I've just join this forum. I will be buying 1 In time ,
Just would like to know common faults! Good & bad bout owning
A st

All off you owning one should fill this up

 

Welcome to PF. Faults are not that many to be honest.
1/ Stonechipping to the front is very common
2/ Front lower wishbones bushes
3/ Ability to not allow you to drive past a petrol station without turning in
4/ Drivers seat rock, but an easy fix
5/ Care with boost above 300 hp for possible liner cracking
6/ Road tax cost, just got mine this morning at Ł270 , bless the government.

Not a huge amount of issues compared to other mainstream cars.

 

Liners can crack, even on standard cars with few miles, just seems to be pot luck really, tends to be more common on 08/58 plate cars.

Oil filter housings fail, they are the two main big faults with them. But to be honest as long as you look after it they are pretty bullet proof. Mine is a bit over 300bhp and has been pretty reliable for the 3 years I've had it.

 

..and 2006 cars tend to have dodgy alternators but they'll have surfaced and been fixed by now probably.

Boost solenoids can go fairly regularly on remapped cars (as well as std ones for that matter) but easy to fit and about Ł45 from Ford.

 

Thanks so far guys , if. You can keep posted good an
Bad points

 

As said liners have been known to crack on the early to mid cars but this is a lottery and as long as its warmed up and down then you'll be fine

Other faults are

Oil filter housing the diaphragm splits which results in the car sounding like a fucking space ship and is an easy fix as you can just replace the top and the diaphragm rather than the whole housing, if driven on boost with a faulty housing they can then pop the cam seals

Alternators, again another dodgy noise to listen for

MAF, MAP and boost solenoids can go on older cars but are service parts so not expensive to fix

Batteries, these go and make the car do all sorts of strange things ranging from just not starting to general weirdness in not boosting and rough running

Driveshafts, these have a known issue where they click when pulling away which can be remedied by fitting uprated volvo bolts and a bit of locktight

 

Mines stage 3 last time on rollers 300bhp and has not had a boost solenoid go in the last 18 months!!!! or for that matter at all since I've owned it

 

Thanks so far, keep on with comments
I did know off the oil filter , is there anything you can do when
Changing filter so doesn't happen?

I think I read some where changed it for a puma one. You guys
Know better at mo.
I do some me mechanic bits

 

The oil diaphragm is caused by a naff design of the housing. They revised the design for the facelift ST and RS focus. I had an RS one put on mine when my original one started to whistle.

 

Get the later standard oil diaphragm from Volvo, same part number but a lot cheaper. Also better add the clutch on 2007 can be cheesy.

 

Any link for that exact one Thursty. Off eBay easier

 

The seat frames have a habit of cracking so pump the seats hight up and lean back to check.

Gauges can play up but that's usually due to the maf and/or map sensor being dodgy.

There is a thread in the st section where I and others put a list of common faults, so have a look in there mate.

I only had the gauge issue but it fixed itself.


And welcome to passion ford pal

 

I dont have a link, but this might be the part number for volvo 31338685

 

after seeing this thread i dont think ill ever be buying a focus st even at the cheap prices they are now, just curious does the mk2 focus rs have any of these problems aswel? dont think id want to buy a 20k focus rs to find it will have a bundle of faults waiting to happen

 

These are the common things that fail. They don't happen to every car.
If you seem the common faults for any car you wanted to buy then you'd walk away from every one of them.

 

Doesn't put me off in the slightest

 

Didn't put me off getting one either and it was a cracking car!

Hope to buy it back in a year or 2.

 

Tbh, it was after seeing RitchieST's one that I fancied one

 

Best car I've had and probably tempting fate now !!
My Audi V6 Tdi injection pump failed. Audi wanted Ł5k for a new one !! so that had to go. The ST has just cost consumables in the 30 months of ownership, although I need some wishbones on the front now, but thats not silly money.

 

U tempted chalk,i cant find one that ticks all the boxes tbh

 

I am chalk, gonna punt Marie's focus on for one

 

Cheers

It's a bit daft really, I haven't had any issues with mine that weren't self inflicted. You can't expect a car to be pushing out nearly half as much power again and not expect the engine and drivetrain to require more attention.

In the 3 years I've owned mine it's had a MAP sensor and a new oil breather hose that split. I've got a new MAF to put on as I think it is past its best. It could do with a clutch at some point but it's perfectly fine for now. I've done quite a bit to mine and it's got plenty enough power for a road car, the fuel economy isn't actually that bad, on a steady run you can expect low 30 mpg. I couldn't really think of many other better all round daily cars.

 

Yes I agree , I can't wait too get 1 in awhile, save a bit 1st,
Regard other bloke saying puts you off getting 1, many cars
Have numerous faults.

Helps to know a few things before I get one

 

Ive just bought one and i absolutly love it its quick (ish) nice to drive handles fairly well its just a tad thirsty but still defo the best car ive owned to date i think all it needs is an exhaust and map and itll be perfect, so a little trip to bd performance is in order

 

Start from the front back with the exhaust as that's where they are most restrictive, if you can.

 

I intend on going for a turbo back system just cant decide on which one, i want plenty of noise (and pops and bangs) but dont want my ears to bleed on my way to work

 

Make sure it comes with the bolts for the turbo down pipe with the new exhaust as these can snap. Saves a bit of hassle if one does snap (in case you didn't know but probably do.)

 

yeah i heard they were a bit of a pig to do id probably prefer to pay to have someone else do it then i dont have the meither when the break

 

ivejust bought one nice car to drive likes petrol stations lol,but pulls realy well ive put a bluefin stage 2 on it no poroblems appart from binnacle keeps rolling through miles ,mph,temp e.ts carnt find the fault with it.

 

sounds good , can't wait to get 1. Not drove 1 on the road
Yet.. Would love too,I did work At ford

 

Agree with the posts on here , aye thier a wee bit thirsty - but if you were bothered about fuel consumption you wouldnt be looking at buying summat like this

Ive got a 2008(58) facelift , love it

They also respond well to tuning ...., doesnt take a lot to make them quick , good exhaust / map / intercooler ...... !

 

I'm on my second ST and love it, the first wasn't modified at all but this one is running stage 3+ and pulls like a fucking train and just keeps going

 

Nice soundtrack too mate eh