Focus intermittent start problem - ideas?

mac2008

Car is a Focus Mk2 2008 facelift model, 1.6 petrol Auto.

Usually starts fine, but occasionally (once a week or so but getting more regular) will turn over but really struggle to start, or it starts then immediately cuts out. I can usually get it going by trying again and giving it some gas. Once it is going it runs and drives fine.

This happens when both hot (i.e. after popping into a shop) or cold (car left overnight).

Any ideas of likely suspects to check before I take it to the garage? Please ask if I can provide any more info that might help.

Strider590

Needs a good service? I mean seriously, it may have a logbook full of stamps, but experience tells me that doesn't mean it's ever been touched my a mechanic.

mac2008

Strider590 wrote: »

Needs a good service? I mean seriously, it may have a logbook full of stamps, but experience tells me that doesn't mean it's ever been touched my a mechanic.

Thanks - will look into that. I can check basic condition of oil, air filter etc. that should give me an indication about servicing?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Sounds like an intermittent fault with the automatic choke. Especially in this cold, damp weather. Also check plug leads.

Strider590

mac2008 wrote: »

Thanks - will look into that. I can check basic condition of oil, air filter etc. that should give me an indication about servicing?

It's a start!
The process of fault finding is to check whatever you can (no matter how simple or obvious) before you start going deeper.

Strider590

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Sounds like an intermittent fault with the automatic choke. Especially in this cold, damp weather. Also check plug leads.

There won't be an automatic choke as such, though I remember the auto choke on the Ford Sierra's "Pinto" engine, a webber carb with a daft complex auto choke that was forever going wrong.

It's now all controlled in the ECU (using feedback from a pile of sensors), which sets the idle mixture and then then sets engine speed higher using the idle control valve (which might be faulty/sticking too, easy to check/clean).
The effect is the same, but OP doesn't want to be going to a garage talking about auto chokes.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Strider590 wrote: »

There won't be an automatic choke as such, though I remember the auto choke on the Ford Sierra's "Pinto" engine, a webber carb with a daft complex auto choke that was forever going wrong.

It's now all controlled in the ECU (using feedback from a pile of sensors), which sets the idle mixture and then then sets engine speed higher using the idle control valve (which might be faulty/sticking too, easy to check/clean).
The effect is the same, but OP doesn't want to be going to a garage talking about auto chokes.

Thanks for that.

It was a Sierra 1.6 that I was thinking about. It was my wife's car and was often a real pig to start mostly during the winter months. Glad things have moved on since then.

Hope the OP gets it sorted.

jase1

I'm tempted to say "it's a Ford" -- all the Fords I, or the family have ever owned (including the current Focus) have been unreliable starters. It just seems to be something Ford aren't very good at.