Ford Service - Are they bullsh!tting me?

Poppy9

I have a 2006 Ford Fiesta. Today when I got into my car, after it being standing for 4 days, it wouldn't start. It would turn over but not fire. The battery seemed fine as I gave it a few attempts and it had plenty of life in it. Left it for 30 mins (while I rang OH, looked for my AA card etc:o ) and went back to it and it started fine. This is the second time it's happened. The previous time was back in August after I had returned from holiday.

I rang my Ford dealer who told me to bring it straight over. They looked at it and 40 minutes later told me my "Engine management system had become scrabbled and lost the code, so they had reset it and it should be fine". I asked them what the hell this meant and why it only happened after it had been standing for a few days but they just waffled on again about how the EMS gets scrabbled. I had to go as I had an appointment so I left. Car is starting fine now (as it usually does).

So were they BS?

Thanks

harveybobbles

Engine could have got slightly flooded while being sat for a few days. This is know to happen on most stuff. All our cars on the forecourt suffer stuff like this if they aint moved for a few days.

I'd leave it be. You have AA cover, so if on that cold, icey winter morning it wont start, you know you can call t'AA...

Poppy9

harveybobbles wrote: »

Engine could have got slightly flooded while being sat for a few days. This is know to happen on most stuff. All our cars on the forecourt suffer stuff like this if they aint moved for a few days.

I'd leave it be. You have AA cover, so if on that cold, icey winter morning it wont start, you know you can call t'AA...

But why does it happen? We also have a 2002 Mondeo and it's never happened to it. We don't have homestart with the AA as it costs too much so we have to move it 3/4 mile away from the house. Luckily we live on a hill.

Also Ford said "do not attempt to jump start it if it happens again". Why?

harveybobbles

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, not sure. Just deny jump starting it lol.
Its probably to do with blowing fuses etc when you jump start etc.

Poppy9

I'm just annoyed with my little car now. I like my car to be 100% reliable as I work p-time and have to know I can be home for DD from school on time. If it does it a 3rd time it's bye bye car:D

steveo3002

jump starting can damage modern cars...the voltage can cause spikes and stuff in your elec sytem that damages stuff

Wig

You wouldn't want to jump start it anyway because the battery was fine.

I bet the AA/RAC ignore any advice not to jumpstart modern cars. And if anything does get broke I suppose they just deny all responsibility.

Did you pay Ford for this bit of resetting work they did? If it were me I wouldn't have taken it to ford as it was running and starting fine. I would have left it until it became more of a permanent problem.

Did we find out what happened to that peuget 806 that hubby used to jumpstart in the morning and then it wouldn't start for wifey?

daveyjp

Fact is it shouldn't happen. 4 days is no time to leave a car standing. I've left cars for weeks and they have never failed to start first time. Car may have 'lost' programming, but you need to know why. An unreliable new car is a liability.

Lady_S

AA and RAC have special proccedures which means when they jump start the car then it won't cause damage.

Poppy9

Wig wrote: »

Did you pay Ford for this bit of resetting work they did? If it were me I wouldn't have taken it to ford as it was running and starting fine. I would have left it until it became more of a permanent problem.

No didn't pay a penny.

shown73

Similar sort of thing has happened with my Mondeo, very occasionally. Stand for a while, then when I turn the key, engine doesn't quite catch. Subsequent attempts just turned engine over, no start. By chance I found that pressing the accelerator to the floor, then turning the key, resulted in a spluttering start, that soon settled down, and away we go, as normal. It's only happened a few times in several years, and now that I know what to do, it's no worry, but it is odd.