Ford Focus starting problems

I have exactly the same problem - it won't start after a short run and now is beginning to do it after a long one. This has been going on a year - the model is TDCi 2003. I have spent £1900 so far and need to leave it in again. I have had cambelt sensor, new fuel pump, two new injectors, and two diagnostics by Ford that said it needed recallebrated the engine management. I have struggled with this since my baby was 1 month old - often finding myself stranded with her in the car.
Ford just don't want to know - I have explained the problem until I am blue in the face and they still won't do anything except a diagnostic.
I have finally written into Watchdog website as I believe it is a fault with the car - I urge you to do the same please.

I also have a 02 reg 1.8 TDCI Focus. Again it has had a history of failing to restart after a short period of running. Again the local Ford dealer have looked at it on 6 or 7 occisions over more than 2 years. They have replaced the fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor (twice), told me not to buy supermarket diesel, upgarded teh software and replaced the enginer management system. Interestingly they have now also replaceed teh flywheel which they report as having to much play. This seems to match with the comments by Steve.

The big difference for me is that I bought the car used approved and have not been charged for any of this work even though the warranty period has now passed. Therefore I would like to give a positive mention to John Grose of Ipswich.

Just hope that this really does fix it.

The camshaft sensor is a common problem on the 1.8 TDCi engine. The original one fitted to the vehicle has a design fault and does not always send a large enough signal to the ECU. I had my Focus cutout on me twice in two days (no notice, but a complete loss of power). Interestingly enough, the heater light just started flashing at the same time. By the time the AA came to rescue me, the car just started up and ran fine. After the 2nd failure, the garage checked the car out and replaced the faulty camshaft sensor with an uprated version (I think all new ones are now uprated). This fixed the problem, and alsoimproved the performance of the car which I hadn't noticed had degraded.

GK - The fault with your Focus sounds exactly the same as the problem mine has.
I have an 03 TDCi 115 brought 2nd hand in 2004 with 15000miles. No major problems with starting etc until April 07 started having problems re starting after a short run from cold. Would have to turn it over 20-30 times to get it to go. In July 07 (78000 miles or so) moved my car from the front of my flat to the car park at the back then went back to it some time later in the day and it would not go at all. Flattened the battery trying to start it. Went into the local Ford Dealers where they carried out an IDS check for non start and found fault code P0191 fuel rail pressure sensor. They reprogrammed the PCM and injector valves £100. Went on my way - but the fault was still there though with problems restarting after a short run (Less than 2 miles) from cold. Thought I had the knack of starting it with short turns on the ignition managed to start it on 4 or 5 occassions turning the starter over 20-30 times. Was riding my luck though as the Friday before Christmas the car completely refused to start. Mileage was now (86000). Car went back to the same Ford Dealer. This time they had it for a couple of weeks and they carried out a WDS check and fitted new fuel metering head, pressure valve assembly, camshaft sensor with new fuel injector pipe assembly £700. Having got the car back starting from cold was worse with quite a bit of smoke especially on cold days but at least it went. Avoided doing short runs fom cold ie. made sure the engine was warm before stopping. However last week did a short run in the morning parked up for the day and returned to my car in the evening and again it would not go. Back to the same Ford Dealer this time they want to change the engine management system for more money.
Having read your report GK now not convinced that this will sort the problem. I see your issue arose in July 07 - did you eventually find the cause or have you given up on your Focus?

I don't like the sound of these posts! Just bought an '03 1.8 TDCI two weeks ago from a private seller. I've noticed on the colder mornings (and I don't mean frost), that its slow to start but gets there with a little encouragement - not the kind of thing ya want in a new purchase. The other day it didn't start at all, this was a bright evening. The engine turned over but no ignition. The mechanic told me over the phone he thinks it might be a faulty sensor - sounds like it might be the crankshaft sensor from reading the other posts. Fingers crossed anyway!

Can anyone help? It seems Fords main south east repair garage (haynes) have no idea, and have already had the car for 3 weeks. Recently purchased a 54 plate 1.8 TDCI and after just 200 miles I started to experience problems. The car is starting ok but there is a terrible rattling from the camshaft area, lack of power and eventually stalls. Sometimes it may tick over without showing any signs of a problem until the revs are raised. Its already had a new set of injectors and the ECU has been decoded and remapped twice. Or at least thats what they have told me!!

