2nd May 2007, 15:47
Help..my May, 1998 2.3 Galaxy has suddenly started to experience problems by not starting. It is only when reading this that I realised that last year I, like many others on here, found foot-well full of water and now suspect this water ingress is causing the ECU? fault. I have had the car in Ford dealers who could not find an actual fault, they merely blamed the immobiliser which, after 2 days with them, started to work again which they could not explain!! Now, one week later, it will again not start again coincidentally after a heavy downpour last night. Any ideas, should I be exploring under the passenger seat to find this ECU? unit and clear the drains??? Thanks in advance...Kevin.
15th Jul 2007, 07:51
Hi, I've just got an N reg Ford Galaxy 2ltr GLX auto. No problems when I first got the car, but now 4 months on I have problems.
The problem is the car won't start. There is nothing; engine doesn't turn over because it is an auto; it has to be in park or neutral.
Leave it a couple of hours +++ days, and then the car will start. Can someone help me please?
27th Dec 2007, 09:50
Hi, I own a P reg Galaxy and everything is fine with it, haven't had the water in the foot-well! or the constant cutting out or failure to start. No this problem is far more weird... Drive along the motorway at 70mph and it won't change up gears. It gets stuck in 3rd. It's a 2.8 Don't know what to do as since I brought it I have had to replace the back brakes, master cylinder and I really can't afford another large bill with 3 young children. Can anyone help???
4th Jan 2008, 07:02
Hi
Can anyone tell me where the ECU has been moved to. It is not under either front seats in my Galaxy 1.9 TD.
I have the usual front passenger side foot bath, but mine only occured after a new windscreen was fitted!
16th Apr 2008, 05:18
Hi.
Fantastic site, have had the swimming pool footwell problem in my 99 Sharan Carat and subsequent intermittent Central Locking/Alarm and heater malfunctions, like the last poster I can't see any ECU under the passenger seat, have they moved it somewhere else? My local VW dealer quoted me 1500 quid to remove dash and search for the problem (also claimed they had never had this problem before!) Grateful for any clue as to where the new location of ECU is?
6th May 2008, 10:00
We have a Ford Galaxy and it has had faulty electrics for some time but no mechanic can find a fault when they do a diagnostic test on the car.
We have the awful problem of water in the passenger foot-well, so much water the carpet is sodden and is for most of the year.
Our electric windows are very temperamental and will sometimes work fine but sometimes will stay open or stay closed. Once they kept winding themselves down in a thunderstorm when the car was locked and parked in our drive. We would have to go outside and wind them up only to come back in the house and watch them wind down again!
The central locking has also packed up and doesn't work any more.
I see that all these problems are related from reading this site.
I'm never buying Ford again.
30th May 2008, 07:45
Hi All, Thank you for the wealth of information and sharing your pain. My VW Sharan R reg 97 now has pond in the front passenger area and central locking, electric windows all stopped working. The car windows opens by itself when ever it likes and some times I can close them but on ther occassions they cannot be closed.
Took to few local garages but it could not be fixed. The drainage behind engine is clean but water still comes in on rainy day.
Now the car is with VW main dealer, they quoted £800 GBP to fix central locking to which I said no.
Now they are still trying to find out how the water is coming inside, the car was left at 8:00AM this morning.
I cannot use petrol/match box as advised but I would certainly look to not use VW cars in future.
I can be contacted on 07958 288220 if needed.
29th Jun 2008, 06:23
I have a 'R' reg ford galaxy. The central locking system isn't working. I can't open the drivers door or window which means I am climbing in and out of the car through the passenger side. I have not noticed any problem with water in the foot well. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please email your suggestions to janb293@hotmail.com.
11th Jul 2008, 04:44
Found this site eventually, but too late to save my '96 2ltr ghia Galaxy. The horn buttons came off taking the locating tabs off the steering wheel. Ford wanted £172 for a new wheel as you must buy it with the drivers airbag unit, not separately. Got one off ebay for £30.
Did the job last weekend, dead easy, but when I refitted the battery neg. lead found that the car wouldn't start, it hasn't started since!
The problem is this. I only have one two-button key for the car, no master key. It doesn't work in the drivers door and never has. The drivers door lock has a chip that is activated by the key. Even after putting new batteries in the key, it doesn't operate on the buttons as I need to re-set it in the drivers door. It works fine in the passenger door though, opens, central locks and even opens and closes all the windows!! If you buy a used Galaxy GET THE RED KEY!!!
Now the cost. Red key approx £120,drivers door lock £? must be £100.Reprogram keys approx 2 hours @£90 per hour.
After spending that £400, Fords can then start to diagnose the problem, that can take them...well, how long is a piece of string? Let's say 2 hours @ £90 an hour As I've checked all the fuses, I know it's not them (that would be too easy) so it's either the immobiliser £? 200 plus fitting, or the ecu @ nearly £600. So I'm going to break my Galaxy which is Mistral blue with Laguna blue interior. Want any bits?
07845980783.
4th Mar 2007, 02:51
Great advice!
I have a 10 year old VW Sharan and it has been leaking water into both footwells. Mechanics were clueless as to the origin of the leak. Eventually the immobiliser and central locking unit situated in a puddle below the passenger seat was destroyed. Water leak has worsened. After reading your comments I fixed the problem in 30 minutes with a babies bottle brush!
As you suggested I ensured that the wipers were in the upright / opposite position, easily removed the 3 obvious bolts retaining the tray which is situated at the back of the engine compartment and runs its entire width. With a little wriggling this is easily removed. In both top right and left corners of the engine bay are the drainage wells, easy to find because they are full of water! The left one (as you look at it) can be unblocked with fingers, the right hand one needs the babies bottle brush. Flushing with water during vigorous brushing completes the task. I appreciate that this may not work for all of you, but it is so easy to try.
Why do we have to collectively spend tens of thousands of pounds to figure this out!
P.s. Baby does not need bottle brush any more.