Hi, called the RAC out today after having driven around all morning no probs but motor suddenly failed to start on the way home.

RAC fixed the problem by disconnecting my battery and reconnecting it, but couldn't figure out the root cause and suggested I ask Ford. Thought I'd ask here though first.

It's an mk2.5 08 plate Focus and basically turning the key to ignition 2 doesn't start the engine. The oil and battery lights stay on. Underneath the bonnet there is a buzzing noise. Apparently this should stop after a couple of seconds but intermittently it stays on causing the problem.

RAC wrote on the report:

Non start. Not cranking. Batt volt 12.47. Tested good battery, buzzing noise from engine bay when keys removed. Carried out battery disconnect. Vehicle started fine. Suspect module lock up. Advise to garage for investigation. Oil level on.


Does anyone know what might be causing this? Apparently it could have drained the battery I had replaced a couple of months ago as well but I may have caught it in time this time around...

 

See if the buzzing comes from the battery junction box (fusebox next to battery) remove cover, see if its a relay making the noise.

 

Yeah it did seem to be coming from over towards the battery way. I'll double check next time it does it. RAC bloke told me to remove the live clip and wait 10seconds and then clip it back as a temporary fix if it does but when he demoed the buzzing it did seem to be coming from near the battery...

 

Just found this thread.

Recently purchased a 58 plate zetec 1.6 and the other night it failed to start first time, seems ok now and started first time since, wonder if its the same thing as this.

Davy

 

It's weird because it's intermittent - very hard to replicate/show people until it's happening. Did you hear a buzzing from under the bonnet? I couldn't until I opened it up but once I did it was pretty obviously making a noise.

 

Quick update, took it in to the garage today and they ran Ford diagnostics and couldn't identify the fault...

So, no joy - could happen again any time without warning. Will contact Ford and see what they have to say.

 

I see this kind of thing all the time.

Car is brought in after RAC/AA/Green flag/A.N other recovery service has looked at it..

Fault report reads as above 'module lock up,battery reset blah blah'

Trouble is, they usually clear any fault codes in the system which could usually point 'me' to the original fault.

So until the car faults whilst it's with 'me' I'm looking at it blind, and with these things it could be absolutely anything, so not as easy as replacing a relay as a guess or whatever.

 

I didn't realise fault codes could be cleared from the system...why would the recovery services do that when they're reporting that further investigation is needed? Like you say, that'd just handicap the people who need to know to be able to diagnose the problem.

I sort of half suspected that the replacement battery I had put in a month or two ago was actually not connected up properly...but the garage tells me that wouldn't have caused the non start or the buzzing noise.

The only thing to do now is carry a spanner in the car, write to Ford, and if it happens again take it back to the garage and leave it with them until they can replicate the problem.

 

I guess they clear them as usually them (recovery service) poking around checking fuses and connections may introduce further fault codes. It's quite a 'standard' thing for them to carry out a battery reset in these cases. I would guess the buzzing is from a relay, either the ignition relay or starter relay, but whether its a simple faulty relay or 'something else' wiring/PCM fault causing the relay to 'buzz', remains to be seen.