Ford Focus battery problems

[Ace of Pop]

Had a new Yuasa Sealed Battery 1650 Bht, they put a gadget on first that backed up the Data, so nothing needed a reset , and it checked the charging too. Fifteen mins, roadside n go.Superb work by a Kid in some small Town.


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[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, transam said:

The most common reason for the the OP's problem is the alternators voltage regulator. Garages charge lots of dosh for a new alternator when in reality it just needs the regulator replaced that costs next to nothing.

Not saying this is the OP's problem but all you need is a cheap voltage tester from Tesco and test across the two battery poles with the engine running, keep looking at the reading whilst someone sits in the car altering the RPM up and down, the reading should stay the same in the high 13's perhaps 14v...That is where I would start..

Good starting point and the older the car and battery, the handier having a simple Tesco voltage meter is.

 

Earlier comment about some Fords needing the ECM reset after a DIY battery swap. My mate's old lady's original Fiesta battery died and we replaced the battery ourselves; no problems, no subsequent flatnesses and no dealer intervention.

Edited July 4, 2017 by NanLaew

[canthai55]

Battery type warning: Ford specify a silver calcium battery for use with this system. A conventional lead-acid battery is not suitable.

 

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

[bandito]

Not charging the battery, has to be adjusted.

Go to the local car electricity repair shop who checks this.

Not the dealer who will scam you out of a sizable amount of money.

Over the years I had the same thing about three times.

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, NE1 said:

I have also e-mailed Ford Thailand on Saturday morning and again this morning about the problem  , and I have not had a response.

 

Standard.

 

Chevrolet the same, they never answer e.mails. Call to their HO in Bkk, nobody knows who to transfer the call to, they promise to get someone to call back. Never happens. 

[fredob43]

39 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Standard.

 

Chevrolet the same, they never answer e.mails. Call to their HO in Bkk, nobody knows who to transfer the call to, they promise to get someone to call back. Never happens. 

Maybe you should have brought a Toyota. I had a problem with the comp: S/N set up in my new Spivo. Nothing wrong with it just the operator IE me couldn't work it.

Sent an email to Toyota H/O saying I was willing to come to BKK to let them show me how to sort it.

 

Had a phone call the next morning saying no need to come to BKK, I was a customer & they would send someone to my town, some 7 hundred KM round trip to put me right. But it would take a couple of days. Did they arrive yes a few days later.

Result the plonker that couldn't work it now can. That's what I call service.

Edited July 4, 2017 by fredob43

[DekDaeng]

Also parking it on concrete in cool weather. That can also cause battery problems

???


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[DekDaeng]

You would disagree it this happen to you?
 
When you take the cost of a battery and how easy it to change it yourself, I personally wouldn't "change your battery only when you need to".
 
This was a long long long time ago.  I use to ski every weekend and that required a drive of 4 hours each way from my home.  After one day in the snow, I started my drive back in the mountains as it was getting dark, after a hour I needed to pull over and take a piss side of the road in no mans land?  Getting back to the car, put the key in and click click nothing over and over again. It was freezing!  I had to walk over a hour before I was able to find help, that was the last time I waited until I actually needed one.

Sounds like catastrophic failure of battery, alternator, belt or charging circuit. No way to avoid, x setting your alarm for a new car every 12 m. Even then -


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[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, bandito said:

Go to the local car electricity repair shop who checks this.

Pretty sure everyone here knows where their local one is.

[Grumpy Duck]

A new battery every year? Really sounds like a con job to me, or really crappy batteries. I have not dealt with any thai services but in the USA a car battery usually lasted me a good 5 years. (Yes even cheapies) 

make sure your battery ampherage and alternator/regulator are matched with the battery. 

When an alternator continually charges a weak battery it will eventually pop a diode,  when the alternator does not charge a battery it will eventually die, when replacing an alternator make sure the battery is not dead. 

[jacko45k]

Personally I change my battery when I notice it is struggling to turn the engine over. (After checking the liquid levels.... yes old style with screww caps). I seem to get 3 years approximately from each one.

