I have a 2001 Focus & exactly the same thing is happening.

Have Ford Ireland accepted that it is a problem with the car & taking the same action as Ford UK?

hitman79

Have the same problem myself with the speedometer dropping to 0. Now it normally kicks back in after a few seconds so is there much point in getting it fixed?

Hal1

hitman79 wrote: »

Have the same problem myself with the speedometer dropping to 0. Now it normally kicks back in after a few seconds so is there much point in getting it fixed?

From reading ford forums I've heard about this happening with the speedo dials etc. It usually turns out that the vehicle speed sensor is at fault. It's a plug out plug in job to change it.

TychoCaine

It will get worse over time. The dealer will replace the cluster for €150

jimogr

Agreed, it will get worse.

However, for me it wasn't the cluster it was the speed sensor - fix cost less than 100 euro from an indy garage.

hitman79

Cheers lads. Think i'll leave it for a while and see what happens even tho this morning was the first time the counter went along with the speedometer dropping to 0 :eek:

Etnies

No need to bring it to ford it's a DIY job which isn't that hard to do, you can buy a new cluster off ebay, although it does change your mileage counter to what ever it was before you put it into your car.

TychoCaine

In your case it was the speed sensor, but there is a known issue with the dash clusters which is the root cause of most people's problems. You can get a 2nd hand dash from eBay or a scrappy, but there's no guarantee that it won't have the same problem. At least with a dealer doing the job the cluster is new, has a guarantee and they'll update the mileage so you won't have any awkward questions to answer when you're selling it on.

eh i dunno

Sorry for bumping this but my Focus speedometer also drops to 0 occasionally. Now it never bothered me but i crashed recently and wondering does the speedometer dropping to 0 mean a loss of power?

TychoCaine

Nope. It's just a dodgy instrument cluster that nees repair/replacing. The engine is fine

eh i dunno

TychoCaine wrote: »

Nope. It's just a dodgy instrument cluster that nees repair/replacing. The engine is fine

Any idea how much a new cluster would be? If its not affecting power its hardly worth getting fixed is it

Hal1

Cost about €20 for a used cluster, link. The main stealer's will charge a lot more :pac:.

TychoCaine

My dealer replaced it free at the time as it was a known issue with a defective part. It was even mentioned on BBC Watchdog at the time. I think the part costs approx €100-€150 new. Buying a 2nd hand cluster means the mileage will be that of the old car, so you'll need to take it to a dealer anyway to get it corrected.

mgsrocks

TychoCaine wrote: »

Nope. It's just a dodgy instrument cluster that nees repair/replacing. The engine is fine

You sure about that? I thought if every needle drops its a cluster problem, if its just the speedo then its a VSS problem.

There was a discussion about it over on this thread last week:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056139958

rebel007

kc systems in cork specialise in repairing these , see this link from done deal http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/carextras/1080475

rebel