Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall

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Thu 26 May 2016 18:25
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Annie1981
My 62 plate focus failed on Sunday. After a lot of phone calls it seems that I was never informed about a recall last April to replace the degas hose and I now need the engine replacing. Ford are going to replace the engine in the extended warranty - which I am happy about, but they are unwilling to cover the cost of a hire car as it is now out of warranty. This has left me very annoyed - I have already paid £87 to have my car moved from my local garage to the ford garage and almost £40 in taxis to work. I will then have to fork out to hire a car for the next 2-3 weeks which is going to add up also. I've told them on the phone that I'm really not happy and don't feel I should be paying for this as it is a fault due to ford. Has anyone been in this situation that can give me any advice? Orwill I just have to pay up? Thanks
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Thu 26 May 2016 19:16
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - oldroverboy.

Count yourself lucky that you have (i assume) the ford extended warranty... and if you have only had it serviced chez ford, it is a good result. The dealer might provide you with a courtesy car for a nominal (£10 ish a day) at your cost, but you have come away lightly. So count your blessings and attempt to get a good deal on a trade in......

Personally never keep out of warranty... But then again I have a kia with a 7 tear manufacturer warranty.

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Thu 26 May 2016 19:23
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RT

Count yourself lucky that you have (i assume) the ford extended warranty... and if you have only had it serviced chez ford, it is a good result. The dealer might provide you with a courtesy car for a nominal (£10 ish a day) at your cost, but you have come away lightly. So count your blessings and attempt to get a good deal on a trade in......

Personally never keep out of warranty... But then again I have a kia with a 7 tear manufacturer warranty.

+1

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Thu 26 May 2016 23:26
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RobJP

Unfortunately, this does not appear to have been a recall. If you go to here :

www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/default.asp?tx

and type in the vehicle details, no such recall appears.

So that means it was probably a TSB, or Technical Service Bulletin. Those are fixes that are applied to a car when it comes in for a service at a Ford garage.

I suggest you get more accurate information as to whether it was a recall or not. Because if it was, it doesn't seem to be on the DVLA database.

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Fri 27 May 2016 07:01
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - TedCrilly

I think if Ford send you a letter asking you to return the vehicle to a dealer specifically for remedial work its fair to describe it as a recall.

As for the DVLA database, its is far from exhaustive, in fact its utterly hopeless.

http://www.talkford.com/community/topic/247642-10-ecoboost-radiator-hose-pipe-recall/

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Fri 27 May 2016 08:03
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RT

I think if Ford send you a letter asking you to return the vehicle to a dealer specifically for remedial work its fair to describe it as a recall.

As for the DVLA database, its is far from exhaustive, in fact its utterly hopeless.

http://www.talkford.com/community/topic/247642-10-ecoboost-radiator-hose-pipe-recall/

DVLA recalls are only for safety-related items - manufacturers can, and do, recall for other faults as well.

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Fri 27 May 2016 09:14
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RobJP

I think if Ford send you a letter asking you to return the vehicle to a dealer specifically for remedial work its fair to describe it as a recall.

As for the DVLA database, its is far from exhaustive, in fact its utterly hopeless.

http://www.talkford.com/community/topic/247642-10-ecoboost-radiator-hose-pipe-recall/

It is not a recall, which are only issued for urgent safety-related issues. In fact, across the top of the letter it clearly says :

Focus - 1L Ecoboost - degas hose - Service program

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Fri 27 May 2016 20:19
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - TedCrilly

And above that it clearly says........

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED CONCERNING YOUR VEHICLE

It then instructs you to contact your local dealer to make arrangements. What it DOESNT say is.."Dont worry, no rush, this problem doesnt present a serious risk to your vehicle, the work will be carried out FOC at your next service which could be in 11 months and 3 weeks time and in which you could well rack up 20K miles" ......and there lies the difference.

What you term as service bulletins are issued by manufacturers direct to dealers/agents and come into play when a CUSTOMER APPROACHES the dealer with a recognised problem for which a factory fix has been determined and is described in detail, or as a check/repair method for when a vehicle that is known to be potentially affected is in for service or other repair.

If manufacturers issued these directly to owners by mail they would be receiving them at the rate of several per month and would soon get fed up of them.

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:41
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Cyd

I think if Ford send you a letter asking you to return the vehicle to a dealer specifically for remedial work its fair to describe it as a recall.

The OP makes no mention of a letter. However, it would seem from reading elsewhere that this issue has resulted in a [voluntary] recall. So, there probably was a letter, but I bet it went straight tinto the recycling bin as it 'looked' like junk mail

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:19
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Annie1981
There was no letter or I would've had taken it straight into be repaired. This could be due to it bring a year old when I bought it!
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Sat 28 May 2016 21:10
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Cyd
This could be due to it bring a year old when I bought it!

So how can you criticise Ford for not getting a letter to you if YOU never let them know you were a new owner of the car? I would say you should count yourself fortunate that you're getting a new engine under warranty.

Oh, BTW, warranty is for fixing the car, not "incidental" expenses.

