16
It's one of the Heated Windscreen connectors. They have a reputation for breaking off on the Ford Focus, because the wipers hit them if they're not routed correctly.
It's common for replacement glass companies to not notice that the car has a heated screen, so don't spend any money fixing it until you've confirmed that it still has a heated screen.
This ...
15
Drum brakes are cheaper to manufacture than disc brakes, because there are fewer moving parts and because in the rear the parking brake (which often works by a drum-and-shoe mechanism even on four-wheel-disc-equipped cars) can share a drum with the "regular" brakes.
All other things being equal, discs work better than drums, especially in wet conditions.
...
10
It seems that you are only worried if the car will leave you stranded, not if it is bad for the car to drive around with (possibly) a bad head gasket.
Driving around with a shot head gasket is not optimal as some of the coolant may end up in the engine oil, but being a cheap car and driving short distances it probably is not that big of a problem. The car ...
9
As you wrote, it is unlikely that the supply line of the bulb has a short, but not impossible.
Beneath that, it's possible that the return line has a bad connection to the chassis. If an other device uses the same line, the flowing current rises the voltage on that line, and you measure a lower voltage between supply and return line.
A bad contact in the ...
8
I wouldn't be too bothered by the fact that it'll need a new cambelt at the next service, but I might use this for additional leverage when negotiating.
As to what the odds of failure are, do you feel lucky? I'm pretty sure the Focus has an interference engine so if the belt breaks, the pistons will attempt to occupy the same space as the valves, with ...
8
That looks like a flex connector that has broken off. Perhaps part of a windscreen heater?
Labone Heated Screen Connectors
7
You can have a look at the condition of the belt to gauge its condition. But you'll need to have seen quite a number of timing belts to be able to tell.
The risk is that when a timing belt snaps, it damages your valves and pistons too. To fix that will require the engine be taken apart and the damaged parts replaced. It's not a cheap thing to do. Timing-...
7
In this case replacing the fuel filter for new seems to have done the trick. I was able to find one for roughly £27 on eBay and fitted it myself in under 45 minutes. Thought I'd leave the information here in case anyone else has the same issue.
6
The new tyres would indeed be narrower and slightly taller - the first number is the width in mm, so the second tyre is 10mm (3/8") narrower than the first, and the second is the height as a percentage of the width, which works out at roughly 96mm and 103mm respectively. Just to mix things up even more, the third number is the wheel diameter in inches...
...
6
Been there, done that on a 2.0L Zetech.
Make sure you got all the bolts. I'm only seeing two holes on the bottom row (should be three, right?). Make sure nothing else is screwed into the valve cover that could be holding it down. Hilsons is right about your manual saying to loosen the timing cover bolts. I managed to get one off without doing so (...
6
since installing new 02 sensor engine light has not reappeared after clearing w/obd2 device and torque free app. TOTAL COST= ~$27
7 31 13 ordered Koolertron F-12 ELM 327 OBDII PC Car Diagnostic Scanner
Electronics EggDeal via amazon $9.50 to use w/android smartphone torque free app to read & clear obd codes
8 10 12 friend sprayed hoses he knew to be ...
6
Take a look at the wiring on the starter the S terminal wire may have come off.
Pull the starter relay.
Terminal 30 is fused battery power.
Terminal 87 is output to the starter S terminal.
Terminal 85 is power from the ignition switch in the start position.
Terminal 86 is PCM controlled ground with the neutral switch in between.
If you don't have power at ...
5
If replacing the power steering pump triggers a fault code, all you need is one of these to reset it:
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS509-Scanner-vehicles/dp/B0056VHZD8/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1355944663&sr=1-2&keywords=EOBD+reader
Someone can feel free to come along and prove me wrong here because I'm not 100% sure how ...
5
If you've never done your own work, I wouldn't recommend the first two as your first venture. You should make your own call, of course. The third sounds fishy and I wouldn't address it at all without a clearer understanding of what they're trying to sell you.
Just from looking these items over, they look like scheduled maintenance. Those types of tasks ...
5
I wanted to fit the brackets on the smaller seat, behind the drivers side (in a UK, right hand drive car).
For my late 2005 model Focus, Mark II I think, UK registration "XX54" there was nothing on the door side hinge to lever up with a screwdriver (as per many instructions out there), instead the back seats came out according to these instructions on the ...
