Ford Focus electrical meltdown

emmbaasee

I was driving on the motorway this morning when the head lights on the car went dim so as i went to pull in, all the guages on the dash started to go crazy spinning up and down.
The car's engine then lost 90% of it's power and when i pulled in it idled really badly before cutting out after about a minute.
I could hear all the relay switches clicking from the main fuse board behind the glove box.
Tried to start it and there was nothing happening at all...
Put on the hazard lights and the dash board instruments all started jumping again. The interior light also started to flash on and off.
The fuel pump was changed in it 2 weeks ago.
The idle control valve was also changed as it was constantly hunting for revs.
I reckon the fuel pump may have burnt itself out with all the crazy revving.
What else ??
Its been drinking petrol !
I've Changed the alternator in it twice in the last year to try and get the battery light to go out on the dash but this has not worked. The battery in it is new and is fully charged as i have checked it with my meter.
In the end i resorted to taking the battery light bulb out as it was driving me nut's looking at it.
As i mentioned the battery is fully charged and working fine.
I think it's the ECU that is the problem myself

So i just wanted to post this in the hope that somebody might have a suggestion or advice from previous experience !
Im on the verge of scrapping it at this point but it's not a good time for me with christmas around the corner and stuff..
99 Focus 1.6 petrol 81000 on the clock.
Always been serviced when it's due and im the 2nd owner from new.
Came with a full service history


Any thoughts ?

mullingar

What are the charging voltages like when its running?

Did you install a second-hand alternator? or was it a reconditioned unit? Sounds like it may be faulty

A battery icon usually means that the battery is discharging, you need to find out why its not charging.

Edit,

Just because the voltage is good on a battery does NOT mean its good!! - Get the battery diagnosed with a 100A+ load tester as it may have lost 90%+ of its capacity

Nissan doctor

Either the alternaor is faulty or the wire to the alternator has frayed I'd say.

You need to have some tests done to see whats working and whats not.

emmbaasee

Ok. The latest is i managed to get it running by giving it a push start on the driveway.
Ran fine for about 5 minutes.
Turned on everything electrical and the wipers slowed down. Lights dimmed and when i put my foot on the brake the engine died.
So i guess what the lads were saying is right. Dodgy Battery or alternator.(AGAIN)The alternator is 2nd hand and the battery is only a couple of months old...No warning signs before today.. But i guess what they say about cold mornings really testing a batteries worth is true!
Batteries in the multi meter are dead so can't check what the battery is putting out volts wise till later (what a day)
The alternator must be giving some sort of charge as the battery was totally dead earlier....

I still think there is an underlying problem with regards the ECU

Tazio

Also... what type and rating of battery is in the car?

dr.fuzzenstein

emmbaasee wrote: »

Ok. The latest is i managed to get it running by giving it a push start on the driveway.
Ran fine for about 5 minutes.
Turned on everything electrical and the wipers slowed down. Lights dimmed and when i put my foot on the brake the engine died.
So i guess what the lads were saying is right. Dodgy Battery or alternator.(AGAIN)The alternator is 2nd hand and the battery is only a couple of months old...No warning signs before today.. But i guess what they say about cold mornings really testing a batteries worth is true!
Batteries in the multi meter are dead so can't check what the battery is putting out volts wise till later (what a day)
The alternator must be giving some sort of charge as the battery was totally dead earlier....

I still think there is an underlying problem with regards the ECU

The alternator is the one thing you can't be sure about, give it to a specialist auto electrician and have it checked.
If the alternator is not working, you will have a battery light on the dash, even if the battery is fine.
Ford alternators can throw their toys out of their pram, they don't like to get wet.

My Focus (an 06 CMax) died on me, wires going to the fusebox had melted, get that checked too.

emmbaasee

Tazio wrote: »

Also... what type and rating of battery is in the car?

The battery 12v 44ah 360a

Hal1

There are some known problems (only a few) with the focus that can cause the gauges to sweep and loose power etc. But I reackon the battery is not getting a full charge from the alternator or it is, but it's being drained whilst parked up. Bring to an Auto electrician as suggested so he can run all the load tests.