Ford Focus Mk1 dashboard cluster fault

noisla

I have a 2003 (03 plate) Ford Focus Mk 1 with a faulty instrument cluster. From searching the internet, this seems to be a known issue with the Mk1 Focus (manufactured 1998-2003), and was even featured on BBC Watchdog in 2008. As a result, Ford offered to replace faulty clusters for £99.

However, I just spoke to the Ford Customer Relationship team and they said that this was a "goodwill" offer, not a fault or warranty issue, and that it had expired 10 years ago. I know the offer only BEGAN in 2008, so that part isn't true. Plus, surely 2003 Focus owners should get 5 years longer to claim the offer than 1998 Focus offers.

I've had the fault for over a year now (it is intermittent and somehow got through its MOT, and I tried unsuccessfully for £110 to get a company to fix the cluster). I will apparently be £400-450 to get a replacement cluster. It is currently at 99,000 miles and I've probably done less that 5,000 in the last 2 years. I think that an instrument cluster should be expected to last longer than 99,000 miles. However, I bought the car second hand, so I can't go back to the retailer under the Sale of Goods Act. The car is not worth much so I am loathe to spend £400 on it for this.

Can anyone advise me as to whether I have any right to seek any help / compensation from Ford for this?

Many thanks

Marktheshark

Scrap yard is the best solution.
on a car that old nobody cares if the cluster has been swapped.
They are firms that reflow the lead free solder that causes the issues.

facade

Check if you can just swap the cluster, most modern cars have the instruments coded to the car, and won't start with the "wrong" instruments plugged in.

Sometimes a new one is uncoded, and codes itself when you first switch on, other times you need someone with a full diagnostic setup to recode everything.