Focus Not Starting

rumblefish

Morning,

I'm after a bit of advice please.

Got a 2013 diesel Focus sat on the drive that has decided it doesn't want to start. Everything switches on on the instrument panel but when I turn the key nothing happens. Tried to jump-start it last night but this didn't work. The basic diagnostic mode you can run via the instrument panel shows no error codes but the battery shows as 11.6.

Are we talking new starter motor?

AdrianC

11.6v is fairly well flat.



Jump-starting can be a bit hit-or-miss. A diesel takes a lot of churning, and a set of cheap and nasty leads may well not be up to it. Was the car you were trying to jump from running, with the revs held above idle?

Goudy

I would agree with Adrian, battery isn't up to it and it can be difficult jump starting diesels.
You really need a top quality set of jump leads and a very good connection to both batteries.

If you can't get it to jump straight off you can often boost a low battery just by leaving the jumper car connected and fast idling for half an hour before you try firing up the other, but if it's the original battery from 2013, it's probably past it now and needs replacing.

rumblefish

Thanks for this!

The car doing the jump was an 07 1.6 petrol Focus. I might dry and roll it to get it running later on.

System

rumblefish wrote: »

Thanks for this!

The car doing the jump was an 07 1.6 petrol Focus. .

Irrelevant. What is relevant is what jump leads you were using. If you were using those weedy thin things often sold in petrol stations and budgey motorists shops then you may as well not bother because they're in no way, shape or form capable of handing the amperage drawn when cranking an engine so all you get is lots of heat being built up in the cable and a massive voltage drop. The cables on the jump leads I use are 15mm in diameter and have never failed me.

Thin ones like these I'd not use on anything larger than a moped. A decent set with decent gauge wire will set you back well over £20.

Angus_Og

Agree with the above. In addition make sure you have a decent connection too, also run the donor car for a few minutes connected.

Norman_Castle

rumblefish wrote: »

The car doing the jump was an 07 1.6 petrol Focus.

I failed to start a diesel Vectra with a very low battery using a petrol Volvo. Once connected to a diesel Transit it started quickly. My diesel Citroen could start a sprinter van. Diesel alternators have higher outputs which will be needed if your battery is very poor.
Try a battery charger.

Dudalbugs

When jump starting any vehicle it is a good idea to let the donor car's engine idle for a period of time with the jump leads connected to the recipients battery, until the charge status of the battery has improved. This is especially important when using poor quality jump leads. Turn off all electrical equipment on the donor car. A diesel engine's glow plugs will draw a significant amount of charge but these should prevent a lot of churning being necessary. CAREFULLY check the temperature of the jump leads during all stages of the process. If too hot to hold then stop, at least temporarily, and let them cool. Make sure you know the procedure for disconnecting the jump leads-first remove the earth cable COMPLETELY starting with the donor car's end.
If as you stated in your first post that 'nothing happened' you mean that the engine did not even attempt to turn over on the starter, or there was no loud clicking, you may have a problem with the starter or it's solenoid.
Don't rush and do take care. And don't smoke nearby.

wgl2014

Dudalbugs wrote: »

And don't smoke nearby.

Why? (Apart from the well documented health risks)

twhitehousescat

wgl2014 wrote: »

Why? (Apart from the well documented health risks)

smoking is good for you , it cures kippers!

AdrianC

wgl2014 wrote: »

Why? (Apart from the well documented health risks)

I assume he's scaremongering about flammable fumes from lead-acid batteries while they're charging.

A set of jumpleads won't be putting any more charge into the battery than the alternator will once the engine's running, and since I assume the jumping isn't taking place in an enclosed space anyway...