Ford Focus Serviced today - "HELP"

greggp_2

Just spoken with Ford technical service dept and they told me that spark plugs are recommended to be changed every 3rd service (major service) which would be 36.5k miles or 3-years! My vehical is 2-years old and 20k mile! Also they said that they should be platinum spark plugs and not ordinary plugs! The garage in question told me that they had fitted ordinary plugs and not platinum.

greggp_2

Once the repairs are complete etc and I have been advised the garage to collect the car (hopefully today) together with my
12-month warranty for repairs carried out which the garage said they would do!.....Do you think I should put something official in writing to the garage or not just to cover myself?

thanks

greggp_2

well I collected the car this morning from the garage assured that all was well with vehicle! Took it for a drive about and seemed to drive okay though I did think the idle tick over was a little faster than normal.

However having driven around 20 mile or so I came into traffic congestion - stop start for about 20 mins or so - The battery light flashed on once but didnt seem to do this again and then the tick over seemed to increase for a short period of time. Once through the traffice I carried on driving and all seemed to drive ok.
I returned home and thought I'd look under the bonnet to do a few checks etc! I immediately saw coolant fluid in the engine but no obvious signs of where it came from - the tank was on the MIN line!

I called the garage to tell them and the guy said that he didn't fear any damage but thought it could have been an airlock that caused it. He advised me to top the coolant tank up and return the vehicle to them 1st thing monday morning.

Not a happy bunny

anewman

Doesn't sound like an airlock to me if coolant is sprayed in the engine bay. Airlock is a bit of a lazy reply and a mechanic should know how to ensure a system has no air locks.

Oneday77

If the earth electrode broke off on a plug. Then surely to damage a valve it must have either been cushed between the pistonhead and valve surface or stuck between the return of the valve and the valve seat.
In either case more than valve damage will have occured. Don't let them fob you off.
I would approach consumer direct or trading standards and ask advice for who to approach for an independent check.

greggp_2

I have just been advised by the garage that my car is all done and ready to collect - they have assured me it definately was an air lock which caused the coolant to spay into engine bay.
thinking about it prior to me finding the coolant in the engine bay when I was sat in traffic I did happen to turn the air con on just to see all electrical devices etc on the vehicle were working! this was moments before the battery light flicked on and when I think the coolant problem occured. Maybe this was linked?? will speak to the garage when I pick up tonight and pick up all my paperwork - warranties etc for repairs.

thanks for all the posts - hopefully this is the end of the matter or is it? I'm going to contest the spark plug issue and request a refund for this! £30 they charged me for these and at the end of the day didnt need doing and It wouldnt have caused the mess it has if these were left untouch. Think this is fair and the least the garage can do as a goodwill gesture. Wouldnt' want to get trading standards involved now would I....?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

normal spark plug for the focus is ngk 0005 FORDESCORT (91-->) 1.610/92 –> 00RecommendedFORDFIESTA (89-->96) 1.602/94 –> 06/96RecommendedFORDFIESTA (96-->02) 1.2511/95 –> 04/02RecommendedFORDFIESTA (96-->02) 1.411/95 –> RecommendedFORDFIESTA (96-->02) 1.611/95 –> RecommendedFORDFIESTA (02-->) 1.2503/03 –> RecommendedFORDFIESTA (02-->) 1.404/02 –> RecommendedFORDFIESTA (02-->) 1.604/02 –> RecommendedFORDFOCUS I (98-->04) 1.498 –> RecommendedFORDFOCUS I (98-->04) 1.698 –> RecommendedFORDFOCUS II (04-->07) 1.409/04 –> RecommendedFORDFOCUS II (04-->07) 1.609/04 –> RecommendedFORDFOCUS C-MAX 1.610/03 –> 02/07RecommendedFORDFUSION 1.408/02 –> RecommendedFORDFUSION 1.608/02 –> RecommendedFORDPUMA 1.498 –> RecommendedFORDPUMA 1.610/00 –> RecommendedMAZDA2 (03-->07) 1.2503/03 –> RecommendedMAZDA2 (03-->07) 1.403/03 –> RecommendedMAZDA2 (03-->07) 1.603/03 –> Recommended

1.8 07 on are 5809 plugs tittanium plugs. or for the flexi fuel 1.8 are 4477 plugs.

NGK plug numbers these are.

the thread on the 0005 are slightly longer. if you ask for the reciepts of the plugs they purchased you can cross ref the numkbers here to fords numbers, or post the numbers here and ill cross ref them for you

greggp_2

Just to bring you up to date with my situation.

I wrote a letter to Garage last week and also following points to bring you up to date on the situation.

garage have confirmed receipt of my letter and confirmed the £30 refund wil take place for the spark plugs - I am yet to receive this however.

1. Garage replaced the damaged valve and other necessary repairs to engine and informed on the 30th october my vehicle was all repair and ready for
collection.

2. I was not happy with the car once initially collected from Garage (the car had a very lumpy tickover and cut out on my going across Dartford crossing.
when I popped the bonnet - coolant fluid had sprayed into the engine bay) I managed to drive the car home and returned it to the garage for an inspection
on the Monday morning. They assured my once again the car was okay to drive away blaming an air lock for the coolant problem and tickover problems.
however I still experienced serious running problems with it and subsequently spoke to them about this. They told me it would be another week before they could look at my car which I found difficult to digest.

3. I therefore took my matter to Ford and contacted Ford dealership and booked my car in for an inspection on the 9th November - On the
way to Ford on the morning of the 9th my car cut out and failed to re-start - I was towed to Ford via my own AA cover.

4. Ford have inspected Engine and advised me that the engine has a cracked chain and they have never seen anything like this before.
The engine has been rejected by Ford for a repair - Ford have therefore told myself and contacted Garage direct the car requires a new engine.

5. Ford are now costing up a price for a new engine and will submit this to Garage Senior Management. Hopefully Garage will agree to meet the costs of this replacement engine and that will be the end of it?

6. Garage have provided me with a courtesy car for the next 2-days and hopefully will do this for longer as I am sure this situation will take some time to resolve.

Any advice appreciated.

skiddlydiddly

Not sure what a cracked chain is, maybe timing chain but I've ot heard of one cracking before.Kind of defeats the object of a linked chain.You have my sympathy, if the garage cannot even be bothered to check the fluid properly before returning the car to you I wouldn't have much faith in anything else they have done.