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car fault

A forum for discussion on motoring topics.
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kizkiz
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car fault

Post by kizkiz »

I have a 56 ford focus
Twice now it has failed to start. both times nothing happened when turning the key. No ticking over,nothing, just dead.
Both times i waited 30 seconds or so and it started normally.
The first time i thought it might be the battery in the fob, immobiliser, but the battery has been changed and it did it again.
Any ideas?

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unc.si.
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Re: car fault

Post by unc.si. »

Battery terminals or a sticking solenoid maybe. Could be more serious but try the easy stuff first.

I'd take the terminals off, clean them up and re-fit. Are they furred up?

Any clicking noises when you turn the key, or just dead?

Any dash lights coming on when you turn the key, or is everything completely dead?

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Finsimbo
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Re: car fault

Post by Finsimbo »

Do you get any ignition lights?

Have the same problem sometimes. It's the senor on you key not activating with the auto shut off on the key barrel. Try 1 ,2 ,3 then fires up

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

Guys, i have to confess to not looking at all at the dash when it happened :oops:
It is weird though, as it just does nothing every time you try, then wait 10 seconds and it starts fine.
I shall check for lights if it happens again...i'll probably be back in a week or so. lol

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Groomyd
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Re: car fault

Post by Groomyd »

Is it just in cold weather?

Not that I'm an expert on cars at all but Could be alternator problem rather than battery - I had an old mini which did just that but if you just rolled it forward a yard and tred again it started

I think the problem was the coil or alternator :?

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barry
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Re: car fault

Post by barry »

I'd say solenoid.... my mums old ford escort used to do that and a sharp tap with a blunt object usually did the trick!

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Groomyd
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Re: car fault

Post by Groomyd »

barry wrote:I'd say solenoid
Er, yeah, that's just what I was going to say

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sted
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Re: car fault

Post by sted »

'56 Ford Focus?

I'd buy a newer car.

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

I'm inclined to agree with barry
Today the car had been driven for a while before being parked up for about 10 mins, then wouldn't start. not likely to be the cold, as it had started 3 times before that in the same day

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Re: car fault

Post by murf »

Sounds very temperamental.

Is it a female car?

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jimmy ching
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Re: car fault

Post by jimmy ching »

Yep. I think she needs hers solenoids playing with. Don't hit her like Barry said, it might work for him but it doesn't work for everybody.

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barry
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Re: car fault

Post by barry »

jimmy ching wrote:Yep. I think she needs hers solenoids playing with. Don't hit her like Barry said, it might work for him but it doesn't work for everybody.

that was going back nearly 20years ago..... I would be lost in an engine these days.

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unc.si.
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Re: car fault

Post by unc.si. »

kizkiz wrote:I'm inclined to agree with barry
Today the car had been driven for a while before being parked up for about 10 mins, then wouldn't start. not likely to be the cold, as it had started 3 times before that in the same day
Yep, Barry's probably right about the solenoid. Surprised no one mentioned it earlier really.

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barry
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Re: car fault

Post by barry »

unc.si. wrote:
kizkiz wrote:I'm inclined to agree with barry
Today the car had been driven for a while before being parked up for about 10 mins, then wouldn't start. not likely to be the cold, as it had started 3 times before that in the same day
Yep, Barry's probably right about the solenoid. Surprised no one mentioned it earlier really.

ROFL, big jealous Unc.si! :P

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barry
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Re: car fault

Post by barry »

unc.si. wrote:Battery terminals or a sticking solenoid maybe. Could be more serious but try the easy stuff first.

I'd take the terminals off, clean them up and re-fit. Are they furred up?

Any clicking noises when you turn the key, or just dead?

Any dash lights coming on when you turn the key, or is everything completely dead?

just in case anyone else missed it.

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unc.si.
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Re: car fault

Post by unc.si. »

:lol:

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Finsimbo
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Re: car fault

Post by Finsimbo »

how old is this car? Did they make Ford Focus in 56?

not sound like a solenoid to me. You get these more with a click and a click then you hit the eff with a piece of wood and then you are to good.

I have this with my 2007 motor. If it has electronic egniition there's you problem
More electrical

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

56 plate is the second half of 2006

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unc.si.
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Re: car fault

Post by unc.si. »

Well, the ignition switch will send a signal to the solenoid, probably via the ECU and a starter relay. The solenoid will close. That allows the current from the battery to the starter, which turns the engine and sets in motion the ignition system, ie battery - coil - points - distributor - plugs.

with electronic ignition you don't get points - the timing is controlled by the ECU.

So your problem is somewhere in that lot, or the security systems that stop it working unless they get the right signal from the key.

A garage will stick the diagnostics on and might be able to tell you straight away. Intermittent faults are the hardest to track down though.

Unless there's something specific to a focus, sounds like the solenoid isn't engaging the starter, so either a dodgy starter (tap it with a hammer), sticky solenoid, the start of problems with the battery terminals, something wrong with the ignition switch or a fault on the immobiliser system.
Last edited by unc.si. on 26 Feb 2013, 19:31, edited 1 time in total.

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unc.si.
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Re: car fault

Post by unc.si. »

ps it's been about 25 years since I worked on cars, and I was mainly a welder, rather than a mechanic, so treat anything I say on the subject with a bit of caution :lol:

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barry
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Re: car fault

Post by barry »

unc.si. wrote:, so treat anything I say on the subject with a bit of caution :lol:
but for f sake do acknowledge it!

:lol:

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

I'm still waiting for it to happen again :lol:

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WilBert
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Re: car fault

Post by WilBert »

Spray WD40 in strategic places, like you know what you're doing, make it convincing though. The car WILL know.

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

Finally happened again
All the lights light up on dash and it says, "Engine system fault"
Will have to get it diagnosed officially

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Achiles74
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Re: car fault

Post by Achiles74 »

Maybe coil pack needs changing.

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

There's lots of maybes when googling.
Can't find the exact fault though

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bluenosey
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Re: car fault

Post by bluenosey »

Kiz - On some cars, if you press the clutch and brake at the same time, a code appears on your display. The code gives you a clue to the problem (after googling it)

It works with Astras. Not sure about a Focus but may be worth a qiock look on a Focus forum.

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kizkiz
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Re: car fault

Post by kizkiz »

All the focus/ford forums say no code for this fault, even when the diagnostic jobbie is put on afterwards
Horrible feeling it'll be a guesswork solution
the closest i can find points to the battery, starter motor....so will have a word with my mechanic tomorrow

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bluenosey
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Re: car fault

Post by bluenosey »

kizkiz wrote:All the focus/ford forums say no code for this fault, even when the diagnostic jobbie is put on afterwards
Horrible feeling it'll be a guesswork solution
the closest i can find points to the battery, starter motor....so will have a word with my mechanic tomorrow
Well, hope you sort it and it's not too expensive :)

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Jonathan
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Re: car fault

Post by Jonathan »

Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

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