Mondeo 2008 1.8 TDCI intermittent start issues
27-01-2016, 05:41 PM
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Mondeo 2008 1.8 TDCI intermittent start issues
Hi
Hoping someone can offer some advice. Please bear with the length of the post this has been going on for 7 weeks.
My Mondeo went to Formula One for a master service, they changed the fuel filter at the same time.
Picked up the car and used it for just over a week and then one day whilst idle the engine cut out and refused to start. I called the AA and the a fault code pertaining to fuel rail pressure sensor low was stored. When the mechanic disconnected the fuel line into the fuel filter there was no fuel. He hand pumped it and managed to get fuel coming through and the engine started. Left it running for a while and then turned it off and back again all ok.
Took it back to the garage, they checked it for a couple of minutes then said see how you go, drove it about 3 miles into town parked up and went shopping. Came back to the car (about 90 mins) and it wouldnt start, called the AA out again this time he couldn't get fuel coming through so got towed back to the garage.
The mechanic did say they had an issue for about half hour to get it to start following the fuel filter change, they called back a couple of days later and advised they thought it was the diesel pump. They offered to change it out for a reconditioned one at their cost as they didn't know if what they had done had caused the issue. They changed it but still had a pressure issue, they then replaced the following -
- Diesel fuel pump
- Fuel lines (after talking to Ford)
- Fuel filter and housing (genuine ford)
- Timing belt (apparently due to changing fuel pump you do this anyway car is on 67k)
They then advised they thought it was the fuel filter housing all along (air ingress). Picked it up the next day drove it for a few days over short journeys and then one day again it failed to start. AA came out and this time it started for them first time without doing anything. Managed to get it to Ford and they checked it over - they advised the seal on the fuel filter had been fitted incorrectly by the other garage and it was at the bottom not the top where it should have been (allowing air into system). They tested and all seems OK.
Picked it up from Ford a few days later and it has failed to start again, car drives fine until this point, no power issues nothing everything is fine. Just an intermittent starting issue seemingly from warm.
Ford then had the car back, replaced a fuel hose, spent around 5 hours on it and couldnt find a exact fault. What they did say was they thought the fuel pump was spiking and if it was under warranty with them that would be the next thing to change.
Took it back to F1 re swapping out fuel pump again (lifetime warranty with the one they fitted reconditioned), seems to be mainly from warm when it fails to start and no pattern other than that. Ford helped them interpret the data from the diagnostic and they then thought it was the main fuel sensor, they replaced that and now they believe the sensor is reporting back correctly but the problem still exists (they didn't want to replace pump again unless they know that is the problem).
In between this they thought we had an issue with the immobiliser, when they locked the car one evening the immobiliser light was flashing very fast, came back next day still doing the same thing. Tried to start car, it wouldnt start. Then they locked and unlocked the car again and it started fine???? This has only happened once....
So they believe the fuel pressure is now fine, however when you disconnect the fuel pressure sensor the car starts first time every time. They believe the sensor is fine as its new, they believe the pump is fine and are now thinking its the ECU?
They are trying to find someone to test the ECU but he told me most of the people they have spoken to recommend it go back to Ford due to the system in there being a Siemens system.
Prior to this service there was no issue like this - every now and again it wouldn't fire first time, very rare but maybe 5 times in the past 6 months that happened - always fired 2nd time though.
Now intermittently refuses to start until left for some considerable time, then it will drive again and be fine. Only other noticeable difference since service is crank time, you have to crank for longer than i used to.
Apologies for the long post but this has been a nightmare and hoping someone might be able to help.
Thanks
Hoping someone can offer some advice. Please bear with the length of the post this has been going on for 7 weeks.
My Mondeo went to Formula One for a master service, they changed the fuel filter at the same time.
Picked up the car and used it for just over a week and then one day whilst idle the engine cut out and refused to start. I called the AA and the a fault code pertaining to fuel rail pressure sensor low was stored. When the mechanic disconnected the fuel line into the fuel filter there was no fuel. He hand pumped it and managed to get fuel coming through and the engine started. Left it running for a while and then turned it off and back again all ok.
