My 1999 1.8 Zetec has a strange occasional fault. When the weather is cold (frosty), when I turn on the ignition and start the engine all of the instruments (speedo,tacho etc) go right to the maximum setting then settle down to zero. Then they work OK and the car has no problems or driveability issues.
I posted this problem a while back and the general consensus was a battery on its last legs. Well, I have a brand new battery installed and the recent cold snap has shown the problem still exists.
Is there anything else anyone can think of to rectify this? I'm concerned this will happen when driving, or worse it points to an imminent failure of some component!
I've read some Focii instruments stay at 'halfway' positions when the ignition is turned off but not this fault. I'm guessing my local Ford dealer would either tell me to forget about it or charge a fortune to plug in a diagnostic computer.
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I also got told this was a battery related problem as mine did this over Christmas and on cold nights when it wasn't used that much. However, now that I take it for good blasts every day it never does it so I'm guessing it still is the battery problem. Maybe the new one isn't fully charged or the cold weather is making it more...."lethargic".
Sorry I can't be of more help.
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Adam
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I'm not sure if I'm convinced its the battey. I've had the car for 3 years and it only started to do it in the last couple of months - new battery not withstanding.
Unless there is a drain on the battery somewhere else that is making the cold start trigger the speedo reset.
Not sure where I go from here - fingers crossed it just stays like this!
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It sounds like the dash is just resetting itself as the voltage gets too low, so it's unlikely to do it when you're driving. Maybe cleaning the earth straps to the battery might help?
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Thanks for the advice - I'll check the earth strap(s). I would guess its something thats developed recently as it was fine the first 2 years I owned it and we had much colder snaps then!
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Just for an update. I've checked the earth strap and its clean and tight, checked the battery (new) terminals and they're clean and tight.
Now it seems to happen just about every time the engine is started! Even though the weather is a lot milder now!
I've checked the battery has a healthy charge and that the alternator is charging OK, but I'm concerned something might be draining the battery enough to cause this side effect? Theres a non-Ford stereo in it but thats about it (no alarm etc)
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Not that it probably helps but as a point of interest, mine stopped doing it about 2 weeks ago now that it's being used every day.
Sorry - unhelpful I know.
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Adam
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Hmm, well mine is in use every day and its being doing this off and on for a few months now.
As long as it doesn't do anything else I suppose I'll have to leave it and hope it settles down like yours! I'm only concerned because its the wifes car and she shuttles our baby around in it and I want to avoid any potential breakdowns!
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