Hi. I have a 2007 1.6 Focus Zetec. The gauge is not moving from the cold position and the fan is operating all the time. It started doing this all of a sudden and only started after a couple of goes which is unusual as it always starts first time. I haven't looked under the bonnet yet but what could be causing this and is it safe to drive? Please don't get too technical as I'm OK with the straightforward bits but struggle after that Thank you!

 

Temp sender could be gone and perhaps the knock on effect is the fan cutting in.

Make sure the air con is off, if the heater is on screen only the air con will run constantly which brings the fan on !

 

CHT (Cylinder Head Temperature) sensor (it's between plugs 2 and 3), the info from which is used for temp gauge, fans and also to determine fuelling requirements (As a conventional CTS would) I am suprised you don't have the EML illuminated?

Martin

 

Thanks both - there were no lights illuminating to warn me of a problem (this is the first thing I look for!). I'd more or less just filled up with petrol when it started which is probably just a coincidence. Would it be safe to drive?

 

A bit of an update.
It's a bit strange but when I switched the engine off today the gauge moved to the middle which is where it usually is after a few minutes driving - it had been on cold all the time before this. It's still a bit reluctant to get going after leaving it for say, half an hour as well.
Even if I knew about cars I'd be baffled!

 

if you disconnect the temp switch on top of the thermostat housing it causes the fans to kick in and the guage goes off so you probably have a faulty temp switch, but mine on my st170 was also triggering the eml light on the dash and giving code d073 when cycling through the diagnostic things on the dash, or p0118 on code reader, hope this helps mate, also how was your car running when the guage was off? my old escort si had similar problems and was holding back around 2,000rpm and at 4,00rpm, but was fine on the odd occasion the guage worked, either way get a code reader to accurately diagnose it as i was a muppet and tried to fix the escort myself and cost a fortune in new plugs, leads, coil pack and i even smashed out the ceramic from the cat thinking that was blocked and all for a Ł9 switch, good luck mate and let us know how you get on, cheers, roy

 

Thanks Roy. That makes sense. There's definitely no warning light appearing. Once it's got over the stuttering when starting from warm it runs as normal but that's just about town - it may do something differently tomorrow on the way to work!

My main concern is whether it'll be safe to drive.

 

It should be ok to drive if you have to but I wouldn't drive it far as it'll be running mega rich if it thinks the engine is cold, so may knacker your cat. Get the switch changed and that should cure it!

 

Not on the housing, on these it's in the head and measures the metal directly, it depends it should illuminate the EML but it may just be slightly out, I.E it may have not gone above or below a pre determined threshold, in any case like a total failure LOS will provide a default value but it's not ideal.

Martin

 

oops should have put my eyes in gear, he did say its a 1.6, sorry mate

 

Mine does this also although my focus is a MK1 whereas yours is the newer focus. Mine is because of a faulty dash though it's a known issue with my year of focus but what I am saying is it could be your dash at fault not just the sender. The sender is the first thing I would change though as if your fans are constantly on then it might be a simpler fix. My gauge doesn't work (or sometimes doesn't work not all the time) due to a known fault with my dash.

 

All mended, thanks for all the info and advice. I'd say I did it myself but the nice people at the Ford garage sorted it out. The wiring to the ECTT sensor had rotted and needed repairing. The engine warning light stayed on this morning on the way to the garage as well for the first time.

 

The known fault you speak of shoulden't effect the gauge working, it's just it and the fuel gauge can show a reading when the ignition is switched off?

On another note glad I could help and it's sorted.

Martin

 

I have just bought a ford focus 1.6 zetec 2005 model and the temperature gauge is not working but I have heating and also the fan does not kick in