ABS and Traction Control Warning Lights

Don't get cross, get even. You have been sold something that is not as advertised. This purchase should be covered by the sale of goods act (SOGA). I woulds suggest a quick google for SOGA and a word with Trading Standards. You might also get advice from the uk.legal.moderated newsgroup and the Ford Focus UK owners club

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Whilst the seller is 'allowed' to get the advert wrong, when they do, you are entitled to compensation. You have been mis-sold the car and I would have thought that if nothing else you are entitled to return it for a full refund.

There have been a number of cases of dealers 'accidentally' selling Focus 1.8 TDdi's as 1.8 TDCi's. They should not be allowed to get away with dodgy practices like these - at the very least you should name and shame them.

Chris

Reply to
Chris
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My understanding is that the ABS and Traction lights on the dash indicate that these are installed options. No lights = No ABS or TC.

So if you've got the ABS and TC warning lights, then you should have these options, but they aren't working.

Check the Vehicle Certification Label on the driver-side door jamb. The brake type is indicated in the extreme lower-left of the VCL. BRK 2 indicates ABS is installed. If this is incorrect for the UK, someone will correct me.

Don

Reply to
Don McC

Another pretty important reason they are on with ignition so you can see they are working. A broken control bulb won't help if the car would like to tell you something went wrong.

Iirc the OP already double checked with the dealer and they acknowledged his Focus would miss ABS+TC.

[..]
Reply to
Michael Heiming

I'll give them a chance to sort it out first. But yeah I agree, getting mad is counter productive.

Dont want to return the car, insured for it now, so that would cost me money to cancel or change and I have spent time and money on the car already...

Will defo speak to trading standards!

Reply to
Grassy Knollington

Not keen on returning it as I have already spent time and money on it and I need a car...

Is that for the 2l ghia you mean. In addition to TC?

Reply to
Grassy Knollington

:>On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 14:43:25 +0000, me/2 wrote: :>

:>> On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 23:36:59 -0500, "Don McC" :>> wrote: :>> :>> :>>> Albeit you can easily test if there's :>> :>>> a working ABS, just get onto some wet, *empty* and large enough :>> :>>> parking lot and stamp onto the brake pedal with force. You don't :>> :>>> need to be fast 30-40 km/h should be enough to let you know. :>> :>>>

:>> :>>

:>> :>> tried that and it did skid, but not wildly :>> :>>

:>> :>> so doesnt rule out partially working with fault :>> :>> and light/warning suppressed. :>> :>

:>> :>If the ABS is functioning, you'll feel the brake pedal pulsate during :>> :>a hard stop on a slippery surface. The ABS and Traction Control :>> :>instrument bulbs light briefly when I turn the key to P2. :>> :>

:>> :>Don :>> :>

:>> :>> Also to confuse the issue, at least on my '04 SVT Focus, the TC is ON :>> by default when you start the car. If you turn it OFF using the :>> button on the console then the light on the dash turns ON. Yep, you :>> read that right. If the light is ON the TC is OFF. WTF?? :>> :>> me/2 :>

:>thats typical... LOL, one of the university placement students doing the :>design got a wire crossed....?

Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing at the first SVT chapter Solo event I entered. I couldn't figure out why I was doing so bad, especially in the flat out corners. It kept jerking and chugging really bad. I finally dug out the owner's manual and found out I was turning the TC on when I thought I was turning it off. Did a lot better with the TC disabled, even managed to turn better times than some of the Cobras.

me/2

Reply to
me/2

Cobra + Corners = problems?

Reply to
Grassy Knollington

:>On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:52:37 +0000, me/2 wrote: :>

:>> On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 17:45:10 GMT, Grassy Knollington :>> wrote: :>> :>> :>On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 14:43:25 +0000, me/2 wrote: :>> :>

:>> :>> On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 23:36:59 -0500, "Don McC" :>> :>> wrote: :>> :>> :>> :>> :>>> Albeit you can easily test if there's :>> :>> :>>> a working ABS, just get onto some wet, *empty* and large enough :>> :>> :>>> parking lot and stamp onto the brake pedal with force. You don't :>> :>> :>>> need to be fast 30-40 km/h should be enough to let you know. :>> :>> :>>>

:>> :>> :>>

:>> :>> :>> tried that and it did skid, but not wildly :>> :>> :>>

:>> :>> :>> so doesnt rule out partially working with fault :>> :>> :>> and light/warning suppressed. :>> :>> :>

:>> :>> :>If the ABS is functioning, you'll feel the brake pedal pulsate during :>> :>> :>a hard stop on a slippery surface. The ABS and Traction Control :>> :>> :>instrument bulbs light briefly when I turn the key to P2. :>> :>> :>

:>> :>> :>Don :>> :>> :>

:>> :>> :>> :>> Also to confuse the issue, at least on my '04 SVT Focus, the TC is ON :>> :>> by default when you start the car. If you turn it OFF using the :>> :>> button on the console then the light on the dash turns ON. Yep, you :>> :>> read that right. If the light is ON the TC is OFF. WTF?? :>> :>> :>> :>> me/2 :>> :>

:>> :>thats typical... LOL, one of the university placement students doing the :>> :>design got a wire crossed....? :>> :>> Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing at the first SVT chapter Solo event I :>> entered. I couldn't figure out why I was doing so bad, especially in :>> the flat out corners. It kept jerking and chugging really bad. I :>> finally dug out the owner's manual and found out I was turning the TC :>> on when I thought I was turning it off. Did a lot better with the TC :>> disabled, even managed to turn better times than some of the Cobras. :>> :>> me/2 :>

:>Cobra + Corners = problems?

For some of them yes. Not for some of the highly modified ones that are owned by some of our chapter members. On some of them one tire is close to twice the width of the ones on my SVT Focus (215x45x17). Add to that a competition suspension and well over 400HP to the wheels and you get a pretty strong competitor on the small road course we use for our events. It's not a traditional "parking lot" type solo event that we run.

BTW, one of the guys in the chapter is running an '03 Cobra with over

600HP on the ground. I was there at the Dyno Day when he got those numbers.

I've had a chance to drive a few of them and for pure fun factor I still prefer my SVT Focus.

me/2

Reply to
me/2

Just talking to the salesman and then purchasing the car means you have fulfilled your part of the bargain. You HAVE checked with the salesperson. Just tell them that you are going to picket their sales lot with an enlarged pic of the Advertisement. Believe me that is worth a lot more than 300 to them. GO GET 'EM

Reply to
lurker

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