I too feel suspicious about this high charge and it screams farang factor.... my first thoughts would have been the alternator. I mean, 30,000 baht, sounds like a night out for all the mechanics. Seek a second opinion.

Edited July 4, 2017 by jacko45k

[natway09]

Had similar problem with my dealer , Honda, 3 batteries in 4 years, went to a "battery man " 3 years ago still fine.

Got a better quality battery for less 

[thailand49]

12 hours ago, NanLaew said:

You turned the engine off just to take a piss? In a frozen, northern country?

 

You're taking the piss aren't you?

It was on a steep mountain road, one lane up and one lane down!  barely a place to turn off and just off the road where I pull over was a mountain stream.  I was driving a 66 old Volkswagen beetle, one of those with hand brakes so young and stupid I thought that was the right thing to do. Aside from the battery, I kept the vehicle in top shape but just thought  when I need to replace it?  To this day, every 3 years or when I get into the car, turn the key if there is any delay I go out and replace, for me end of story.

[NanLaew]

13 hours ago, thailand49 said:

It was on a steep mountain road, one lane up and one lane down!  barely a place to turn off and just off the road where I pull over was a mountain stream.  I was driving a 66 old Volkswagen beetle, one of those with hand brakes so young and stupid I thought that was the right thing to do. Aside from the battery, I kept the vehicle in top shape but just thought  when I need to replace it?  To this day, every 3 years or when I get into the car, turn the key if there is any delay I go out and replace, for me end of story.

Fair enough, limited choices. My first adventure in Canada was in the winter time back in 1978 and my Auntie asked me if I would pop outside before it got too dark and 'plug the car in'. It was a Pinto and I though, "Wow! These Canadians even have electric cars?"

 

About five years later, working in central China and totally au fait with block heaters, sump heaters and transmission heaters, we plugged our trucks into the electrical distribution system... and stalled the under-powered camp generator! After that we had two options, leave it running all night or light a fire under it and pay a local to tend it and make sure it didn't all go up in flames. If one did neither, the diesel-soaked, burning felt winter mitten held in the intake manifold was a reasonable alternative.... as long as you paid attention and whisked the burning glove clear as soon as the engine fired up. The mechanics hated those engine rebuilds.

[goldenbrwn1]

Right my wife picked the car up today. Bill in the end was 25000 baht with discount. They gave my wife the two week old battery back which they said was no good and this thing , which I think is a fuse controller box which has been changed also.  And the bill with specified price jobs done and product numbers. 

 

Feel free to to tell me iv been had right over.   Oh they also threw in a year free warranty.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by goldenbrwn1

[BEVUP]

Well I'm waiting on the experts like yourself but just of the top of my head it's just a fuse holder (a means of putting a circuit breaker between wires ) if there was a short or ect.

But this is the bit I'm not sure about - I notice some larger plastic bits (as though sealed ) on the piece of equipment - may be the brains of the out fit but personally on my Vigo they are mach bigger & different & not combined with the fuses

The warranty should be standard 

There seems to be some big gaps so i would say like wiper timer & ect - they must have used all the old ones maybe

Edited July 6, 2017 by BEVUP

[Anythingleft?]

Quite obviously not the alternator and not a job that could of been carried out by the likes of cockpit. Maybe could of got done cheaper somewhere else but probably after plenty of slogging round and frustration, job well done lets hope its a long term fix ?

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[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Feel free to to tell me iv been had right over.   Oh they also threw in a year free warranty.

No l can't say anything it's all too sad really, sorry. 

[goldenbrwn1]

16 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

No l can't say anything it's all too sad really, sorry. 

?

[Ace of Pop]

Tooo difficult for me, the whole topic.

[Ace of Pop]

When i see Cockpit i tremble. I bought a Wiper Blade for my Wifes Car, an Old Hag Manageress Lady flew out the Office. You must Buy 2..... Dam those Germans they only fit one on that Model.!! never seen a Cockpit Fitter so Happy.

