Ford Focus starting problems, car just won't start

problems with starting ford focus 1.8 tdi.gary. similar focus estate 1.8 endura 2000.try taking 3 fuel filter pipes off fuel filter.(under bonnet) pour fuel into largest hole at front, untill full (diesel).check "o"rings for damage. also pour fuel into pipe leading to injection pump for injectors.reconnect fuel pipes locking into place.make sure at each step. we did this and after a couple of longest turns of key engine picked up. drove 150miles on motorway ok.still ok. car had stood 2 days , think diesel fuel had syphoned back into tank.perhaps worn "o" rings .

Ive had problems for 5 years from my 1999 1.8 tdi focus. From the first week i bought it theres been nothing but problems starting it . It verys from day to day it wont start just keeps turning over with white smoke coming out of it. ive tried heater plugs fuel treament etc. took it to ford nobody has ever been able to find a problem. Would anyone recommend anything. GARY

I am currently having the same issues with my 2009 ford focus and i am soooo irritated as well luckily i have taken it in they still havent fixed things on it m=but i havent come out of pocket YET!

Just to let you know that my daughter's focus is still running brill as at Nov 26th. If anyone still having problems in north notts area I can put you in touch with someone who may help.

to the person who did not rate my comment, I was trying to help others not to fall into the same trap as we did, we could prove costly. I could have gone into a lot more detail but tried to keep it as short as possible. It would appear that there is a lot of guess work into curing this problem. Like I told one garage "I could keep changing parts until I got the right one" My daughter's problem was car not starting after a short journey with glow plug light flashing, if you turned it on and off a few times the light would go out and it would start. Although the problem would only appear when the car was cold it was not a cold staring problem. When you did manage to get it started you had to keep revs on until it warmed up and it would not rev past 3000rpm. I would definately try a reputable auto electrician first. Hope this helps more.

The main problem is that the glow plug light also acts as engine management. Also, a poor start problem can be a number of issues so you need to know what, that's the problem. My daughter's 2002 1.8tdci has just been fixed for a starting problem after a short run. The car has been attached to diagnostic units five times at three different places and no faults recorded until third attempt. I was told it wanted this, that and the other in excess of £1200.00. Then I was informed it needed a battery (which is still on the vehicle and working fine) and that was the problem! this was by diesel specialists. Eventually it went to auto electricians, who have a ford diagnostics m/c, who appear to have cured the fault but don't know what they have done. They suspect fautly wiring on the ecu which they removed and put back. £126.00.

Injectors reprogrammed, apparently they were "leaky" which was the cause of the black smoke. No smoke now thankfully, egr valve is fine. As for the starting issue, the light goes out far too quick and I just need to wait 10 seconds until I hear the click and the heater fan momentarily dips. Problems solved for anybody in the same situation as me. Hopefully I wont have post here again!

Came home from uni on friday, the dreaded light came on again, in exactly the same place, outside the same garage...coincidence?! Left her there to be fixed anyways, told them to look at the egr valve and replace the glow plugs/relay after they reprogramme the primary cylinder again. Hopefully this will put closure on this. Never getting a ford again.

Thanks but my main issue right now would be the cranking problem. While I was writing the problem it dawned on me that is more than likely the a heater plug problem because if I leave the car in "on" for longer before starting it helps alot. Could anybody suggest the things that could go wrong (sensors), or can it only ever be heater plugs when your cars a random dodgy starter - see 3 posts down for my story.

I might be wrong here, but I've heard that a clutch on its way out smells a bit eggy.

This might be worth looking at:

http://www.ehow.com/how_112990_diagnose-car-smells.html

Ohya and theres a funny smell from the engine, not a really bad one but its hard to describe. Not burning rubber or eggy, its like oil but i spose the mileage and age has a part to play