IVOR,

In response to your post, I was wondering how you got on with the new air sensor. Having read your post, I think our cars have exactly the same problem/fault. I have had all the things changed as you have but luckily it's under warranty and I have not paid for anything...'yet'. Cold mornings, does not start and makes a juddering noise. After long runs, does not want to start and shakes more like a tractor than the cold morning start. I wondered how you got on with the Air Mas Sensor. This is doing my nut in. Ford Dealer have had it pretty much on and off for about 3.5 months. Every time they say it's fixed and every time I get in the car and start it from cold (its always warm when I pick it up from garage) the fault is there. ARHHHHHHHH.

I bought my Ford Focus 1.8Tdci 2002 used in July 2007, it was running perfectly until as some of you will be all to familiar with the cold weather started and my car decided it was to cold to leave the drive!! However me and my car got through this and after the first few attempts it realised it had no choice but to go although each morning it protested. However I thought my problem was nearly over as it became less frequent and had almost dissapeared, until I filled it up on the 28.01.08 (Tuesday) it was running fine although it seemed a little sluggish. Friday on my way home from work my car came to a standstill in the middle of the road at first I thought it had stalled, I am a female driver after all and this is not uncommon, so I went to start the engine up again and nothing after my third attempt it did start but as I went to drive off the same thing happened, without so much as a warning light. I decide to rest it reluctantly for about ten to fifteen minutes and tried again, yippee it started and it moved what a luxury. So here we are Monday and after a call from the garage they have run it on the " Diagnostics Machine " and it shows the Crankshaft Sensor is to blame they think!! Confused, It gets better they also inform me that the full tank of Diesel is now a lovely shade of Blue and possibly contaminated as it doesn't resemble Diesel in it's colour, smell and consistency. This now leaves me confused and on the Tube and waiting for another call from the garage after they run the wonderful diagnostics machine again.

I own a 2004 Focus Tdci Sport. I have only owned the Vehcile since April 2007. It had 45k back then and has now got 67k on the clock. The car was running fine until about 2 months ago when I could hear rattling from the engine on starting. To cut a long story short the rattle got worse every day, particulary worse when it was started warm. I took it to Ford to get it diagnosed and they told me it was a flywheel problem and this would have to be changed along with the starter at a cost of 1400 pounds. Eventually I bought the flywheel myself of LK motor parts for 220 quid and also a starter for 120 quid, took them to my garage and he charged me 250 quid labour. So it cost me 590 pounds in the end which isnt bad considering ford were going to charge me 1400.

I suggest you check the glow plugs if the car fails to start in cold conditions.My focus comes with a TDDI engine which had a similer problem...it was due to a faulty large loom in the engine compartment (apparently there was a loose connection due to dirt) You may also visit www.honestjohn.co.uk and email john for advise

They are onto something with the crankshaft sensor, but it's not the sensor at fault. The crankshaft sensor takes its reading from the flywheel, which is a dual mass item on the TDCi Focus. Effectively 2 flywheels sandwiched together that can rotate independently of each other to a limited extent to isolate engine vibrations from the transmission.

Sometimes the flywheel start to loose the resistance between the 2 parts and the movement between them is not controlled, this leads to the crankshaft sensor mis-reading the crankshaft position, and in turn the injectors are fired too early or too late relative to the position of the pistons. Hence the poor starting!

So the problem is the flywheel, which may also cause damage to the starter motor teeth.

I have an April 2003 Focus Tdci 115 from new done 47000 miles. Last winter 2006 cold starting became a problem and the car refused to start on first attempt resulting in three or more attempts to start. I mentioned this to the garage when I put the car in for service and MOT in March 2007. They said the engine management needed reprogrammed and this cost me an additional 70 quid. After this service as we were heading towards better weather I did not notice the cold starting problem again. However over the summer I found the car refused to start after a long run. The engine would rattle on starting or it would refuse to start altogether and would take three or more attempts to start. So it went back to Ford about 4 weeks ago and this time they said it needed a new crankshaft sensor. This was replaced at a cost of 120 quid. However the starting problem is still there and now it refuses to start first time on cold mornings and refuses to start after a long run. So I took it back to Ford again who told me that it needs a mass air sensor replaced at a cost of 220 quid.
I told them that their initial diagnosis was incorrect and that the crankshaft sensor was not needing replaced. I spoke with the techician and he told me that a faulty crankshaft sensor would mean that the car would not start at all. As this was not the case with my car I said that it was not necessary to relace the sensor then. He then said that the car may still start with a faulty sensor and that the diagnostic computer informed them last time that the crankshaft sensor needed replaced. He also said that the faulty crankshaft sensor may have put additional strain on other sensors resulting in a faulty air mass sensor now. I feel this is all BOLLOCKS!
I feel I have been shafted. Has anyone else had a similar problem or can offer advice on my dilemna ? The car is still in the garage awaiting replacement of the air mass sensor.