Ford Focus Engine Light

24

Comments

  • Just found this top tip on another forum.
    There's an inbuilt 'dashboard diagnostics self test' system, which displays error codes (at least it does on my Ford Focus 1.6, X reg).

    - Hold down the 'trip/distance' reset button on the dashboard, and then switch the ignition on.
    - The needles/dials on the dashboard will spin once, and then the trip distance display will say '6a6e'.
    - Keep pressing the reset button, and some tests on the dashboard will display, eg all the bulbs will light up, and the petrol gauge needle will spin.
    - Eventually, the display will read DTC and some codes (if your engine light is on). Mine read DTC, then d123 and d041. These meant that the engine wasn't receiving any speed or odometer variables/information.

    That would have cost at least £50 for an engine diagnostics test at my local charge-through-the-nose garage, before doing any work at all!
  • goldspanners
    goldspanners Posts: 5,910 Forumite
    gardnose wrote: »
    That would have cost at least £50 for an engine diagnostics test at my local charge-through-the-nose garage, before doing any work at all!

    i really hate this when people think £50 for a time served mechanic using expensive equiptment to diagnose faults is charging through the nose.

    what does your company charge for your services for an hour?

    if you got a joiner or plumber in to do some work in your house i would bet you would be paying more than £50 per hour.

    why do people hate to pay for thier cars to be fixed but dont mind being ripped off by an electrician or the likes?
    ...work permit granted!
  • Dunkyboy wrote: »
    Our Zafira now displays the letters INSP when the ignition is switched on, this means it needs a service, but a different dealership says there is something wrong with the engine management system and needs to be zapped with a computer for the tidy sum of £28.00, a network Q dealer wants £47.00 for the same thing, seems like a rip off to me, forcing you to go to a main dealer to get rid of this.

    To turn off Vauxhall service light try:
    1. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Turn Ignition Off[/SIZE][/FONT]
    2. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Hold Trip Reset In[/SIZE][/FONT]
    3. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Turn Ignition On[/SIZE][/FONT]
    4. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Still Holding Trip Reset wait for three dashes[/SIZE][/FONT]
    5. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Turn off Ignition[/SIZE][/FONT]
    6. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Turn on Ignition to confirm[/SIZE][/FONT]
    The following site provides details on how to switch off the Service lights on vehicles from a number of manufacturers:

    http://www.gendan.co.uk/article_6.html
  • i really hate this when people think £50 for a time served mechanic using expensive equiptment to diagnose faults is charging through the nose.

    Sorry - it's just that my local garage does this as a matter of course. If I had a flat tyre, I'm sure they would still charge me £50 for a diagnostic test.
    They seem to skip the "what are your symptoms" bit.

    Maybe it's a lack of understanding on my behalf of what the diagnostic test involves. It doesn't feel like value for money to me.
  • jonathon
    jonathon Posts: 748
    First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    http://www.ecufix.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69&products_id=196


    I brought one or these cant praise it enough £33 posted
  • gps_2
    gps_2 Posts: 77 Forumite
    i really hate this when people think £50 for a time served mechanic using expensive equiptment to diagnose faults is charging through the nose.

    what does your company charge for your services for an hour?

    if you got a joiner or plumber in to do some work in your house i would bet you would be paying more than £50 per hour.

    why do people hate to pay for thier cars to be fixed but dont mind being ripped off by an electrician or the likes?

    i think you are slightly off when you think joiners charge £50 an hour!

    usually £15 to £20 an hour.

    i know joiners personally and have worked in the building trade.

    so £50 is a lot to plug a connector in an look at a screen, yes imho.
  • gps wrote: »
    i think you are slightly off when you think joiners charge £50 an hour!

    usually £15 to £20 an hour.

    i know joiners personally and have worked in the building trade.

    so £50 is a lot to plug a connector in an look at a screen, yes imho.

    yes it is,but take into account the piece of equiptment that you are plugging in, the diagnostic equiptment is worth thousands of pounds,training is also required to use these machines properly and also updates on software are required (very regularly).
    i use a laptop with diagnostic software on it for my work,when you see the amount of work that goes into this stuff and how much dealers are charged for all of this equiptment that they can only buy from the manufacturer then you realise why it costs so much. this is what you are paying for,not just "a connector plugged in and looking at a screen"
    ...work permit granted!
  • bazjc
    bazjc Posts: 1 Newbie
    Dunkyboy wrote: »
    Paid £28 to get rid of INSP warning (see other post), but they say they downloaded a update for the engine management system, this has made the car smother to drive, but the mechanic said that the INSP would come back again in 12 months or so, and as posted previously you can just disconnect the battery, but you will need to know your radio code.But does anyone know if the remote locking be affected in any way by doing this.
    all you need to do to turn off insp light is to hold down the trip reset button before you turn the ignition on and keep it held down this will turn it off. vauxhalls are set to turn this on every 12 months so you will take them into a dealer to have it serviced
  • edde
    edde Posts: 159 Forumite
    gps wrote: »
    so £50 is a lot to plug a connector in an look at a screen, yes imho.

    the cost of the computer and software means that £50 often isn't that bad a price for a proper dealer computer update cost for the software are massive
  • mikey72
    mikey72 Posts: 14,680 Forumite
    Just fixed my Zafira, after the warning light came on, limped home at 40mph, where it died entirely.
    Press the accelerator and brake down, turn the igniton on, after the other lights go out, the ecu light flashs, count the flashes, code was 0335, - crankshaft sensor fault.
    I fitted a new sensor, problem solved, about £100 saved on the dealer.
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