Took it back to the garage, they checked it for a couple of minutes then said see how you go, drove it about 3 miles into town parked up and went shopping. Came back to the car (about 90 mins) and it wouldnt start, called the AA out again this time he couldn't get fuel coming through so got towed back to the garage.
The mechanic did say they had an issue for about half hour to get it to start following the fuel filter change, they called back a couple of days later and advised they thought it was the diesel pump. They offered to change it out for a reconditioned one at their cost as they didn't know if what they had done had caused the issue. They changed it but still had a pressure issue, they then replaced the following -
- Diesel fuel pump
- Fuel lines (after talking to Ford)
- Fuel filter and housing (genuine ford)
- Timing belt (apparently due to changing fuel pump you do this anyway car is on 67k)
They then advised they thought it was the fuel filter housing all along (air ingress). Picked it up the next day drove it for a few days over short journeys and then one day again it failed to start. AA came out and this time it started for them first time without doing anything. Managed to get it to Ford and they checked it over - they advised the seal on the fuel filter had been fitted incorrectly by the other garage and it was at the bottom not the top where it should have been (allowing air into system). They tested and all seems OK.
Picked it up from Ford a few days later and it has failed to start again, car drives fine until this point, no power issues nothing everything is fine. Just an intermittent starting issue seemingly from warm.
Ford then had the car back, replaced a fuel hose, spent around 5 hours on it and couldnt find a exact fault. What they did say was they thought the fuel pump was spiking and if it was under warranty with them that would be the next thing to change.
Took it back to F1 re swapping out fuel pump again (lifetime warranty with the one they fitted reconditioned), seems to be mainly from warm when it fails to start and no pattern other than that. Ford helped them interpret the data from the diagnostic and they then thought it was the main fuel sensor, they replaced that and now they believe the sensor is reporting back correctly but the problem still exists (they didn't want to replace pump again unless they know that is the problem).
In between this they thought we had an issue with the immobiliser, when they locked the car one evening the immobiliser light was flashing very fast, came back next day still doing the same thing. Tried to start car, it wouldnt start. Then they locked and unlocked the car again and it started fine???? This has only happened once....
So they believe the fuel pressure is now fine, however when you disconnect the fuel pressure sensor the car starts first time every time. They believe the sensor is fine as its new, they believe the pump is fine and are now thinking its the ECU?
They are trying to find someone to test the ECU but he told me most of the people they have spoken to recommend it go back to Ford due to the system in there being a Siemens system.
Prior to this service there was no issue like this - every now and again it wouldn't fire first time, very rare but maybe 5 times in the past 6 months that happened - always fired 2nd time though.
Now intermittently refuses to start until left for some considerable time, then it will drive again and be fine. Only other noticeable difference since service is crank time, you have to crank for longer than i used to.
Apologies for the long post but this has been a nightmare and hoping someone might be able to help.
Thanks
Last edited by parso316; 27-01-2016 at 06:09 PM. Reason: forgot something
11-02-2016, 01:02 PM
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In case anyone else has a similar problem it was still a fuel pump issue. The pump was replaced with a recon and had the intermittent issue.
Got the pump tested by a diesel specialist and they found that the valves on the pump were at fault. When the car got warm the pressure was dropping off over time - it needed about 140 psi to start and it was dropping below that in the fuel rail when warm.
Fitted new valves and the car works fine!!! 2 month nightmare.
Got the pump tested by a diesel specialist and they found that the valves on the pump were at fault. When the car got warm the pressure was dropping off over time - it needed about 140 psi to start and it was dropping below that in the fuel rail when warm.
Fitted new valves and the car works fine!!! 2 month nightmare.
14-02-2016, 08:46 PM
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Just in case anyone has this issue it was the valves on the recon fuel pump. Pressure dropped significantly when warm, diesel specialist found the issue.
New pump and all sorted.
New pump and all sorted.
01-04-2018, 11:25 AM
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