Focus fluid oddness

I popped in to gsf and for some fluids for basic maintenance/topping up. The chap said for the sake of a few extra pounds it was safer to use fords power steerig fluid as they're was some confusion as its a 2004 and aprantly they manual says from such such date to 2004 use and then 2004 onwards use ... and also said its classed under the BMWstuff. He seemed very uncertain which way to go an advice me to go to ford just to be safe.

Oil he said 5/350 semi synthetic buuuut ford parts say it been changed to fully synthetic which can be used to top up the semi synthetic stuff I have.

And coolant was no issue he said the stuff the have at GSF is the exact spec.

Having used GSF/euro for all my needs fluid wise parts wise etc I've never had a problem but on this occasion I think I'll get the fluids from ford as even he said if we give you the wrong power steering fluid and it "knackers" you rack you'll kick yourself for the sake of a few quid for topping up.

Just a post really to help anyone whos after the same stuff, best to stick to ford stuff for a few quid less and they know recommend 5/30 fully synthentic but they said semi and fully can be mixed for topping up till the next oil change.

Although in ford he refused to sell me any power steering fluid for my car as he said the exact spec is in my handbook and if I look in there or bring that in they can find the right stuff. Sadly I left this at home as I've been reading it. For a-anyone who cares the manual says wsa-m2c 195-a or wss m2c 204. My car was service by a ford specialist before I bought it and the colour of the power steering fluid is a bluey/green colour. Hopefully the right stuff is in there ?

Reply to
IanFord
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Old age must be attacking my mind its an 04 1.8 ford focus.

Reply to
IanFord

God knows how you could forget, given te hundereds of posts about it.

Reply to
Nige

I have seen ford power steering topped up with screen wash .

Reply to
Mrcheerful
[...]

I realised a long time ago that human stupidity knows no bounds!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan
[...]

I realised a long time ago that human stupidity knows no bounds!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

unfortunately the cap was easy to see and undo (I think it was on a Fiesta)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Haven't been keeping track of who posts what, but all I can say is that the past few weeks are proving what I've always said about the Focus.

Cheaply built heap of s**te that's engineered to last until the warranty expires.

Reply to
SteveH

it is the best car that Ford have ever put out. (I am a realist, not a Ford fan)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Well, that's hardly an impressive claim, given the s**te that came before it.

Reply to
SteveH

With all due respects Chris - have you *never* done anything stupid in your lifetime?

I will say that you have - and possibly something just as stupid!

Reply to
Woodworm
[...]

I can honestly say that in my 65 years I've never put the wrong fluid in any part of a car when topping something up.

When at school, I was taught Chemistry by a real stickler for lab procedure; the final "check before you pour" mantra has stayed with me for life.

With the example of the screenwash in the PS reservoir, firstly you would look in the handbook to see where under the bonnet it was located. Secondly the screenwash container on every car I've seen in the last 20 or 30 years has a picture of a windscreen being sprayed on it. Thirdly, you would see that the fluid already in the PS reservoir held an oily fluid. Finally, basic common sense would tell you that the size if the reservoir was never going to hold sufficient screenwash.

I worked as an electrical technician in a large factory; the different ways that operators found to break plant never failed to amaze me! You couldn't make up some of the things that sheer thoughtlessness did.

Of course I make mistakes; it's one way in which you learn. Many folk just seem to have a knack for it that exceeds the norm however. For some horrifying examples:

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Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan
[...]

Of course, your paranoia failed to take account of the facts that:

1) The Focus is the most common car on the road in the UK; there's bound to be more posts about it than anything else. 2) This thread, and most of the others by the OP, have been asking how to keep his Focus in a well-maintained condition, not how to fix something that's broken.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

In March 2008 we bought a used 55 plate Focus. In the 3 years since purchasing it we've only had 1 issue - washer jets leaking onto engine filling up the spark plug channels (which was fixed under OEM warranty, including the resultant snapped plug). We've not had to pay for anything other than routine servicing items. I've been very pleased so far, just as a car should be!

D
Reply to
David Hearn

I remember the nuns that filled up the water on the brand new Montego they just bought, well it must be the water as it had condensation on the filler cap....

The fact it said OIL on it didnt seem to matter.

Reply to
Nige

Ekkk! And why its good to read the manual, and get a haynes which I have now done.

I am oing to pop in to ford again for some power steering fluid, the chap on the phone said he was confused as the colour of mine is bluey/green kind of aqua looking which he didn't recognise. So he said bring it in so they can see with the handbook. I hope someone hasn't put screenwash in it or the wrong grade stuff.

Reply to
IanFord

I wonder if someone has put citroen fluid in, that was some strange blue or green stuff.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Out of interest what colour should it be ?

Reply to
IanFord

always red AFAIK

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Right I just popped in to my Ford dealer, 10 mins away fortunately for parts for me. I asked what colour it is and he said it should be red. I said its a greenish/blue looking colour from the outside of the tank. Two of them came out had a look and said it was reddish (perhaps a tinge) and said I could use the red stuff they sell with it which is £19 for a litre!!!!!! I got home dipped a cotton bud in to see and it came out black. When you look in to it does hae a reddish tint. But from outside of the tank its looks greeney/blue, weird stuff. Both the guys know their stuff on fords and as it was quiet they both came out to look and was happy its the right colour. Maybe I was expecting a bright red like the coolant lol, but it barely has a red ringe if you look carefully. Interestingy he said there had been a part number change recently.

My local mechanic said if there is any doubt drain it, fill it with the new stuff disconnect the return pipe and flush it then refil. He reckons with flushing it and topping it up 3 litres would be needed which is about £60 for the fluid vs a failed rack and pump his words.

So wondering if I should accept what the ford main ealer chaps said, leave top up with the the red fluid. Or drain it and start again ?

Reply to
IanFord

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