Ford Focus battery problems

[goldenbrwn1]

Ok first thing is...I'm clueless when it comes to motors. Right so my wife has a Ford Focus about 5 years old it has a full service history and continues to do so. Every year she takes the car to ford ( when summoned) to have the battery changed and oil change ect which comes to around 4000 baht. Well about a month ago the car wouldn't start and a local garage was near and someone came to check. He said the battery was dead, we bought a new one from the garage which they fitted and the car was fine.  Now three days ago the car wouldn't start , completely dead. A light was flashing on the dash which when I checked said it was an electrical cut off of some sort to the battery. Called ford ...they said something along the lines of the computer engine management needs to be reset as it won't allow the car to start.   

 

Took the car to the local ford garage.  Call today...30 000 baht ..badly translated the electric control box has to be replaced. I have no idea what they are going on about. All I hear is it's for safety blah blah blah. I just thought it seemed a lot , any thoughts?  

 

Oh and I better add that ford did call about two weeks before the initial battery change to say the car was due for a change and yearly check but surely they are not that precise in knowing when the battery will fail?  I just can't help but think they are taking the p##s out if my wife.

 

[transam]

We will never know....Could just be the alternator regulator....But 30,000 sounds like they had a good piss up...

[goldenbrwn1]

1 minute ago, transam said:

We will never know....Could just be the alternator regulator....But 30,000 sounds like they had a good piss up...

She hasn't payed it yet...does it have to be a ford outlet to fix this? My wife seems to think so

[goldenbrwn1]

Ok now they have lowered it to 23000 baht after I complained. But now this has led me even more to the conclusion of pi#s taking! I really really dont want to pay it now. ?

[Kwasaki]

23 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

 I just can't help but think they are taking the p##s out if my wife.

Correct your wife is being conned,  take it to a Cockpit or a B-quick outlet. 

Never buy a 2nd battery from main car dealers same goes for Honda & Toyota, 1 year & 1 week life is about the norm. 

[goldenbrwn1]

9 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Correct your wife is being conned,  take it to a Cockpit or a B-quick outlet. 

Never buy a 2nd battery from main car dealers same goes for Honda & Toyota, 1 year & 1 week life is about the norm. 

Think I've got a battle here. She's convinced that only ford can fix her car and if ford doesn't fix it , it may explode!! No one else can fix it, they have really got her paranoid. 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Think I've got a battle here. She's convinced that only ford can fix her car and if ford doesn't fix it , it may explode!! No one else can fix it, they have really got her paranoid. 

Ford seems to have a good workshop sales rep at your dealer, thats his job....

[goldenbrwn1]

Just called cockpit and b quick outlet...they said ford needs to do it....☹️ But I called ford again to moan about the price and they have knocked it down another 2000 baht.....but this does nothing for my confidence in thinking I'm getting a good deal. Oh well. Thanks for replies guys ?

[transam]

2 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Just called cockpit and b quick outlet...they said ford needs to do it....☹️ But I called ford again to moan about the price and they have knocked it down another 2000 baht.....but this does nothing for my confidence in thinking I'm getting a good deal. Oh well. Thanks for replies guys ?

If B-quik has not seen or tested your ride for what seems to be a charging problem then they cannot say they cannot fix it....They can say your alternator is stuffed or it is OK and Ford must see if there is a drain etc...

[goldenbrwn1]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

If B-quik has not seen or tested your ride for what seems to be a charging problem then they cannot say they cannot fix it....They can say your alternator is stuffed or it is OK and Ford must see if there is a drain etc...

Well my wife called....she probably faked it to shut me up ?  She is totally convinced by ford. I have now conceded defeat.

[transam]

Just now, goldenbrwn1 said:

Well my wife called....she probably faked it to shut me up ? 

Sounds like it........If Ford has now knocked off 10,000bht that should really tell you something...

[Kwasaki]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

If B-quik has not seen or tested your ride for what seems to be a charging problem then they cannot say they cannot fix it....They can say your alternator is stuffed or it is OK and Ford must see if there is a drain etc...

Don't believe a word of it,  Cockpit could sort out a ford and either fix it or tell you where to take it,  whether Ford does or an auto-electric outlet does it can't come to that price.

I would get onto Ford head office Bangkok and complain about the dealership and get them to look into it or take it to a different Ford dealer.

[transam]

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

Don't believe a word of it,  Cockpit could sort out a ford and either fix it or tell you where to take it,  whether Ford does or an auto-electric outlet does it can't come to that price.

I would get onto Ford head office Bangkok and complain about the dealership and get them to look into it or take it to a different Ford dealer.

If "she" has the job done at Ford be sure to have an itemised receipt AND the replaced parts..Both will have part numbers on which we can do a search on...

[goldenbrwn1]

1 minute ago, transam said:

If "she" has the job done at Ford be sure to have an itemised receipt AND the replaced parts..Both will have part numbers on which we can do a search on...

