Ford Focus. So many problems. Any advice please

princess 11

Sorry this is a bit long and complicated. Im at my wits end with this car.i bought it in July last year.I got a full service new brake pads and discs and new tyres in November.I had my door loom cut by thieves in December but got that fixed as it failed nct on windows not working.

Over the last month the car is revving away when its stationery so i brought it to mechanic and he said the vacuum hose was split so i got that fixed and its back revving again.Its sluggish and when mechanic looked at it all the plugs were covered in oil and he said there was water as well.

He was busy so he just cleaned out the oil etc..Then i brought my car for nct and the man at nct centre told me my back tyre was completely worn on the inside?
I told him the tyre is new.He said bushing is worn. Im raging cause im thinking mechanic would have seen that before he put on a new tyre.

I brought it to another mechanic and he could clearly see the oil in the plugs and he said a seal was gone on the gasket cover.I explained to him the engine is so loud and a rattling noise when i press accelerator.He said he cant tell whats wrong but he said the knocking noise was not good as he heard it.

I tried to explain to him that i've put a lot money into this car since i got it and i dont want to put more in to it and then for engine to go .He said he wouldn't like to comment on whether engine is going or not. The car is just lying up for weeks as its impossible to drive.The mechanics seem to talk in riddles and no straight answers.

Im fed up of car, i cant afford hundreds of euros each time it goes to mechanics.
Any advice please.
Its a 2005 1.4 ford focus lx 140,000 miles. I just want to sell it on but can,t will all these problems.

Four Phucs Ache

Sorry to hear you are stressed.
Get the car plugged in to a diagnostics tool and it should show errors.
Youhaven't mentioned if this was done.
How long was it after the vacum pipe fix did it run ok before the revving returned.
Do you know has your oil level dropped.Do you check it?
A particular deep knocking sound is not good as would indicate lack of oil to crank bearings/ shells.High pitch knocking/slapping sound is tappets needing oil or adjusting.
Does sound go away when engine is warm?

Did nct tester mention the engine sounds?

Where was the oil/ water.On the removed plugs or sitting in the well surrounding the top of the plugs

Do you have a family/friend /neighbour that is knowledgeable?

punisher5112

1.4 well known for oil seals going.

To be honest don't waste any more money on it.

I've had many and the 1.4 are absolute sh1t but 1.6 on are a great engine only major issue usually is a coil pack and aren't expensive.

Look up bangeromics section on motors you should pick up something cheap with nct which would get you by for a while.

TimeToShine

Worn rear dragarm bushes would wear the inside of the tyres alright but you'd expect the mechanic to pick up on that. The sluggishness is just a feature of that engine really, the car is way too heavy for the 1.4 engine. Rattling noise means head gasket is probably gone but would be up to the mechanic to verify.

Honestly at 225k kilometres selling it on might prove troublesome. Are you taking the car to genuine Ford dealers? Not to make a sweeping generalization but mechanics wouldn't be strangers to taking the piss when a girl with very little knowledge rocks up. If you take it again please go to a certified dealer and see what they have to say.

Best of luck.

2006

I had trouble with the focus, ECU went it mine and had same issues with revving while I'm nutural! Managed to get ECU refurbished but didn't hold on other it for long after that. Problem after problem with it

martinr5232

Op where are you ??

biko

Not DIY, moved to main forum.

princess 11

biko wrote: »

Not DIY, moved to main forum.

Sorry i thought i was in the right place...not very familar with posting ...how do i answer the other posters who replied back to me now? Thanks

SCOOP 64

princess 11 wrote: »

Sorry i thought i was in the right place...not very familar with posting ...how do i answer the other posters who replied back to me now? Thanks

just reply here ,they will still get the updates.

crabbypaddy

Which vacuum hose did they fix and did the replace it or stick some crappy amalgamating tape on it?

When ours had idle issue it was a combination of a dirty idle air control valve on the front of the engine - easy to clean.

Also slight vacuum leak in the hose under the manifold - this is very common and easy to check:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_f5B25TLs

Also had a idle issues when the power steering switch was broken making it think the steering was at full lock all the time.

Can also be the throttle position sensor especially at your miles.

Have you checked for error codes.

princess 11

Four Phucs Ache wrote: »

Sorry to hear you are stressed.
Get the car plugged in to a diagnostics tool and it should show errors.
Youhaven't mentioned if this was done.
How long was it after the vacum pipe fix did it run ok before the revving returned.
Do you know has your oil level dropped.Do you check it?
A particular deep knocking sound is not good as would indicate lack of oil to crank bearings/ shells.High pitch knocking/slapping sound is tappets needing oil or adjusting.
Does sound go away when engine is warm?

Did nct tester mention the engine sounds?

