Ford Focus 2005 TDCI total meltdown

littlemiss123

Hi Guys,

My 2005 Ford Focus TDCI has had what I can only describe as a complete and utter meltdown. I'll start from the beginning....

5 days ago I hit a nasty pothole, buckled my alloy and blew out the tyre. When I went to open the boot to get the spare out it wouldn't open. There is a clicking noise but the catch won't release, however it does work when I press the button on the key. Didn't worry too much, got alloy fixed and new tyres and away I went.

Yesterday, my engine management light came on. I can hear a faint whining noise on acceleration that gets higher pitched as revs increase but disappears once I'm cruising along at high speed. Car still drove fine and although I haven't looked I suspect I may have a cracked intercooler pipe, I don't think my turbo is on the way out.

I drove my car this morning with no real issues, other than the boot and engine warning light. However, when I went to get into it this evening the real problems started:
* Car won't lock via remote or key in the door
* Interior lights won't go off
* Indicators won't work but hazards do at the rear
* Blue full beam dash light doesn't show
* Handbrake light stays on when handbrake is off
* Heated windscreen won't work
* Temperature gauge doesn't work

And probably more that I haven't come across yet. I don't know what to think, it's like the car has just gone haywire.

Going to give it into my mechanic tomorrow but as I suspect it's not going to be an easy (or cheap ) problem to solve I was hoping ye could give some advice as to where to start looking....I'm gutted!

Thanks!

visual

Your cars crying out for love and got none so is protesting as best it can.

Lights staying on is probably related to boot lock. The other electrical issues may be because of low battery voltage.

If you know your radio code you can try disconnecting the battery to reset the computer errors.

Then you can get the turbo pipe and rear boot lock repaired.

littlemiss123

visual wrote: »

Your cars crying out for love and got none so is protesting as best it can.

Lights staying on is probably related to boot lock. The other electrical issues may be because of low battery voltage.

If you know your radio code you can try disconnecting the battery to reset the computer errors.

Then you can get the turbo pipe and rear boot lock repaired.

My car is well maintained, always serviced and get everything fixed ASAP, so its not like I've neglected it :(

I do know my radio code so might give disconnecting the battery a go....

TheBody

My PETROL focus went bonkers, like yours, about a year ago. Brought it to my mechanic and it was only a broken wire in one of the looms to the altenator. Took about an hour to get it fixed and cost me €60. Hopefully, it's something simple like that with yours.

littlemiss123

TheBody wrote: »

My PETROL focus went bonkers, like yours, about a year ago. Brought it to my mechanic and it was only a broken wire in one of the looms to the altenator. Took about an hour to get it fixed and cost me €60. Hopefully, it's something simple like that with yours.

I'm hoping/praying/wishing that it will be something simple! Although I tend not to have good luck.....

The only thing comforting me is I've used my mechanic for years and trust him so I know he won't try and fleece me.

Row

I have seen a similar problem on a 05 focus where the light/indicators etc weren't working and it turned out to be moisture ingress into the body control unit (BCM)....its located behind/underneat the glovebox.
e.g looks like this....
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3877327

Maybe unplug each of the plugs on the BCM and look for corrosion on and any of the plugs/pins....if you see corrosion clean and apply contact cleaner/grease

Note..make sure you have your radio code as you will need to input it again when you disconnect the plugs on the BCM.!!!

On certain models water makes its way in tru the bulk head and drops onto the BCM and causes all sorts of electrical problems...Tbh i'm not sure where the water comes from tho..
Could be totally wrong but its worth checking out...:)

Btw Do the above at your own risk...;)

martinr5232

Check the two plugs are fully secure on the gem module/fusebox which you will find up under the glove box in the passenger footwell.

The two connections are side by side i think its the brown one that may have come loose and is causing your problem.

visual

littlemiss123 wrote: »

My car is well maintained, always serviced and get everything fixed ASAP, so its not like I've neglected it :(

I do know my radio code so might give disconnecting the battery a go....

