Hi,

I am having problem with my 04 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec. I have been on holiday for 3 weeks and I started driving Focus during this cold snap 3 weeks ago. I have observed voltage fluctuations causing the lights and heater fans and occasionally getting the battery warning light on the panel and some clicking sounds from the fuse box behind the glove box.

The AA guys tested the battery and said every this looks alright and asked me to reset the battery by disconnecting for an hour and reconnect. I did it and solved my earlier fluctuations clicking sounds from the fuse box. But still the battery warning light is on.

When I start the engine I don't see the warning light, exactly after a while (30 seconds) it appears again and stays on. When this light is on, I can feel the little difference in the engine.

Now, I have observed my heated front window button (this was working alright earlier and cleared my ice last week) doesn't illuminate or doesn't work. But the rear one works well. Is this is causing the battery warning light?

Last week Halfords guys checked the battery and alternator again said that seems to be alright. I have checked the fan belts and they look alright for me.

I have been driving this car since 3 weeks with this problem. I am using heaters and lights etc as usual, but car did not stop even for a while.

How to solve my heated front window problem?

 

i would get the altenator checked

 

AA guys and Halfords checked and said they were okey.

 

Disregard what halfords say, from my experience they don't know one end of a screwdriver from another!

I reckon its something to do with the smart charge system on the alternator. I would stick on a second hand alternator first, you can get them cheap enough off ebay etc. If not, then get it to an auto electrician, who will do a proper test on the electrical system for you!

 

The alt could do with a load test, not just a meter on it.
The heated front screen uses far more electrickery than the rear, and so if the output drops under driving, it may well either cut the front screen or disable it, on older cars/fords the front screen relay was fed and ebergised one side by the warning light for the battery and so would ONLY work once the engine was running/charging.
I would take to a proper sparky, quite surprised halfords knew what a battery was, must be getting better!!
tabetha

 

I have got it checked today again the battery meter shows 85% recharging. With all full load (lights, head lights, radio plus heater) the meter shows 13.6 They said it should be 14.1

 

alty fella they smart charge ones r bastards to test that voltage is too low these alt will charge at 15 volts on load

 

Whats with the halfords bashing on this thread? I work for em, and know a fair amount about cars. Also do all the work on my parents cars and mine (fords and land rovers) and am hoping to get an rs1600i or something to restore. So don't tar us all with the same brush ok?

 

As said they use the smart charge system, you can test the alt in the same way as you would any other, but the smart charge bit is different You need a proper electrician/competent person not Halfords to look at it. The front screen takes massive power and only works when engine is running and would imagine it knows this by ECU and as car thinks it's not charging, no front screen. I suspect the clicking is a relay opening and closing. The car is obviously charging it just thinks it is not.

Those readings sound fine to me with it under load, the alt will charge at 15V+ direct because it's not internally regulated, the ECU regulates the voltage.

BTW you can test the voltage reading inside the car using the cars self diag.


Martin

 

I will book an appointment with ford people next week. Thank you guys for all your help. Cheers!

 

The ecu knows when the heated FRONT screen is activated as it has a circuit all it's self with a message sent from switch to the ecu when screen is turned on, there is also normally a auxillary air valve, near the bulkhead usually that opens to admit extra air, even though iscv controls idle speed, HFS have the AAV still.
If the car was idling at time of test with all that on, it's fine, unless the car was originally equipped with a Calcium/calcium battery, if it was it's low ish, but if ok when held at 2000rpm it goes up around 14.5 - 15V, calcium systems run slightly higher.
tabetha