I think ive finally found the right forum thread for my problem, ive been searching for ages! Heres as much detail as possible (sorry). I brought an 02 focus 1.8tdci 115ps 2 years ago....140k on the clock. 6 months later (our 1st really bad xmas) I'm driving in -16 celcius and the warning light comes on, big power loss. I park it up in the snow for a few days because it was suicide trying to drive a dodgy car in that weather, then refused to start on me with plumes of black smoke, and spray of oil on the underside of the bonnet. Local dealer fixes it, says it was dirty diesel; new fuel pump, starter and a clean out etc. Before, it was always rough starting, now the motor turns real sharp. Until every now and again it randomly cranks but doesn't fire, no matter how long I crank. I turn it off, back to on and the warning coil light flashes. I repeat and the coil lights goes out, engine starts as if nothing ever happend. This is completely random, no trends. Hot or cold, once a day or once a month! The only thing I got is if I wait for all lights on the dash to go out (not just the coil) it occurs much less frequently...twice in the last 3 months which is a huge improvement. Around this time last year i overtook a lorry in the rain and the light came on again, total power loss and wouldn't rev above 2500rpm, like last time in the snow. Rolled it into the nearest garage and read the diagnostics, the primary injector code was "wrong". All I had to do was type in the right code on the injector (mechanic had bad eyesight) and hey presto....the joys of modern engines breaking when nothings broken. I also get pretty bad black smoke when i put the boot down, no power loss tho, still a rocket over 2000rpm. Any ideas greatly appreciated, 185k on the clock now and its not really worth trading in, hoping its an easy fix. Its just embarrassing if anything when you're cranking away in a busy town. Heater plugs replaced 2 yrs ago, new oil every 6 months. Im suspecting the egr valve for the smoke but clueless on the starter, could it really be just a faulty connection?

Easy,,,the MAP sensor has a barometric pressure sensor built into it and readings from this along with temp sensor reading are sent to the ECU to let it know how long to heat the glow plugs (i.e. high altitude and very low temp can make the glow plugs heat up for quite a long time). If the map sensor is faulty this will cause you the kind of problems that you are having, also the problem on the barometric pressure may not show up on fault codes. Btw do not confuse this with MAF sensor as it is something entirely different.

Hi, I have a 2000 model focus 1800 tdci and im having cold start problems with it. Once it has started it runs and starts fine all day, but problem reoccurs after car has been left for a while. I have replaced the glow plugs and it has made no difference, but what i did notice when i removed the glow plugs was that they were wet! Could it be that the injectors are worn and dripping fuel into the bores whilst standing and so "flooding it" when i come to start it? Its good on fuel so not sure if this would be the problem! I will try the av meter on the glow plug rail aswell to rule out the relay, but does anybody have any more ideas as to what it could be? Many thanks.

I also have had trouble with starting my Ford Focus 1.8 tdci (04). Coil light on dash not staying on for more than split second (should be about 6 sec). Having to turn ignition part way about 3 times now before daring to fire it up, struggles on cold start, usually ok after run. Have had new glow plugs fitted, relay changed, but problem still persists. I am at a loss, any ideas (beyond the ones already given?).

To coin a phrase the modern diesels are a lod of bullshit and need namy gleenogs to keep them good!!

Try this simple test.
Place an av meter on the glow plugs 'rail' feed. This is a wire (often red) that goes from glow plug to glow plug. Place the negative connection of the av meter on a ground (eg.battery terminal).
Turn ignition to on so that you get the glow plug lights.
You should get a reading of 12 volts, if not it could be as simple as a faulty glow plug relay. £5.20 (eBay). You can test this by swapping it with your rear heater one.
Then I'd go back to ford and demand your cash back for their incompetence.

Try this simple test.
Place an av meter on the glow plugs 'rail' feed. This is a wire (often red) that goes from glow plug to glow plug. Place the negative connection of the av meter on a ground (eg.battery terminal).
Turn ignition to on so that you get the glow plug lights.
You should get a reading of 12 volts, if not it could be as simple as a faulty glow plug relay. £5.20 (eBay). You can test this by swapping it with your rear heater one.
Then I'd go back to ford and demand your cash back for their incompetence.

Maybe you should stick to writing in Shqiptari instead of trying English! It might make more sense.

my cars since 2002 ford focus 1.8 tdci has a problem insofar as it is simple is also complicated as walking speed 100 km / h the engine stopped the gold and may also speed 200 km / h without any problem do not know where Can qendrone problem with any of you tell me where qendrone problem and is generally better when stopping the engine can be again turned on without any problem simple electronics in new cars and Ford parts was given disaster has very expensive compared to golf