No offence intended

Im thinking your electrical problems are stemming from boot lock. It may have left the boot light on draing the battery then when you start car the extra drain on battery lowered the voltage and upset the computer. Disconnecting the battery will hopefully reset it.

littlemiss123

Thanks for the input guys....I think ye may be right with regards looking at the fuse box under the glovebox! Been doing some extensive (google :P) research and have come across a minority of threads with EXACTLY the same list of problems (boot lock, remote not working, handbrake light on etc etc) and the problem seems to have stemmed from a loose/broken cable coming out of the fuse box.

A certain *ahem* big-footed significant other was sitting in the passanger seat yesterday just before all the problems started so if I do find a cable pulled out I'm blaming him :D

I suspect my engine management light will stay on though and is still related to the intercooler pipe, and that it was just a nasty coincidence that this electrical problem occured at the same time.

I will have a look tonight and keep ye up to date.

martinr5232

littlemiss123 wrote: »

Thanks for the input guys....I think ye may be right with regards looking at the fuse box under the glovebox! Been doing some extensive (google :P) research and have come across a minority of threads with EXACTLY the same list of problems (boot lock, remote not working, handbrake light on etc etc) and the problem seems to have stemmed from a loose/broken cable coming out of the fuse box.

A certain *ahem* big-footed significant other was sitting in the passanger seat yesterday just before all the problems started so if I do find a cable pulled out I'm blaming him :D

I suspect my engine management light will stay on though and is still related to the intercooler pipe, and that it was just a nasty coincidence that this electrical problem occured at the same time.

I will have a look tonight and keep ye up to date.

The plug i told you about will cause the eml to come on should go out when you plug it back in.

littlemiss123

martinr5232 wrote: »

The plug i told you about will cause the eml to come on should go out when you plug it back in.

Oh well fingers crossed that will be the end of my problems so!! The aforementioned big-footed significant other was also in the passenger seat when the EML came on......beginning to see a pattern :rolleyes::rolleyes:

littlemiss123

Ok....came home and checked and voila!! Brown connection coming out of my fuse box was loose! Reconnected it and all my electrics are back to normal!! Thanks god!!!

However, my engine management light is still on and the boot still won't open! Any ideas...?

TheBody

littlemiss123 wrote: »

Ok....came home and checked and voila!! Brown connection coming out of my fuse box was loose! Reconnected it and all my electrics are back to normal!! Thanks god!!!

However, my engine management light is still on and the boot still won't open! Any ideas...?

Glad to hear you got that much sorted!!

martinr5232

littlemiss123 wrote: »

Ok....came home and checked and voila!! Brown connection coming out of my fuse box was loose! Reconnected it and all my electrics are back to normal!! Thanks god!!!

However, my engine management light is still on and the boot still won't open! Any ideas...?

Is it a saloon or hatchback ??

Does it work from the key if it does then its the boot switch feel it and see does it feel like there is water in it if so replace the switch.

littlemiss123

martinr5232 wrote: »

Is it a saloon or hatchback ??

Does it work from the key if it does then its the boot switch feel it and see does it feel like there is water in it if so replace the switch.

It's a hatchback, and yes it works from the key.

I don't see any obvious signs of water, and we haven't had any significant rain so I would be surprised if it was water damage!

littlemiss123

Is there a specific fuse that could be worth replacing? Or would it not work from the key if the fuse was gone?

martinr5232

littlemiss123 wrote: »

Is there a specific fuse that could be worth replacing? Or would it not work from the key if the fuse was gone?

Trust me its a boot switch.

littlemiss123

martinr5232 wrote: »

Trust me its a boot switch.

Well you were bang on about the brown cable into my fuse box so I'm going to just trust you and get my mechanic to replace it at it's next service:):)......which will probably be very soon given the engine management light is still on!!

Thanks again!!

magentis

Did you try disconnecting the battery?
If that doesnt work get the fault codes read.

littlemiss123

Update: engine management light went off this afternoon!! Boot still not working but I'll get that seen to in due course! At least I can make it to the other size of xmas now with a functioning car and no massive repair bill!!!

biko

Sound, thanks for the update.

cat2664

Thanks very much for your feed back with your problem,had exactly same issue on my 05 tdi focus ,no central locking , no indicators & dashboard brake light staying on all the time.Brown plug under fuse box loose - probably knocked out by passenger.
Simple fix.