How broken is my car?

dulpit

Hey all,

On Friday I was driving my 2001 Ford Focus and I noticed that my door open sensor light was randomly coming on, even though all doors were closed. I stopped to collect my buddy and drove back to town, sensor light was still doing it's thing the odd time.

Parked up for a few hours, when I went to drive it again the sensor light was still going wonky, but I was also noticing a chugging as a drive, power dropped off, speedo went way up, lasting for a second or two. Then back to normal.

Had to drive car yesterday too for a short spin, noticed that my brake lights seem to have stopped working, and my rear window heater will only stay on a short while, then the door sensor light comes on, I hear a clicking noise from the glovebox and heater goes off. Eventually the oil light came on, I had put in a litre before I drove it.

If it wasn't for the chugging I would have assumed the issue was with electrics/fuses - but the two combined worries me. Won't be able to get car to mechanic until Friday (but won't be driving it either), does anyone have any idea what this might be so I can prepare my wallet (or save it if possible) for the hit.

Thanks in advance.

Toyotafanboi

Hard to say for cetain but it still sounds electric. Could be as simple as a loose earth or a failing battery. Wouldn't panic just yet.

jimgoose

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Hard to say for cetain but it still sounds electric. Could be as simple as a loose earth or a failing battery. Wouldn't panic just yet.

My thought was Ye Olde Batterie Poltergeists as well. OP, have you any idea how long that battery is in the car?

dulpit

jimgoose wrote: »

My thought was Ye Olde Batterie Poltergeists as well. OP, have you any idea how long that battery is in the car?

Less than 2 years I would think. Definitely less than 3...

Would the electrics cause issues with the chugging of car though?

jimgoose

dulpit wrote: »

Less than 2 years I would think. Definitely less than 3...

Would the electrics cause issues with the chugging of car though?

Most certainly. Is it diesel or petrol?

dulpit

jimgoose wrote: »

Most certainly. Is it diesel or petrol?

Petroleum.

So you're suggesting auto-electrician and not mechanic?

jimgoose

dulpit wrote: »

Petroleum.

So you're suggesting auto-electrician and not mechanic?

No, all I'm suggesting that what you've got there could have, at it's root, a relatively minor electrical matter as opposed to the engine being in several dozen pieces in a manner reminiscent of a Kawasaki clutch-basket.

dulpit

Good to hear. I'll ring mechanic I suppose and sound him out. Sound lads.

emigrate2012

Aul lad drives a '00 focus, iirc he had something similar happen, new battery and one coil pack sorted it. Besides consumables, the battery and a new fuel pump last year and the coil pack he's had no other trouble, the 1st gen focus seems to be pretty damn reliable.

The fact you can still see quite a few on the roads is testament to that
Ford had to get it right replacing the escorts, they nailed it imo. Was a pretty radical looking thing when launched but they've aged really really well and still hold up in the handling stakes against more modern offerings.

Wouldn't start panicking yet.

martinr5232

That is most likely a plug lead arcing thats causing that.
Pull the leads out and make sure there is no oil or water in around the spark plugs.
If not put a set of plugs and leads on should sort your problem.

JohnBoy26

dulpit wrote: »

Hey all,

On Friday I was driving my 2001 Ford Focus and I noticed that my door open sensor light was randomly coming on, even though all doors were closed. I stopped to collect my buddy and drove back to town, sensor light was still doing it's thing the odd time.

Parked up for a few hours, when I went to drive it again the sensor light was still going wonky, but I was also noticing a chugging as a drive, power dropped off, speedo went way up, lasting for a second or two. Then back to normal.

Had to drive car yesterday too for a short spin, noticed that my brake lights seem to have stopped working, and my rear window heater will only stay on a short while, then the door sensor light comes on, I hear a clicking noise from the glovebox and heater goes off. Eventually the oil light came on, I had put in a litre before I drove it.

If it wasn't for the chugging I would have assumed the issue was with electrics/fuses - but the two combined worries me. Won't be able to get car to mechanic until Friday (but won't be driving it either), does anyone have any idea what this might be so I can prepare my wallet (or save it if possible) for the hit.

Thanks in advance.

It's more than likely that water has got in to the electrical box down on the passenger side. Overtime this leads to corrosion in the contacts in the box which causes all sorts of electrical gremlins, including running issues. Water is more than likely entering through the pollen filter housing.