[Kwasaki]

27 minutes ago, Ace of Pop said:

Tooo difficult for me, the whole topic.

My phone battery has just died,  where's the nearest balcony. 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My phone battery has just died,  where's the nearest balcony. 

Stop, before you do that, is it a Ford phone.........

[sandrabbit]

5 hours ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Right my wife picked the car up today. Bill in the end was 25000 baht with discount. They gave my wife the two week old battery back which they said was no good and this thing , which I think is a fuse controller box which has been changed also.  And the bill with specified price jobs done and product numbers. 

 

Feel free to to tell me iv been had right over.   Oh they also threw in a year free warranty.

 

 

My wife translated the most expensive part as fuse box, obvious, but online it is quoted as a Ford Focus Body Control Module and the price you have paid is about the same as the UK but it is twice the price in India. If it cures the problem then it's worth it but also remember you can't use lead acid batteries, you need silver calcium or whatever it was I posted earlier.

 

ps some nice smearing of the part number and issue details by Ford, on purpose?.

Edited July 6, 2017 by sandrabbit

[sandrabbit]

this unit has been giving problems for some time it seems, see below websites

 

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-discussions/49815-body-control-module-issues-questions.html

 

https://shop.bba-reman.com/shop/make/ford/ford-focus-body-control-module-repair/

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/02/ford-recalls-433k-vehicles-amid-body-control-module-issues.html

 

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/general-technical-chat/297686-body-control-module-replacement.html

[goldenbrwn1]

I wondered about the smearing......they better of bloody actually changed it!! ?

[goldenbrwn1]

That has definately been smeared on purpose. Thers no stains anywhere else on the module. Can I get it checked easily to see if they have actually put a new one on? I've lost it now ?. I was just settling down to sleep..lol thanks Sandrabbit ?

[sandrabbit]

10 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

That has definately been smeared on purpose. Thers no stains anywhere else on the module. Can I get it checked easily to see if they have actually put a new one on? I've lost it now ?. I was just settling down to sleep..lol thanks Sandrabbit ?

sorry mate but I think one of the links I posted above refurbishes them in the UK if it's any good to you. can you take a picture of the underneath as sometimes there are separate stickers underneath a circuit board, if we could see serial number and software version it could be dated or do you know anyone who can test in the automotive electrical world, if it can be connected to you can get the information from a laptop?.

 

Looking again, it only looks like the barcode is smeared so maybe underneath.

Edited July 6, 2017 by sandrabbit

[goldenbrwn1]

4 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

sorry mate but I think one of the links I posted above refurbishes them in the UK if it's any good to you. can you take a picture of the underneath as sometimes there are separate stickers underneath a circuit board, if we could see serial number and software version it could be dated or do you know anyone who can test in the automotive electrical world, if it can be connected to you can get the information from a laptop?.

No worries mate...it's a learning curve. Maybe I need to take more of an interest in cars apart from just the driving aspect.  Its done now. Cheers for the links aswell ?. And thanks for everyone's input , cheers ??

Edited July 6, 2017 by goldenbrwn1

[sandrabbit]

Just now, goldenbrwn1 said:

No worries mate...it's a learning curve. Maybe I need to take more if an interest in cars apart from just the driving aspect.  Its done now. Cheers for the links aswell ?. And thanks for everyone's input , cheers ??

I looked at the sticker closeup and they smeared a code but the first 4 letters are there 97RA ........., the replacement part number from the receipt is 7M5T14A073FG. If you can have a look at the BCM, behind your glove box push the 2 side supports in (same as my fiesta), then the BCM should be straight in front. Look at your picture and where 97RA is and compare to your unit, any difference should be at the end if they code the same way it does in my line of work and if it matches the receipt then everything is OK. If it is different it could still be a sticker on the back. I had a look at loads of pictures online and most just have a bar code so up to you if you want to investigate further, goodnight & sleep well mate.