87 quid to move it from a "local garage" to a Ford dealer?? Eh? If it's got a Ford warranty, what was it doing at a "local garage". Should've gone str8 to the dealers.

And 40 quid for taxis? Count yourself lucky. I came off my mountain bike 9 months ago am suffering post concussion which requires medication and fourth nerve palsy from the head trauma resulting in double vision which means I cannot drive. My wife drives me when she can, but I've spent over £1000 on taxis, as well as lost £4000 in earnings for time off.
2 weeks ago went cycling at Sherwood Pines and today at Cannock Chase. Life sucks. s*** happens. Deal with it and move on.

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:20
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Annie1981
It was the ford care line that told me about the recall!
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Fri 27 May 2016 00:36
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Avant

"....to replace the degas hose."

I'm sure Degas would have been delighted to have had a hose named after him: standard on a Picasso presumably but costing a lot of monet on other cars.

(Sorry)

Anyone care to tell a thick non-mechanic like me what a degas hose is?

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Fri 27 May 2016 09:20
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RobJP

It's part of the coolant system. Assists in removing any airlocks that might form.

(I think).

As it's a TSB, rather than a recall, then Ford would not have had access to the DVLA database for owner's details when the TSB was issued.

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Fri 27 May 2016 09:23
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - bazza

It's just a simple hose from the turbo to the radiator, the turbo bring water-cooled. As far as I've read, the original is fracturing due to it being constructed out of polymer that becomes or is brittle, the replacement being rubber.

I don't think one can expect Ford or any manufacturer to cough up for all out- of- pocket expenses, although a dealership may have a loan car available.

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:24
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - John F

Why 'engine fail'? Don't modern Fords have temperature gauges or red warning lights any more? Wasn't there a strange suspicious smell of escaping coolant?

But the wooden spoon for cluelessness must surely go to Ford engineers for specifying a part made of inappropriate (?cheap) material. Or were they hoodwinked by the suppliers? Does anyone have any inside knowledge about this impressionist, rather than real, hose?

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:33
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Cyd

But the wooden spoon for cluelessness must surely go to Ford engineers for specifying a part made of inappropriate (?cheap) material. Or were they hoodwinked by the suppliers? Does anyone have any inside knowledge about this impressionist, rather than real, hose?

At Ford, Purchase rule the roost, not Engineering

I think that tells you all you need to know!

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:25
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Annie1981
'Engine fail' due to the fact that there was no 'smell of coolant' and 'no warning lights' that came on. The first indication was when my fan continued to run after turning the engine off and when I lifted the bonnet there was no coolant in.

When I filled the coolant it obviously went into the engine and then the car would not start.
After having it diagnosed by ford - they said that if it was the degas hose that had failed, and it had leaked coolant - then it would need s new engine!
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Fri 27 May 2016 10:30
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Cyd

Anyone care to tell a thick non-mechanic like me what a degas hose is?

Avant,

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/user-article/111213/ford-focus-1-0

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:44
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - concrete

"....to replace the degas hose."

I'm sure Degas would have been delighted to have had a hose named after him: standard on a Picasso presumably but costing a lot of monet on other cars.

(Sorry)

Anyone care to tell a thick non-mechanic like me what a degas hose is?

Nice one Avant. A work of art!!!! Or just your impression!!! Concrete

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Fri 27 May 2016 10:55
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - oldroverboy.

A man steals paintings and starts to drive away. About 2 blocks later, the van breaks down and the cops come and arrest him. He's being interviewed and the cop says "you had millions in art and you couldn't get more than two blocks?" The robber replies "I didn't have the Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh"

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Fri 27 May 2016 15:47
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - oldroverboy.

A thief broke into the louver and told several famous paintings but was caught when authorities found his van by the side of the road. “I don’t believe it,” the police captain said. “How could you plan such a bold robbery, then get caught so easily?” “Simple,” the robber answerd. “I didn’t have Monet for Degas to make the Van Gogh.”

Don't know why it did that, but this is the entire joke...

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Fri 27 May 2016 16:33
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RobJP

Still cringeworthy !

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:10
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - hillman

That is a feeble joke ORB and reminds me of the old one "Go to work on an egg".

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Fri 27 May 2016 18:27
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Annie1981
Thank you for all your really helpful advice!
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Fri 27 May 2016 18:38
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - oldroverboy.
Thank you for all your really helpful advice!

Annie

Apologies, we do get sidetracked at times, (or at least i can easily be led astray)

let us know what happens when it is all done, and welcome to the forum.

ORB

Double apologies for the joke, but at least he didn't steal a picasso.

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Fri 27 May 2016 19:00
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - RobJP

ORB

Double apologies for the joke, but at least he didn't steal a picasso.

If he had, I'm sure a Constable would have been after him, though he might have been able to give him the brush-off !

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Fri 27 May 2016 21:43
Ford Focus - Engine failure after missed recall - Engineer Andy

You tell its a Friday...!!

I can just image Les Dawson telling those, followed by one of his 'pieces' on the piano.

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