Hopefully someone can help? My Mondeo starts great every morning except the engine seems to rock back and forward for about 30 seconds!! Its not the injectors as they have been checked? Car runs perfectly after 30 seconds or so, there's no smoke on start up and glow plug lamp not flashing in fact it never comes on when i turn ignition to position 2!! The heater lamp does work as i have tried the instrument panel test. Very confused. The car never misses a beat only 1st thing, any help would be appreciated.

 

Has it always done it or is it a recent problem?

 

Could have air entering the fuel system or its draining back to tank over night.

 

Heater plug failing?

 

It's only the last 4 weeks, ford have had me pouring stuff in the tank and replaced part of the loom (I won't mention cost as my wife may read this) lol.

 

It's fine after about 30 seconds and it can sit from 9 till 5 at work and is fine when I start it! There is a smell of diesel when stationery I have noticed?

 

Hmm never thought about that I am clearly clueless!

 

Needs a leak back check doing for starters

 

I will speak to garage about leak back its really strange why the light doesn't work too?

 

The glow plugs only come on when engine temp is really cold, I only see it on mine on cold winter mornings.

 

I may have only started looking for it when I noticed the problem. I've only had it 4 years!!!

 

So I am now thinking it is an injector, as the car feels like it's running on 3 cylinders when first started! It comes alright but there is a noticeable knocking noise?. Also noticed yesterday a bit of blue/white smoke garage are useless changed some wiring loom thought that would solve it grr!

 

The smell of diesel is clearly not right, and should help pinpoint the issue.

Are you taking it to a main dealer, or a diesel specialist?

 

It's been to main dealer, I am now changing to a larger ford dealer as I am truly peed off! I swear it's an injector as glow plugs and loom changed 3 weeks ago at a small fortune they said poor forte in it and it started great for about 10 days but why did it need injector cleaner if no fault at injector? I was also given ford bulletin about fault

 

I should state this car has only done 51000 miles with full dealer service history!

 

Take it to a proper diesel specialist. All the ford dealer will do is plug it in to the computer, see that there is no faults stored and then they are stumped.


If one of the injectors is leaking into the cylinder overnight, this would explain the symptoms.

 

I will look into diesel specialist in my area as the car is good just not 1st thing. It is fine for rest of day and I could smell the diesel all day bloody stinking.

 

Ok so follow up been to diesel specialist today, and they confirmed injector at fault as I suspected why did ford not find this out?, question is do I replace 1 or all to be sure??

 

I'd have just the one done, could get rather expensive to have 4 done, especially as they aren't a known problem on these engines so you have probably just got a dodgy one.

 

Ok they are reconditioned by the company who make them all 4 fitted for £700 +vat?

 

I'd go with this advice. I did a year and a half in a dealer in between a career working for independent garages and no one there had a single clue about diesels. We've diagnosed stuff in the garage I work at now that dealers couldn't find. Had at least 3 cars in the last 6 weeks that had been to local dealers and they said there was no problems and we've found the problem. Dealers not always best option, try a good diesel specialist

 

Sounds like glow plug(s) to me, do yourself a favour and find a Bosch dealer.

Look in the back of Diesel Car magazine.

 

Ford replaced part of the loom that feeds the glow plugs and checked them as that was what they thought was wrong? But sadly no it wasn't they kindly charged me nearly 300 quid for the privelage of this "fault finding and repair ". Then gave me some injector cleaner to pour in which did kinda solve the problem until the tank emptied then it came back! So I do think injectors are the problem. I will have to trust the diesel specialist.

 

Yeah just gave go ahead yesterday to do them, as I need the thing to start in the morning! The engine had shaken so badly it's made a hose at the back come loose which also explains the water useage fingers crossed it works fine when I get it back as it will have had nearly 1200 quid thrown at it in the last 5 weeks!! I must say I've got a 31 year old mk 3 escort that has only cost me £40.00 this year for oil change and it starts perfect even time I open the garage to look at it!!

 

once fixed- i would get a note off the repair/diesel specialist detailing the fault and go back to main dealer claiming the money back for your "repair"-they simply didnt do the job required of them-if they refuse contact trading standards,all it takes is a call from them and they will re-look at it
as mentioned in this thread the main dealers can be[not always though] shocking in their incompetence

one thing a lot of people [never tried myself yet] rave about is terraclean for injection systems,its like fuel system applied seafoam -perhaps worth a try if ever faced with 4 injector replacements again

 

Got it back today like new worth going to the specialist, and ford looking into a refund for the mistake diagnosis although I'll not hold my breath!! Thanks for all your replies

 

Nice one mate happy days. What was wrong with it?

 

2 injectors gone the valves or something? Decided to do all 4 as the other 2 won't be far behind. Got reconditioned ones from specialist for £135 plus vat each with 2 year warranty. Mpg on way home from garage was avg 69.9 as opposed to the 43.2 on the way! And no juddering or stink of diesel in the car.

 

Glad it's sorted

 

Awesome mate does make u wonder what happened to main dealers, I remember back in the day when a indipendant had exhausted all angles then it got sent to the dealers, nowadays it's the other way round. To be fair to the dealer techs there is a severe lack of training and equipment, I spend a year and a half in a Mitsubishi and Mazda dealer and never even went on the introductory course, was made to use the diagnostic equipment even though I had no idea how to use it, and to be fair the other guy there had no clue either