06 Focus Alternator problems

scunermac

Hi Everyone,

I am completely useless when it comes to cars, and I cannot seem to find an answer to my questions anywhere on the internet, so here goes.

I have a 06 Ford Focus (Diesel), and have had the alternator go bad on it twice already. I have had the alternator reconditioned each time.

Now my first thought when it happened last time was simply to sell the car. However, I am not in a position to do this now and need to hold on to it for a while longer.

So my question is, if the alternator goes again, and leaves me stranded somewhere (as has happened twice already), if I had a battery pack that would get some charge back in the battery ( say something like this... http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/7402106/Trail/searchtext%3EBATTERY+CHARGER.htm ) , would this be enough to allow me to drive home? or do you need the alternator functioning in order for the car to stay driving?

I hope this makes sense, as I am constantly worried when driving, that I will be stranded again.

Cheers for the help.

George Dalton

You need the alternator functioning for the car to stay driving.

We have stopped using reconditioned alternators on these due to the number of repeat failures we were seeing. We now only fit brand new genuine Denso units to them.

scunermac

Cheers George. So I guess I may have to get a new alternator in that case.

If I was to get a new alternator fitted now, do you think that I wouldn't have this problem again?

Also, would you have any idea of how much a new alternator would cost me?

Thanks a million for your help.

George Dalton

They are around €175 + VAT + fitting.

mullingar

The wifes alternator failed in 2011 (06 1.6D Focus), I was driving us at the time back from Athlone to Mullingar, all of a sudden the power steering failed, then the lights went very dim about 1 mile from the house, my god was that steering heavy but it rolled into the driveway.

The weird thing was there was no battery icon showing during the trip to say the battery was discharging, I am putting it down to the weird charging system on the Focus.

Fitting is not bad on them, drop the AC compressor and it drops down:)

scunermac

Yeah, that's exactly what happened to me both times.

First time I was stuck in traffic in Waterford City, and barely got the car pulled into a Texaco garage before it cut out.

The second time, I was in traffic on the Motorway near Newlands cross. Ended up having to drive the car into the grass verge in the middle of the motorway as I was in the fast lane, in bumper to bumper traffic. Not a nice experience.