Please help,i have just bought myself this focus which has done 55000 miles and i am very happy with apart from one thing. The engine temp gauge fluctuates between cold and just below the warm reading. It never goes past the middle but sometimes just goes back to cold and stays there. This happens on long runs on motorways as well as driving round town. I find myself watching the gauge more than the road and it is becoming very annoying. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Is the heater blowing hot after 20 mins or only warm?

 

The heater is blowing warm like it should do,and it doesn't take long to get warm from a cold start up.

 

Sorry i meant it is blowing hot like it should do.

 

Cool running on the motorway and heater only warm (ie not hot) can be caused by the thermostat.

 

Think i might have to pop it into fords for them to have a look. Heard that it is not uncommon on this model and that people have replaced both the thermostat and sensor only to find out that it is a problem with the instrument panel. Lets hope not.

 

If you're sure it's hot then there are tests to eliminate other causes eg infra-red scanner to check the actual engine temp etc. If you're out of warranty and the bill turns out to be big you may be able to get a 'goodwill' discount if the fault is known.

 

ok,thanks very much for your help.

 

I suggest letting the engine idle long enough to put the cooling fan on, then note where the gauge reading is, and how hot the heater is, if it is a lot hotter than normal, it does point to a stat, in which case the gauge should also be showing warmer, remember though 4-6 C will produce a noticeable difference on the gauge.
The way these gauges work, they are not terribly accurate at either ends of the scale.
Stat and sender easy to do though.
tabetha