Warning light gremlins

debi20 · 15-01-2010, 12:41 AM

Hi all I am a first time user of fordforums and am hoping for some help. I have a 2008 LT Focus manual CL with smooth pack and 22000k on the clock - a very nice little car!!!! Today in Shepparton Vic 100k from home had electrical gremlins - brake system and engine warning lights came on. Stopped and checked coolant, oil and brake fluid levels - ok. Car starts and drives and stops ok. But indicators dont work, boot wont open and central locking wont lock with remote. Can lock with key and unlock with remote. Outside air temp display not working. Went to ford dealer who after a visual inspection and diagnostic computer check could not identify any cause of the above symptoms!!!!! Was advised to go home and take to my local dealer for futher checks. Travelled the 100k back home with brake system and engine warning lights on etc. Car got home ok, coolant temp and oil ok.
Has anyone had this problem and if so what gives??????

BlackLS · 15-01-2010, 11:58 AM

Sounds like something up with the CAN bus wiring, or a bad ground somewhere.

Take a photo or video of what happens and give to the dealer.

debi20 · 15-01-2010, 04:19 PM

furher to my original thread - Forgot to add that cruise control also doesnt work. Went to my local dealer this morning - checked battery terminals ok and booked in for Monday next week. He commented that the car should not have been driven home from shepparton in case further damage done!!! The owners manual says engine warning light on with engine running indicates emissions related malfunction.
Thanks for your reply Mr Focus -what is CAN bus - I understand grounds!!

debi20 · 15-01-2010, 04:47 PM

Also I have spoken to the ford man in Shepparton today who says to check the instrument cluster as they have replaced it on a couple of other cars but with a different set of symptoms to my car.

mrbaxr6t · 15-01-2010, 06:54 PM

I seen a similar bizarre thing happen on a holden astra the electrics went ballistic for what seemed no apparent reason I managed to get it working again kindof - the belt that drives the alternator was slipping on the alternator pulley - why it was doing that I dont know but that is what it was doing - also I noticed quite a bit of buildup of that white crap on the +ve battery terminal, I got it to go again and told them to take car to dealership asap as it was under wty - good luck

marg99 · 15-01-2010, 10:47 PM

It seems these new cars with body copmputers ( as well as Computers for the motor) are very, very sensitive to voltage drops. In part because some of the sensors read reduced voltage as signals so get their IT brains all upset when the voltage drops due to low chareg in battery or faulty regulator on the alternator ( and of course dirt connections in the electrical system. These things need to be corrected because they can get so upset as to wrongly trigger the imobiliser system

leakey · 16-01-2010, 02:09 PM

Out of interest, have you upgraded your stereo lately?

debi20 · 17-01-2010, 01:45 AM

no everything is stock standard from the factory. Only work done was 15000k service.

debi20 · 23-01-2010, 10:34 PM

well my problem is solved. Apparently in the front passenger seat footwell under the dash there are exposed electrical connections. When 16 year old son who is 190cm or 6ft 3 in tall stretched his legs under the dash his shoes bumped said connections and bingo - gremlins galore!!! The ford service guy said it is a design fault - a cover should be installed to stop this occuring. Such a simple but stupid thing!!!!!! Anyway thanks to everyone who posted me and hopefully you dont have this problem but if you do at least now you have a heads up.

leakey · 24-01-2010, 01:34 AM

Deb, thanks for posting that. People can go round and round in circles trying to solve an issue like that, and spending all kinds of dough doing so. Simple solution that I'm sure evry person who gets a fault like that will check first now!