Hi, I am new here, I have a Ford Fusion 1.4 03 plate, I was advised to join this forum, in the hope that someone out there can help me?
At its last mot in March, the emissions were high, but it scraped through. A few months later the amber management light came on. I took it to my local garage and they said the CAT was showing faulty, but all checks said it was within the permitted parameters, so as the car was running fine, he re-set the light and off I went. The light stayed off for a few weeks, then came on again, he re-set it, but it came on soon after. All the checks on the sensors were fine? The car has not missed a beat? I took it to a Ford dealer, they said it was the CAT. I got my local garage to change the CAT (cheaper than Ford), the light stayed off for 3 weeks then came on again! Long story kept short - the light has been off/on since las October, it is currently on having been back to the garage last Wednesday. This has been a nightmare, cost in excess of £600 - AND STILL THE BL***DY LIGHT IS ON - PLEASE HELP SOMEONE!
PS The car still runs like a dream, does not miss a beat.

 

It's odd that they have suggested that the cat requires replacemement. Unless the engine management has 2 sensors it has no way of knowing if the cat is working so will not produce a fault code.

If they seem to think the cat is U/S, I'd assume that it is the lambda sensor that is at fault.

 

It is the after cat Lamda sensor at fault most likely switching too slowly.
A lot of modern cars have a LAMDA before and after the cat to check it's effeciency.
I would change the after cat one, then if successful get ford to reimburse you for being idiots.
There is a very good section in CAR MECHANICS, for problems of this nature, that you can email/write to as well.
Hope this helps,
tabetha

 

Thanks for that Tabetha, I will try that one, the mechanic replaced the one in front of the CAT but not the one behind the cat? The light went off today when I started up, then came on again once it had warmed up on the motorway, it seems to follow that pattern, once on, it will stay on for about a week. It still runs like a dream, if I disconnected the light, you would never know there was anything wrong, course I would never do that................