5
I'm guessing water in the latch mechanism somewhere. Try displacing the water (when it's above freezing) with some WD-40, let it sit awhile, then lubing with a silicone based lube (not sure if that's the best option, but it's what comes to mind, would like to see other opinions on the best latch lube).
5
This sounds like there is an issue with the ground at the battery. Sometimes it appears there is a good connection there (especially when using side post terminals), yet there is only enough of a connection to allow the low amperage stuff to work. Then, when you turn the key, the starter starts to engage, but then continuity is lost because there is not ...
5
The key to your mechanic's response about changing the timing belt and water pump "now" is that you have no real indication of the maintenance history of the car. You don't know if it's been changed or not. A timing belt could last for that long, but who knows. The mechanic is giving sound advice because he's trying to help you protect your interests.
Do ...
5
Jackstand points on that car should be placed on the pinch welds near the door. underneath the car toward the front.
Where to properly jack up and support a car
In that video he explains how to do it. NEVER under any circumstances should you place jackstands underneath suspension components, or anything that has the capacity to move around in any axial ...
5
Probably not. Engines are pretty tough. But pull a plug before you drive anymore and check for mechanical damage. Pistons hitting plugs would not be good.
Also double check your plug wires and make sure you've got the firing order right and that all of the connections feel solid.
5
My view on cleaning engines is that they are probably designed to get wet. At least wet in reasonable ways – rain while the hood is open, splashes from puddles, water that makes it through the radiator and around the edges of the hood.
If you pull apart the electrical connectors on most (i.e., the ones that I work on :-) cars you'll see that some care has ...
5
Clean it. There's an old saying when working on engines: A clean engine is a happy engine. That goes outside as well as in. The grease and grime isn't good for the engine. By cleaning it up, it allows you to see new leaks as they happen. It's just better to have a clean engine.
Use soap/water if that's what you have. You can also use degreaser if you want ...
4
I have a Focus 2010 model and can confirm that Bobs advise is absolutely right. The same thing happened to me this evening when my passenger door when opened wouldn't latch in again (currently outside temp minus 5c). Just 10 seconds using a hair drier on the latch solved the problem for me. I also then sprayed the mechanism with WD40 for good measure. Had ...
4
It if was freezing outside, it was almost certainly colder inside the latch mechanism. It sounds like ice formed on the spring and / or the latch hinge. You were able to use the leverage of the door handle to move the latch against the friction of the ice but then the spring wasn't able to push it back.
When something like this happens, I would suggest ...
4
It does sound fairly typical that these things come with no instructions. Your car manual should have information on isofix, but failing that, I found the following information on a post by Phil on www.focusowners.com - which seems like a forum you would want to look at for Ford Focus specifics. Have a read of the full post over there.
Key info from the ...
4
Grumbling noises while turning are usually CV joints. There are 4 of these (one each end of each drive shaft), but he usual culprit is the outer one on the side that is causing the noise - i.e. in this case the right hand one.
To check, jack the front of the car up and support on axle stands. grip the drive shaft firmly in one hand (wear gloves...), and ...
4
It looks like there's a metal plate in your photo still covering part of the valve cover closest to you. I'm betting that's part of your problem. It's also worth noting that in your repair manuel, the upper timing belt cover is also removed first.
4
It appears to be a Rostra unit their site http://www.rostra.com/rostra-support.php has an extensive support page. That is why I asked about the tail lights, they mentioned it. I would go to the site input you vehicle info and click the support tab. They will give you step by step instructions included are calibration steps, which may be your issue.
4
The diagnostic trouble code is not to be looked at as a root cause of the system failure. (example. Replacing a blown fuse is NOT a solution) In all cases there are multiple components that can cause the same code to trigger. For instance, a possible vacuum leak, or EGR problems, and even a PCV issue, could all show o2 sensor readings with tendencies towards ...
4
It sounds like the fuel supply is being interrupted. This usually means that either the filter is blocked, one of the lines is blocked, or the breather is blocked, or as zhang says, air is getting into the system
Try taking the fuel cap off while it is spluttering - if it suddenly clears up, it's the breather (put simply, if the breather is blocked, air can'...
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