Am I being stooged by Ford?

[xr8 007]

Hey all, just after some knowledge and advice, got the g’fs 05 Focus back from Ford. The engine light kept coming on hence why it went to Ford. It was taken back 3 times to Ford because the engine light kept coming back on. Ford claimed it was a faulty Oxy sensor. After charging a arm and a leg for it, it happened again, Ford now claim that its fine however the cat converter is faulty and because its faulty the engine light will always come on.

Does this sound correct? Doesn’t sound right to me. How can a faulty cat cause the engine light to come on when there is no sensor for the cat?

Normally my Ford service dealer has been great but just doubting what they are telling my gf and now me. Have spent alot to get this issue sorted.


Thanks in advance.

[Mad_Pom]

ASK them what DTC the PCM is setting, that caused them to believe it was the sensor and then I am sure someone on here can give you the decode of what the code means.

[gtfpv]

I DONT KNOW BUT YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THIS TO BE FIXED . IF IT HASNRT BEEN FIXED IT NOW SHOULD BE FOR FREE one would think .

[yift]

a faulty oxy sensor can ruin a cat convertor over time.

[ratter]

A faulty cat will cause the engine light to come, as will most aftermarket cats.

[XARATE]

In your exhaust system there are the O2 sensors, one before the cat convertor and one after. The ecu will monitor both sensors and compare the readings. By camparing the exhust gasses before and after the cat convetor the ecu can determine how efficiently the cat is operating. If the ecu determines that it isnt operating to the required standard then a fault code will be logged and the check engine light will come on. The check engine light will only come on if there is an issue that cause poor emissions.

It sounds wrong but being in the idustry i believe what they have done is partly ok. They read the code relating to cat convertor effiency. Now its either a 02 sensor or can convertor. Its here where they went wrong- they should of explained That it can be either component. Unfortuantely there is no way to test each component so its a process of emlinination. 02 sensor will be tried first as it is actually a service item (it needs to be replaced every 80,000 to 100,000km) and its the cheaper part, the factory cat convertor is very expensive.

In practice what they did was right but it should of been explain that the 02 sensor may not solve the problem.

[Fiesta_Man69]

They have, as you say, charged you an arm and a leg for the work, and yet it is still happening. Are you being stooged by Ford? I think you answer your own question. Take it back.

[flooded one]

I'd take it back myself mate, thats no good

[deesun]

Why did they not believe the sensor? Thats what it is there for to tell you the cat isnt working properly. My son had the same happen to his Mazda. But they just said its the cat. He changed the whole system for the cost Mazda wanted for just changing the cat but no light any more.

[ebxr8240]

02 sensors can be tested ..The cat is almost in the exhaust manifold..
Our Focus had similar issues. We just fitted an aftermarket cat and flex tube ourselves at way less $$$...

[xr8 007]

Great feed back mad pom,gtfpv,yift,ratter,xarate, fiesta man69,wild rider,deesun,ebxr8240 ,thank you all very much!!!!

Ford have been very good in the past, very honest however just this one time they have been just a little poor. They just called me and told me that as the cat is the only solution, it has to be 100% genuine which costs an arm and a leg. I asked if I could put a universal one on or aftermarket. They said no, only genuine will work. This particular car is like a bmw,vectra or mondeo u cant put a unoversal cat. Is this true??

Thanks again.

[RASER]

I like [not] how Ford cannot even figure out what the issue is, so THEN it can be fixed

Take it to Bayfords, they know their stuff [well with Falcons anyway]

I had a Focus [previous model] as a hire car, it was appalling thing, i almost lost it in the hire-car carpark and poled it coming out of the yard...lol

THE only good thing i can say about it was it was a perfect match between ride/handling/comfort

Good luck with your problem, speak to the workshop manager and tell him/her your not all that impressed

[ratter]

most after market cats will cause the engine light to come on, the aftermarket cats are not normally built to the same standards as the factory cat and operate differently, the ecu see's this as a failure and turns the light on.
If you end up getting an aftermarket cat, get it in writing that the shop will replace it if the light comes on.

