06 Ford Focus problems

selous

Any help on this would be appreciated,
The missus has a 1.4 2006 ford focus and some weeks back started giving some bother, as in dash lights all coming on and either engine power dying right down, or completely dying on her leaving her stuck wherever it decided to die,a roundabout was the hairy-ist place.
Our mechanic said possible battery(as it was the original one) with a hint of something else a little more serious, but take it to main dealer for diagnostics test. got that done, Frost plugs and a battery showed up, frost plugs were leaking coolant it seems. Job done and fixed just under E500.
A few days later same thing, all dash lights back on, engine power right down then died shortly after, rang the garage, bring it in the next day, it died outright on the way to them, they wanted E70 to come and tow her, she refused to pay for something they said they fixed, advice was, turn it off and wait 10min and start it again, it worked, and got to garage where it died on forecourt.
This time they done a visual, it was the sparkplugs and windscreen washer jet, the seal is perished and water on jets is leaking onto plugs. wanted E340 so after a heated debate they were paid for parts only. Car drove great, power back up and driving great, till next day, dead, after some gentle persuasion it started and could only nurse it back to the garage, no power at all. mechanic took it for a drive and asked her what way she drove it, needless to say red rag to a bull. The car is with them almost a week, as when they called her to collect it earlier it was dead when she got there, they asked her if she had the old sparkplugs (she had) so they could put them back in, which they have been already paid for as they were the problem last time. Now it seems its the dash clock cluster that is the problem, and it will cost another E600 to fix, This is a main Ford Dealer not a back street garage, I know they're taking the Pee, but just want to know from anyone, after a diagnostics check shouldn't the fault that's there show up first time, and NOT after E1200, should we deduct what we've paid out already from the E600, presuming this time it is the real fault or should we go legal right now??
Thanks.

biko

Not DIY effort, moved to main forum

metroburgers

selous wrote: »

Any help on this would be appreciated,
The missus has a 1.4 2006 ford focus and some weeks back started giving some bother, as in das lights all coming on and either engine power dying right down, or completely dying on her leaving her stuck wherever it decided to die, roundabout was the hairy-ist place.
Our mechanic said possible battery(as it was the original one) with a hint of something else a little more serious, but take it to main dealer for diagnostics test. got it done, Frost plugs and a battery, frost plugs were leaking coolant. right job done and fixed just under E500.

Crazy that the spark plugs/wells were never checked in the main dealer diagnostics, this is one of the most common problems with Ford Mk2. I don't understand how this cost 340e? I fixed it myself with some vaseline and tin foil, didn't need to replace parts. Prob is diagnostics might not prove jets are leaking into plugs or elsewhere, but this is definitely the cause of electrical failure I think, check all wires and look for splitting/damaged wires.

selous

Thanks, it's just very curious how it's gone from Frost plugs to spark plugs to dash head set, especially after they done a diagnostics test to find the fault and came up with frost plugs. do all 3 things cause the same problem? surely if coolant is leaking from a frost plug it would be the same effect as coolant leaking from coolant bottle, and not make the car die on the spot with no warning or drop power first then light up the dash, and who says the head set (E600) is now the problem, being as they said it was fixed last two times as well.