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02 Fiesta 1.4 TDCi EAC failure

I've got this message the dash of my Fiesta which we purchased privately about 6 months ago.

EAC Failure

The dash back lights flash.

The problem was intermittent initially, and didn't affect driving although the car wouldn't start at all on numerous occasions, forteunatley always at home, but when left "overnight" always started first time the following day.

Our usual mechanic had a look and put it on their computer but could not find anything. For his time he charged us =A320.

Then last week after refusing to start with one key I tried the spare and it started first time but with the EAC message. It wouldn't rev above 2000rpm or do more than 20 mph, just enough to get it to the garage, Dixons Ford. Just to put in on their computer is =A380 and they have needed another hour of computer time to find the problem. I've not heard if they have found the problem yet.

Should a Ford main dealer need so long to find a fault in a Ford car and is =A380 /hr a little much to be charging for plugging a computer into the car and letting it do its thing?

I'm a bit unhappy having to pay so much just for them to look at it, especially as trawling the internet would seem to reveal that this is not an uncommon problem which would seem to suggest a faulty design rather than a faulty part. I can understand brakes, tyres etc wearing out and panels going rusty but what is there to break in a computer? I am still using a 10 year old PC now with no problems despite taking it apart multiple times so surely 6 year later Ford can build one that will last more than three years inside a sealed box?

Do I have a right to expect my car to last longer than this? The car has done about 20000 miles ( I can't read the milage as the error is displayed instead).

Any comments from either side of the fence appreciated.

ChrisJ

Reply to
cjohnsonuk
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Main dealer charges always seem high, but their operating costs are high.

Also consider that the computer is not a "magic machine" that will do the job *instead* of the technician. It's just a tool the same as any other. It needs the person using it to have training over and above the level that a mechanic would have had in the past. The results need interpreting; other factors to the information shown by the diagnostics need to be considered.

I worked as an industrial electrical technician and many times got asked "Could you come and plug your laptop in so it will tell us what's wrong with this machine?" GRRR!

I used to offer to lend them the laptop if they thought that was all that was needed - nobody ever took me up on the offer!

Grit your teeth, pay up and be glad that you don't have a VW :-)

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Pretty true to my experience, people think it's just a case of using diagnosis equipment, which is'nt all the case, experience counts.

And it's very true also that Ford diagnosis is nothing, nada, compared to a VW, BMW, or god forbib, mercedes.

Reply to
David R

OK so we seem agreed (at least 2 of us anyway) on the fact that cars are complicated, especially with computers in them and that there is considerable investment in training adn build up of skills to diagnose faults on modern cars. Maybe I should charge more for my computer skills when people ask me to do stuff but thats another story....

But, assuming it is the computer, should it be expected to last longer than 4 years under normal use? I know we are a consumer society but it seems that although we have cars around now that are still running at

20 years old + I don't see that this will be the case in 20 years time...

Comments?

Chris

Reply to
cjohnsonuk

It's not the computer, it's the throttle itself. EAC is Electronic Accelerator Control (the gizmos wired up to the 'go' pedal). Apparently it's a known fault, so Ford should know what's wrong with it.

Reply to
Sandy Nuts

That's what I thought. EAC is accelerator but it is still the computer that interprets the position of the pedal, road speed, engine load etc and sets the throttle setting. How can I politely say to the Ford garage "This is a known problem on 02 plate 1.4TDCIs. I'm not paying for 2 hours of technician time for you to sort it!"?

Chris

Reply to
cjohnsonuk

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