Diagnosing Engine Light on Ford Focus 1.4 '03

stainluss

I bought this yesterday test drove grand 110k on the clock but now after 2 hours the yellow engine light has came on and stayed on. The quick test on the dash (holding down the mileage reset) is reading dtc none but as I understand it you can get a more detailed dtc if you hook up a scanner with a laptop - and as the engine light is on there's guaranteed to be a code somewhere I think?

I'm strapped for cash but would I be better off biting the bullet and going to a mechanic to get it tested (and repaired) or to buy one online and diagnose myself? In a dream world I'd be able to fix it with youtube videos but chances are I won't be able to, right? Haven't insured yet but might get full comp just to be safe

EDIT: I should add I love toying with techy things and am relatively broke, so if there's a good chance of this being fixable by me I'll happily invest the time.. I had heard that Focus scanning (especially with the eBay scanners) is hit and miss though.

Hal1

What exactly is the problem other than the yellow light being on?

stainluss

Hal1 wrote: »

What exactly is the problem other than the yellow light being on?

Nothing that I can tell from driving - which is why I'm still hopeful I wasn't conned out of it yesterday :P

Keith186

I bought one of these of eBay, works with my Mondeo and an Android phone. I bought a different model before that wouldn't work on Ford models.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/281422131597?_mwBanner=1

Handy to have one of these things for the price of them. Use it with an app called torque or another OBD app.

If you have an iPhone you need to get a WiFi type scanner instead.

jimgoose

Keith186 wrote: »

I bought one of these of eBay, works with my Mondeo and an Android phone. I bought a different model before that wouldn't work on Ford models.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/281422131597?_mwBanner=1

Handy to have one of these things for the price of them. Use it with an app called torque or another OBD app.

If you have an iPhone you need to get a WiFi type scanner instead.

I have something similar. Works well.

Dia1988

stainluss wrote: »

I bought this yesterday test drove grand 110k on the clock but now after 2 hours the yellow engine light has came on and stayed on. The quick test on the dash (holding down the mileage reset) is reading dtc none but as I understand it you can get a more detailed dtc if you hook up a scanner with a laptop - and as the engine light is on there's guaranteed to be a code somewhere I think?

I'm strapped for cash but would I be better off biting the bullet and going to a mechanic to get it tested (and repaired) or to buy one online and diagnose myself? In a dream world I'd be able to fix it with youtube videos but chances are I won't be able to, right? Haven't insured yet but might get full comp just to be safe

EDIT: I should add I love toying with techy things and am relatively broke, so if there's a good chance of this being fixable by me I'll happily invest the time.. I had heard that Focus scanning (especially with the eBay scanners) is hit and miss though.

Hi

I have a professional ECU diagnostic scanner.

If you can make your way up to Drumcondra, I can scan it.
Also, why do you want to have fully comp insurance on a 2003 car, would third party fire and theft do?

Let me know, THANKS

stainluss

Dia1988 wrote: »

Hi

I have a professional ECU diagnostic scanner.

If you can make your way up to Drumcondra, I can scan it.
Also, why do you want to have fully comp insurance on a 2003 car, would third party fire and theft do?

Let me know, THANKS

Just mailed you, thanks a mil bud

dr.fuzzenstein

If you need to make your own diagnostic at some point, you can use the €5 Bluetooth OBD connector as posted above and software with the unfortunate name of FORScan.

http://forscan.org/home.html

It reads all manner of Ford specific error codes, it works with my laptop and my phone (free version). It even reads ABS error codes and also gives you a cleartext explanation of the error code.

Plug

Just mail me the codes if ye are unsure. It might be something simple.

dr.fuzzenstein

jimgoose wrote: »

I have something similar. Works well.

I find torque is flummoxed by Ford. FORscan will do the job.

jimgoose

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I find torque is flummoxed by Ford. FORscan will do the job.

Flummoxed how? You'd expect standard core OBD-II to be such. I have the Windows version of Foreskin alright.

dr.fuzzenstein

jimgoose wrote: »

Flummoxed how? You'd expect standard core OBD-II to be such. I have the Windows version of Foreskin alright.

As in, torque will not display any faults for the Cmax, even when it says Engine Management Fault on the dash. It also won't read any ABS or airbag faults or any faults of any description.
It will display the usual engine performance parameters (revs, MPG (out by 50%), intake pressure, temperature and other stuff), but that's it. FORscan will give me every single tiny thing my car could possibly give out.
FORscan (god, what a name) gave me the exact error code when I had a dodgy ABS sensor, which really took the guesswork out of fixing it.
I use Bluetooth OBD dongle connected to my laptop runingFORs... and it is brilliant.
Vorsprung durch Vorhaut!

Dia1988

UPDATE: I had the car scanned and 2 active/sporadic fault codes returned along with past/historic fault codes that were possibly caused by a dead battery.

One of the active/sporadic fault codes was catalytic converter related but possibly just a sensor issue as the fault code never returned despite I turning the engine on/off several times. Although, there is still a chance of this re appearing, as initially this fault code was triggered and eml illuminated while the car was doing 42mph @ 1905rpm and oil temperature at 21oC. But is should be okay as the car passed the NCT a month ago.

The Engine Management light was also turned off after the first re-set/erase.

However, the 2nd active/sporadic fault code stayed on the ECU, but the eml stayed off.
This fault code is P1709 PNP (Neutral Position Switch) Out of Self Test Range.

Anyone any idea what this code refers to?

stainluss

Dia1988 wrote: »

UPDATE: I had the car scanned and 2 active/sporadic fault codes returned along with past/historic fault codes that were possibly caused by a dead battery.

One of the active/sporadic fault codes was catalytic converter related but possibly just a sensor issue as the fault code never returned despite I turning the engine on/off several times. Although, there is still a chance of this re appearing, as initially this fault code was triggered and eml illuminated while the car was doing 42mph @ 1905rpm and oil temperature at 21oC. But is should be okay as the car passed the NCT a month ago.

The Engine Management light was also turned off after the first re-set/erase.

However, the 2nd active/sporadic fault code stayed on the ECU, but the eml stayed off.
This fault code is P1709 PNP (Neutral Position Switch) Out of Self Test Range.

Anyone any idea what this code refers to?

Thanks again for that earlier, you're a lifesaver

Doing some research here on the fault codes:
http://forums.focaljet.com/showthread.php/445880-got-a-CEL-code-P1709-please-HELP-!!!!!
http://engine-codes.com/p1709_ford.html#disqus_thread #It has quite a high importance level here, also :eek:

From what I gather from these posts the failed switch tests for the depression of the clutch/neutral position of the gearstick?

Dia1988

stainluss wrote: »

Thanks again for that earlier, you're a lifesaver

Doing some research here on the fault codes:
http://forums.focaljet.com/showthread.php/445880-got-a-CEL-code-P1709-please-HELP-!!!!!
http://engine-codes.com/p1709_ford.html#disqus_thread #It has quite a high importance level here, also :eek:

From what I gather from these posts the failed switch tests for the depression of the clutch/neutral position of the gearstick?

Thanks for reply.

Your clutch pedal seemed in perfect working order to me.

But now that you mention that it may refer to the clutch, I did have my foot resting on the clutch ever so slightly when the diagnostics were being performed, which may have popped this fault code, suggesting there is no actual interfering fault. Plus, this code is not triggering the eml, therefore I think it is me at fault here at not your car! Your quoted links seem to suggest this also. :pac:

Please let me know if I can help further, Thanks