2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals

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Sun 18 Aug 2019 10:30
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - PeteSmith

Hi.

I'm going if done of you nice guys and girls could help.

I'm on holiday in France at the moment, and my 140k mile Mk 3 2013 Focus Econetic Titanium has just died completely.

We were on the A13 in Normandy, and I got a warning on the dashboard center display (trip computer, not radio) saying "Park assist malfunction, service now". All the dash lights came on, Speedo dropped to zero. I assumed I'd lost an abs sensor. Trip computer went blank (just dashes). Then the display said "immobiliser malfunction, service now". I thought it was a display issue, as the rev counter was still working, but we were going down hill. When we got to the bottom, I realised the car was totally dead, and it was just the engine turning over.

We pulled over, and even the stop start button doesn't work. Even pressing it for 30s does not turn the car off. Everything's still "on", including the power steering. It's just sitting there, complaining that the keyfree fob is not in the car, fans on, dash on, windows working. I can't lock the car - the fob does nothing.

Putting the key into the ignition hole doesn't stop it complaining, or let me turn it off.

We've been recovered, but our holiday is in jeopardy. The car's being taken to a garage on Monday, and we hope to be able to get a hire car to carry on to our camping trip.

My main question is does anyone know what might have failed to cause this? I'm guessing it's something simple like a fuse (but why would it blow now?) Or something catastrophic, like A BCM, PCM etc. Driving across the UK and Normandy had some of the wettest weather I've ever driven in. In wondering if water's got into something important.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Pete

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Sun 18 Aug 2019 11:36
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - elekie&a/c doctor
I think you would be very lucky if it was a blown fuse. Possible water ingress into the engine bay fuse box, especially if the lid has not been clipped down securely. Have you tried disconnecting the battery for 5 mins ? This may restore normal functions. Modern cars are a network of electronic modules and it only needs one not to play ball and you end up with electronic chaos.
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Sun 18 Aug 2019 15:48
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - PeteSmith

Hi.

That was my initial thought. The main engine fusebox is dry, as that was my 1st point of checking. I looked for blown fuses and loose relays.

I didn't have any tools with me, and the recovery driver persuaded me (via Google translate on 2 phones!) That taking the battery off might mask any problems by clearing fault codes.

I'm still guessing that water has got in somewhere. With any luck it'll have dried out in the nice weather and not corroded anything.

Thanks.

Pete

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Sun 18 Aug 2019 18:15
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - Simon

Could it be something as simple as the battery has catastrophically failed? I'd see what voltage is in the battery first and foremost and then work from there.

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Sun 18 Aug 2019 19:42
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - PeteSmith

Hi.

It would be lovely to think so, but it's got enough power to drive the power steering, radio, lights, windows, boot lock mechanism etc

Pete.

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Mon 19 Aug 2019 00:39
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - edlithgow

I've had some success de-watering flooded electronics (mostly Apple stuff, as iit happens) with high% (90+) ethanol, which is relatively non-aggressive to plastics. I believe propanol is also used for this, but have never tried it.

Methanol is toxic, and might also be more aggressive.

Acetone will destroy plastics, as willl at least some types of contact cleaner.

This was on stuff that I knew was flooded so not much to lose, which isn't quite your situation.

At your own risk, of course..

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Mon 19 Aug 2019 10:56
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - PeteSmith

We'll, it's shipped to a garage 90 minutes from here. A garage with terrible reviews, 25 hours to change a tyre, broken window regulator fixed by hammering a piece of wood inside the door, and cars brought back covered in scratches caused by their dogs. It was the only place willing to look at the car.

I'm not expecting great things.

Half expecting the problem to have gone away, being magically fixed by replacing a flat battery ??

I'm hoping they can't fix it and it'll be repatriated.

Pete

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Tue 20 Aug 2019 04:09
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - edlithgow

broken window regulator fixed by hammering a piece of wood inside the door,

Interesting

Any further details on that technique? I have a hammer and access to LOTS of bamboo..

Perhaps if you are hanging around anyway you could ask about it, if your French is up to it.

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Thu 5 Sep 2019 14:15
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - PeteSmith

Well, know it's a bit late for an update, but the garage recovered the car. The battery was totally flat, so put a charge pack on it.

The damn thing started straight up and has been fine ever since.

I think we got away fairly lightly - €40 for the diagnostic. We spent extra on tolls getting from the Loire Valley back to Le Havre and back with a hire car, but it could have been a lot worse!

Thanks.

Pete.

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Fri 6 Sep 2019 00:05
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - elekie&a/c doctor

Glad you made it back ok. However ,if the car is fitted with stop start system and is on its original battery, I would strongly suggest you get the battery replaced. It is likely to be fitted with a Johnson controls make which I have seen die without any warning.

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Sat 7 Sep 2019 23:39
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - focussed

Glad you made it back ok. However ,if the car is fitted with stop start system and is on its original battery, I would strongly suggest you get the battery replaced. It is likely to be fitted with a Johnson controls make which I have seen die without any warning.

I was aware that Johnson Controls owned the Varta brand, but looking that up reveals now they have sold their battery business (Power Solutions Division) to Brookfield Business Partners. It's even more complicated than that if you can be bothered to plough through this lot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Controls#Power_Solutions

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Fri 6 Sep 2019 17:47
2013 MK3 Ford Focus Titanium Econetic 140k miles - Urgent help with haywire electricals - John F

Well, know it's a bit late for an update, but the garage recovered the car. The battery was totally flat, so put a charge pack on it.

The damn thing started straight up and has been fine ever since.

Thanks for the update, but it's rather puzzling as you said earlier that... it's got enough power to drive the power steering, radio, lights, windows, boot lock mechanism etc

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