YorkshireWoody

Hi,
Bought ford focus 1.8 TDci 03 reg at weekend, had new battery fitted as the battery was dead when went to pick it up. Drive home fine and no problems, but on way out on the evening the glow plug light flashed on and the car lost power after about 10 seconds! Started up fine and continued journey. On way home it did the same thing once again! Rang Evans Halshaw who we purchased the car off and they said to bring it in so they could see what problem was. As tried to start it up to take it to garage the next day the battery had died and wouldn't start! They came and got tow truck out and took it into garage for us. Had phone call saying they hooked it up to diagnostics and no fault had been registered, but think its a fuel pump blockage/pressure issue so they have dismantled and flushed through, waiting on phone call to see the outcome!
How can the fault not be registered when it is hooked up to diagnostics? Surely it's a shot in the dark thinking its a fuel issue?
Any help or info would be great

oldford

Unfortunately a lot of diesel management systems tend to "forget" faults when the ignition switch is turned off (engine restart). Sometimes even when the problem goes away.
Only remedy is to read the codes when the light is flashing.

You may want to check your alternator. New batteries should not be empty after a day.
Or something is left on in the car and drawing power from the battery until it's empty.

YorkshireWoody

Would a fault on the engine system cause the battery to drain? Nothing left on in car, but heard off couple people engine faults can drain the battery?

YorkshireWoody

Just has phonecall back off garage. They have replaced the fuel metering valve? Test run and diagnostics tonight and again in morning before they return the car to us. See if that's sorted the fault.

uruk hai

Some faults won't cause a fault code to be logged or cause the engine management light to come on. I had a problem with mine and it turned out to be the turbo actuator control solenoid, this didn't cause a code or the EM light to come on and was fixed through swapping various parts until the problem was solved. Fuel metering valve is a known issue but is neither costly or difficult to fix, fault codes on Tdci's are held for a while and old codes will stay in the ECU usually until a diagnostic tool is used to cancel the fault code. I wonder if the battery has died simply because you had to turn it over for so long to start it ?

YorkshireWoody

They ran diagnostics after a test drive last night and again this morning and no faults came up! So they said they would do a final check and service before dropping the car off tonight. They rang 2 hours ago and they can't deliver the car as they've gone to start it and the battery is dead again!!!! Getting very frustrated now, and still no offer for courtesy car!

uruk hai

I know this may sound a bit daft but the battery is the correct calcium type is it ? If not the car will drain it in a very short period of time.

YorkshireWoody

They delivered the car Friday and it broke down again so they've checked it again to see what's up with it and they dont know what the problem is,so they don't want us to have it! Meanwhile we now have a brand new fiesta zetec sport to use until they find us a suitable car that we might be interested in!

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

At least they are being more than helpful and you've not got to fight them. Hear a lot of good things about Evans Halshaw.