Good idea ? I will post it up later

[BEVUP]

Well the first thing that would of worried me is that you said they change the battery every year - I've had my vehicle a good 8 yrs & only changed battery once

Might try a google concerning power cut off as safety feature

[transam]

2 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Well the first thing that would of worried me is that you said they change the battery every year - I've had my vehicle a good 8 yrs & only changed battery once

Might try a google concerning power cut off as safety feature

8 year old battery in LOS.....?........

[scorecard]

45 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Think I've got a battle here. She's convinced that only ford can fix her car and if ford doesn't fix it , it may explode!! No one else can fix it, they have really got her paranoid. 

 

Not surprised by this. Son's buddy is an XXX car production line worker, he's adamant that the engine oil in XXX cars is unique and no other oil can ever be used. 

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Good idea ? I will post it up later

 As you said your clueless when it comes to motors so l can understand your wife believing a Thai person when it comes to her car.

 

It's just l get so very angry sometimes when my wife tells me, not with her but about what Thais tell my wife about having problems with cars on many things.

 

Your not alone when it comes to clueless.  

 

Hope you get it sorted anyhow. 

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

8 year old battery in LOS.....?........

Changed once in 8 years. 

[transam]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

Changed once in 8 years. 

Yes...........and WE wish....................

[BEVUP]

13 minutes ago, transam said:

8 year old battery in LOS.....?........

You may want to re read it

I will make it clearer for you

8 - 9 yr old vehicle divided by 2 batteries = 4yr per battery on a 210,000 km odometer or at best add another 1 which = 3 yrs p/batt

Just to add i do know a reasonable amount about cars & have taken the car to Toyota myself 90 % of time

[NanLaew]

Please name your Ford dealership location and if possible, your location. We may be able to recommend a trustworthy local garage.

 

Out of warranty so no need to pay your local Ford dealers bogus charges. I seriously doubt the 'computer engine management' module is fried. The original battery died, the replacement battery is probably still good but the charging system maybe has an issue. But if the ECM (computer engine management) is bad, it is possible it's due to something that their mechanics have done. These modules don't suddenly up and die unless someone is buggering about with the electrics. Used ECM's are available on eBay between $75 and $150.

[Kwasaki]

Just now, transam said:

Yes...........and WE wish....................

2 batteries in 8 years is possible that's all l'm trying to say.  

 

My Versys battery was 5.3/4 years old when l changed it and it would hold a charge if l used it everyday but l don't got a new one. 

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

2 batteries in 8 years is possible that's all l'm trying to say.  

 

My Versys battery was 5.3/4 years old when l changed it and it would hold a charge if l used it everyday but l don't got a new one. 

Her PCX lasted 5 years, dry cell....

[sandrabbit]

One of the problems now is that the electrical system on cars is all computer controlled and even in a focus you might have as many as 8 computer linked control boxes for different functions and they have to have the correct node address entered or the car won't run. We have a four year old fiesta and the battery had to be changed at the last service although there was never any problem starting it, it just failed a function test but we did get to keep the old battery. Going back nearly 10 years ago in the UK I had a BMW 1 series and the stability control electronics failed and that was £2000 to change and there were thousands of these failures in the UK and BMW only replaced them if you had bought the car new and had it serviced with them. My car was second hand  3 years old with full BMW service history, 37K miles from new, 5 years of servicing paid for and they stiffed me so BMW can shove their cars where the sun doesn't shine.

[goldenbrwn1]

25 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Please name your Ford dealership location and if possible, your location. We may be able to recommend a trustworthy local garage.

 

Out of warranty so no need to pay your local Ford dealers bogus charges. I seriously doubt the 'computer engine management' module is fried. The original battery died, the replacement battery is probably still good but the charging system maybe has an issue. But if the ECM (computer engine management) is bad, it is possible it's due to something that their mechanics have done. These modules don't suddenly up and die unless someone is buggering about with the electrics. Used ECM's are available on eBay between $75 and $150.

Ford company near Tesco lotus Srinakarin  Samut Prakan. I am located on soi Bearing not far from the BTS Bearing Samut Prakan.

 

[sandrabbit]

I have found some info but something that might be relevant to your battery problem is 'a lead acid battery will not work properly with smart charge, it must be Silver Calcium'.

 

http://www.petercoopercarrepairs.co.uk/ford_focus_alternator_smart_charging.htm

 

http://www.valeoservice.com/data/master/webfile/2945759434DDE6E8714173.pdf

 

I realise the pages are slightly old but I presume the info is still relevant.

[sandrabbit]

more info in more detail

 

http://www.hella.com/startersalternators/assets/media/g06_ti_en_electronics_ford_smart_charge_system.pdf

 

https://www.picoauto.com/library/automotive-guided-tests/ford-smart-alternator/

[Kwasaki]

31 minutes ago, transam said:

Her PCX lasted 5 years, dry cell....

Mine is wet sealed but maintenance free. 

[JAS21]

Ford cars have a smart charging system. When the battery is changed it is recommended to check that system and .adjust if necessary.

 

However if the battery doesn't go flat in 'a period' then things are probably ok.

 

As part of the routine service the smart charging system is checked and adjusted if necessary.

 

This system is designed to save fuel ...google if you want to know more.

 

You can disconnect the system if you wish.

 

A yearly change of battery shows a problem 'somewhere'!!