Hi all,

New to the site - had a look through previous posts but can't find the info I need. Since everyone seems friendly thought I'd post my question (sorry about the length of the post).

Does anyone have any advice on the following please.....

My girlfriend has a '03 1.6 Focus that is causing us some grief at the moment. The car started misfiring and running rough recently and the MIL light came. Took it in to a local garage where they diagnosed that the coil pack had gone so the replaced it and reset the MIL. Unfortunately they replaced it with a duff coil pack and the same problem occured within a week resulting in a replacement coil pack being fitted.

A few days later and the MIL light comes on again (car running fine). Back to garage where they fit a new cat and a pre cat o2 sensor (expected the cat to be stuffed with misfire and all)

few days later and the MIL light is on again - back to garage. Post o2 sensor now needs replacing.

A few more days and the MIL light is back on - back to garage. looks like they fitted a duff post o2 sensor so they replace it.

a few more days and , you've guessed it, the MIL light back on - back to garage. this time they just reset the MIL (getting the impression that they've reached the limit of their ability!)

a few more days (yesterday) and the MIL is back on!
So this morning the car has gone into a local ford dealer for them to have a look. They have just phoned up and said that the cat that has been fitted isn't efficient enough and it needs a Ford cat @ £420 as opposed to the £140 cat the other garage fitted !!

Does this sound right - or are Ford taking the p!ss??

Should I just get a MIL elimnator - would it pass the MOT with the 'inefficient' cat?

Is there anything else I could do?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance
Geoff

 

I work for fords, if you give me your reg I will check when I'm in work!!

 

i work for them too m8 lol
i could check our prices see if they the same

 

Thanks for the reply guys.

It's not so much the cost (though it does seem high for a Focus), I was more concerned with them telling me that unless it was a Ford one it wouldn't work!

We have since picked the car up and had a chat with the mechanic/technician who has said that the cat is efficient enough to pass an MOT (so to my mind that means it must be OK?), but because the downstream sensor is "so sensitive" it thinks that there is a fault with the cat.

So is it possible to get a less sensitive o2 sensor or should I be looking to fit a MIL eliminator to that o2 sensor or is there something else that I should be looking at (I don't fancy paying £420 to replace what is basically an already efficient cat).

thanks again
Geoff

 

go to breakers mate and get a exhaust be cheap

 

i work in ford too and came across this problem a few times as well,seems to be a bit of a sticky problem because it doesnt affect all cars just a few,the only cure we found so far is a ford cat and as far as iam aware you cant get different 02 sensors for them.

 

everyone work for ford?

 

have they checked the fuse for the o2 sensors not the 1 in the fuse box
the 1 for the o2 heaters it behind the fuse box
and a pcm recal for o2 sensors
and cheap cats find it hard to pass they mot and go nowhere near fords shit limits
p.s. i work for shit ford aswell
420 must be the fitted price they are only 310 to buy

 

any ford jobs available?lol
u can always find decent ford parts about. just gotta keep looking