2004 Ford Focus C-MAX Zetec 1.6 TDCI turbo diesel

Summary:

Dangerous!

Faults:

Have owned before this car; a diesel Focus and diesel Mondeo. Both were good cars, no breakdowns or problems.

I have now 2 C-MAX 1.6 TDCIs and they have been a real problem. One automatic and one manual.

The auto went into limp home mode in the fast lane of the M6 (limp home means you can`t get much more than 30 mph out of the car). Booked it into a Ford garage for analysis; picked it up and while driving it home the same thing happens, so it goes on a recovery truck back to the garage and is on the computer again (both visits cost £125 EACH). I picked it up Christmas week, and all Christmas I drive with the car going into fits of running OK, then total power loss. Still not fixed, and if Ford can`t fix, I am sure no one else can.

The other car is my wife's, and has started to behave the same. Is Ford aware of this problem, and do they care? Someone is going to be killed.

General Comments:

Manufacturer doesn't seem to care about customers.

The car of is no use; won`t run correctly and it's a death trap.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd January, 2008

26th Nov 2008, 19:56

On Labor day of 2008 I bought a 2007 Ford Mustang. On November 17th after starting it up in the morning and driving it 4 miles, I was cruising 65 on the highway when the car went into limp home mode. 200 miles over the 36000 mile mark.

Took to a local Ford Dealer and they said there was nothing wrong with the car. So they gave it back to me.

November 24th, 2008. Driving 65 miles on a 4 lane let lane, had a tractor trailer in it and I had a tractor trailer directly behind me. The car bucked and then went fine for a mile and bucked again, and then went into limp home mode. The trucker behind me had to slam his brakes on to avoid from hitting me.

I do not feel safe driving this car. It went back to the dealers and they told me that it is the EGR valve was bad and they are replacing it. I am really worried that my transmission is going and that Ford is going to let this car run out and screw me over on this car.

I contacted the National Safety Commission and filed a complaint. More people who are having this problem need to do the same. Ford needs to be held accountable for this limp home mode; it is dangerous and needs to be corrected.

31st Oct 2011, 07:44

Limp, get you home mode, is simply to protect your engine. Just like us, the vehicle has a brain, which tells each part what it is doing.

Ford mechanics are fitters, as are all main dealers; they have all the gear, and absolutely no idea.

If there is a fault that could put your engine or your safety at risk, the brain will shut down all the components it doesn't need, and put the engine on a life support system if you like,

so you can limp to a garage or onto the hard shoulder. You need to forget main dealers, and find a good local garage with intelligent committed mechanics there, and only there you will get to the bottom of your problem :)

2004 Ford Focus C-MAX Zetec 1.6 tdci

Summary:

A very good concept, but needs more quality

Faults:

Tailgate lock sticky.

Armrest.

Turbo seal (replaced under warranty)

Reverse light switch.

Loud tappets.

Windscreen seal loose.

General Comments:

Drives really very well, an excellent ride, great on the motorway and over speed humps.

The seats are well shaped.

The boot is reasonable, but could be bigger.

The engine is OK; not as fast as a 2.0 tdci, but very reasonable. 45mpg.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 26th May, 2007

23rd Aug 2007, 07:58

An update to the above review:

On a motorway, after suddenly losing power, the engine expired in a cloud of black smoke. A faulty turbo had wrecked the entire engine, causing thousands' worth of damage; holiday ruined.