startprobs focus

Feb 26, 2005 3 Replies

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Bart S 21 years ago

Van: "Bart S" Onderwerp: cold-start problem ford focus wagon 1.6 Datum: zaterdag 19 februari 2005 18:13

2 weeks ago i was on wintersport in austria and in the morning at a temperature of -17 degrees celcius my focus did not want tot start: it seems that the battery was empty. that happened again 4 days later when again it was -17 degrees celcius. The car is rather new (april 2004). The garage in Austria said that the battery was okay (they checked it) and also my dealer in Holland said that they can't do anything (the car starts alright in my country at a temperature of about 2 degrees celsius).

Are there more people with the same experience with the focus of a bad cold-start? Is not al the electricity-taps for navigator system, electric window-buttons, etc. the reason? who's got an idea?

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Dave Gower 21 years ago

"Bart S" wrote

Please be more specific. Did the engine turn but not fire? Did other things work i.e. heater fan, radio?

My Focus starts wonderfully here in Ontario, where -17C is a mild January morning temperature.

The fact that you come from Holland, a mild moist place, to Austria makes me suspicious about ice in the gas. Do you have gas-line de-icing fluid in Europe? (an alcohol-based gasoline additive).

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Bart S 21 years ago

"Dave Gower" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@magma.ca...

no; i only saw the dashboardlights flickering; no sound of the startingmotor

i hope i understand,but i don't drive on gas but on petrol; unleaded petrol

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Dave Gower 21 years ago

"Bart S" wrote

Sorry, we have a communication problem. "Gas" (short for "gasoline") is the North American term for petrol. But if your engine did not turn, then you obviously have an electrical problem. One possibility is the ignition switch. Also the fact that the battery tested OK does not mean it is OK. Sometimes they have an intermittent short that does not show up in testing.

Going back to your original question, the electrical drain of other devices i.e. windows should not be a problem, since these do not work when the ignition switch is on "start".

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