[GUTLES]

Have you taken it to Bluepower or asked them about it?

You don't have a stock Exhaust, of course Ford are going to tell you that it needs a standard one on it.

[jixel 78]

Originally Posted by RASER

I like [not] how Ford cannot even figure out what the issue is, so THEN it can be fixed

Take it to Bayfords, they know their stuff [well with Falcons anyway]

Anyone can fix a Falcon. Couldnt have been a bad tank of fuel? Thats probably the Dealers fault too...would you have paid for tank removal, a fuel system clean out,2 new 02 sensors, and a cat? Or would it be better to try a new sensor first? It isnt just black and white, its very difficult to prove fuel quality. Cat converters are usually the victim of fuel quality, but dealers often have to nut them out with the tedious diagnosis,after many failed attempts by untrained people.

[jpd80]

Interesting to weigh up going to Ford to get parts that may or may not fix the car,
as a former owner of Gen 1 Mondeo, I sympathize with modern buyers of Euro Fords,
they're all great vehicles until they cause trouble amd then the dealership throws this line,
"If it was a falcon we could fix it no worries..." makes one feel sorry you ever bought Euro Ford.

Never the less, get a second opinion, many on here have given good tips and if Std parts
are murdering your wallet, perhaps a slight "retune" by a helpful shop performance shop
will overcome the problem....good luck mate.

[xr8 007]

Today is d day, will keep everyone updated on this issue. My argument is, why has it taken 3 visits and over 1g later to diagnose the issue. It should have been advised all in the one hit. It seems we are playing process of elmination which is very expensive

[flappist]

Maybe because it was a complex problem, far more complex that it originally appeared.

I get rather annoyed at all the "experts" who do not actually work on these things on a daily basis and have little or no actual experience at all profurring their sage advice and casting aspersions on those who DO work on these things on a daily basis. 20/20 hindsight is an exact science once the problem is solved.

If they fixed your car be happy as you could not fix it and I am fairly confident neither could anyone else in this thread.

[XARATE]

Originally Posted by flappist

Maybe because it was a complex problem, far more complex that it originally appeared.

I get rather annoyed at all the "experts" who do not actually work on these things on a daily basis and have little or no actual experience at all profurring their sage advice and casting aspersions on those who DO work on these things on a daily basis. 20/20 hindsight is an exact science once the problem is solved.

If they fixed your car be happy as you could not fix it and I am fairly confident neither could anyone else in this thread.

Seems nobody actuallys reads my post, ive given an explination from a repairers point of view, i work on these problems with all makes of cars for a living and i am bery able to repair the issue as described by the OP.

In OPs situation ford had failed to correctly inform the customer of the situation and the diagnosis/repair process but ford have CORRECTLY undertaken the correct step of diagnosis.
Being a inline engine configeration hasnt helped them in the diagnosis which has added the expense of an O2 sensor, in a V configeration the O2 sensors can be swapped from one bank to the other, this quickly shows where the issue lays. If the fault code follows the o2 sensor then the o2 is very likey at fault but if the fault code stays with the same bank (passenger or drivers side cylinders) then the cat is most likely at fault (can also be wiring harness issue)

As this is not posiible on a inline 4cylinder a new o2 sensor may have to be used.

Ps only the heater circuit of an o2 sensor can be tested to "sense" wiring cannot be tested.

[xr8 007]

Thanks for all the input guys, Ford agreed to replace cats at no charge. It was to a degree their fault as they should have told us from the start what the issue was.

[Franco Cozzo]

Those 02 sensors, do they work on resistance values?

Would it be possible to solder in resistors to keep them at a certain value, so they don't trigger the engine light if you replace it with an aftermarket cat?

[GK]

Originally Posted by xr8 007

Thanks for all the input guys, Ford agreed to replace cats at no charge. It was to a degree their fault as they should have told us from the start what the issue was.

That's an awesome outcome mate!

You must be very relieved?

All the best with it.

GK