Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 03 1.8 tdci - poor starting

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Sun 2 Nov 2008 08:46
03 1.8 tdci - poor starting - carlwest
hello, i have a ford focus 1.8 tdci 2003, it has a poor starting problem as in it takes a long time to start but

once started drives fine i have fitted the following parts but these hav'nt sorted the problem

parts fitted

cam sensor and crank sensor

E.G.R valve

a local mechanic said it could be fuel pump,

has anyone got any ideas

i need some info asap please driving me nuts

thanks in advance

Edited by Pugugly on 02/11/2008 at 10:24

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Sun 30 Nov 2008 20:25
03 1.8 tdci - poor starting - oldlag
I had exactly the same model (Focus 03 plate 1.8TDCi I had it from new it was 4yrs old with 22K on the clock and up to then was perfectly OK) with exactly the same characteristics, and once in a while it would not even start and had to be towed into ford dealer.
The first bill was £1922 and this included all the items youve had plus a new diesel pump etc.
A week later the car showed exactly the same problem. so it went on.
This issue ran and ran for some six months I did get some money back off Ford via the customer relationship centre who were generally hopeless and tried to 'lose' me a few times. but to get that money was a nightmare .
Eventually after six months of a nightmare It was towed yet again Xmas 2007 to the ford dealer who wanted to treat it as a NEW problem
I am a carer and need a car so I at that point traded it at book value for a 1.8 (this time petrol) Focus.
I am very sore over the way Ford treated me and remain amazed that over 6 months the Ford dealer could not solve the problem and let my car go to auction rather than sell it again. (once they had it in for 5 weeks)
I had no choice at the time to trade for a ford given my old one was broken at the dealers but I will NEVER buy a for, and will look to trade out of Ford as soon as I can.
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