Where was the oil/ water.On the removed plugs or sitting in the well surrounding the top of the plugs

Do you have a family/friend /neighbour that is knowledgeable?

Thanks for your reply,I have topped up oil four times since November when it was serviced,the noise does goes away when engine is warm.The oil and water is sitting in well and when plugs were pulled out by mechanic they were covered in oil.He didnt change them.

princess 11

crabbypaddy wrote: »

Which vacuum hose did they fix and did the replace it or stick some crappy amalgamating tape on it?

When ours had idle issue it was a combination of a dirty idle air control valve on the front of the engine - easy to clean.

Also slight vacuum leak in the hose under the manifold - this is very common and easy to check:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_f5B25TLs

Also had a idle issues when the power steering switch was broken making it think the steering was at full lock all the time.

Can also be the throttle position sensor especially at your miles.

Have you checked for error codes.

Thanks for your reply,the first time the mechanic done a quick job and put a temporary hose out of another car and put orange stuff on it.The car was fine for a week,then back the same way again.The second time he said he would use some time of sealant on hose that had to dry for a few hours.The car was back revving again a week later.I went back again and he said its because of the oil in the plugs.I asked him to put it on computer and he said no point as no lights were showing on dash board.

princess 11

2006 wrote: »

I had trouble with the focus, ECU went it mine and had same issues with revving while I'm nutural! Managed to get ECU refurbished but didn't hold on other it for long after that. Problem after problem with it

Hi,I was just wondering was that a dear job to have the ecu refurbished?Thanks

princess 11

TimeToShine wrote: »

Worn rear dragarm bushes would wear the inside of the tyres alright but you'd expect the mechanic to pick up on that. The sluggishness is just a feature of that engine really, the car is way too heavy for the 1.4 engine. Rattling noise means head gasket is probably gone but would be up to the mechanic to verify.

Honestly at 225k kilometres selling it on might prove troublesome. Are you taking the car to genuine Ford dealers? Not to make a sweeping generalization but mechanics wouldn't be strangers to taking the piss when a girl with very little knowledge rocks up. If you take it again please go to a certified dealer and see what they have to say.

Best of luck.

Thanks for reply, I haven't taken it to a Ford dealer as they are so dear and they said when i rang them that they charge 80e to put car on machine.The car has so much wrong with it and needs a timing belt so the cost would be too high.

TimeToShine

princess 11 wrote: »

Thanks for reply, I haven't taken it to a Ford dealer as they are so dear and they said when i rang them that they charge 80e to put car on machine.The car has so much wrong with it and needs a timing belt so the cost would be too high.

Ford do a service deal for 109 if your car is over 5 years old. They should give it a full health check included.

Regarding the timing belt, they are due at 100k miles so if it has been changed once before you should be ok. If not, combined with all of the other issues it really isn't worth sinking more money into imo.

Sorry for all your trouble, I know car issues are a nightmare.

princess 11

TimeToShine wrote: »

Ford do a service deal for 109 if your car is over 5 years old. They should give it a full health check included.

Regarding the timing belt, they are due at 100k miles so if it has been changed once before you should be ok. If not, combined with all of the other issues it really isn't worth sinking more money into imo.

Sorry for all your trouble, I know car issues are a nightmare.

Thanks,I had it fully serviced in November ,brakes discs,plugs,oil,four tyres.The timing belt was done at some stage but the sticker on car stating when done is worn off.I just paid alot of money for drivers door loom to be fixed as it failed nct on that.I have tried to get rid of it for a 1000e on donedeal but not one call.I cant sell a car that is driving so bad so i have to get if fixed one way or another.I really dont want to spend any more money.The car is a nightmare.

richardsheil

princess 11 wrote: »

Thanks,I had it fully serviced in November ,brakes discs,plugs,oil,four tyres.The timing belt was done at some stage but the sticker on car stating when done is worn off.I just paid alot of money for drivers door loom to be fixed as it failed nct on that.I have tried to get rid of it for a 1000e on donedeal but not one call.I cant sell a car that is driving so bad so i have to get if fixed one way or another.I really dont want to spend any more money.The car is a nightmare.

You should reply to the guy who asked where you are as he is a Ford expert.

princess 11

richardsheil wrote: »

You should reply to the guy who asked where you are as he is a Ford expert.

Hi richard,I did pm him as i didn't want to put my location on thread..thanks

Four Phucs Ache

Lots of possible pinpoints / advice here.

Hope you get sorted.

richardsheil

princess 11 wrote: »

Hi richard,I did pm him as i didn't want to put my location on thread..thanks

Great to hear, hope it works out for you.

princess 11

richardsheil wrote: »

Great to hear, hope it works out for you.

Thanks Richard...