Ford Focus centre display blank?

Ford Focus centre display blank?

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Colonelkaye

Original Poster:

3 posts

75 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
I own a Ford Focus 2011 TDCi 1.6 Titanium. My centre communications panel has suddenly stopped working with no previous symptoms.

All electrics, lighting, auto wipers headlights, air con, radio, mood lighting etc all work as normal. Nothing has stopped working?

When I start my car the display appears blank but in the dark has back lighting visible although you cannot see a thing. Radio works fine and I can change channels on unit or steering wheel, albeit I can’t change to DAB etc as I can’t see what I am changing too. If I press the off button on the unit, the display lights up and displays the date in the top left corner and when I switch back on, this remains displayed until I exit and lock the car.

I have checked fuse 67 in the passenger fuse box and all in tact.

I am not mechanically minded with cars so now at a loss? Has anyone else experienced the same issue or has anyone’s got some simple obvious advice! This car has never once let me down despite all its electric gadgets in 6 yrs ☹️ Hoping it’s simple
Thank you

The Turbonator

2,792 posts

158 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Disconnect the battery for 5 mins. Worth a shot.

Colonelkaye

Original Poster:

3 posts

75 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
The only reason I have not tried that yet is fear of needing the radio code when I reconnect? Or is that only applicable if off for some time?
Thanks

Zetec-S

6,266 posts

100 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Dunno if it's the case for newer cars, but you could always get radio codes off ebay for 99p. Did so once for my Mk5 Fiesta and Mk1 Focus with no problems.

Dogwatch

6,274 posts

229 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Colonelkaye said:
The only reason I have not tried that yet is fear of needing the radio code when I reconnect? Or is that only applicable if off for some time?
Thanks
The radio code is the VIN number. Put it (the unit) in another car and it won't work. There is no code you can tap in, as of yore.

Same with the wiper motors apparently!!

if you disconnect the battery as suggested (and I have no idea if that will work or not) it will take about 5 miles of driving for the ECU to settle down again. Not a problem but can be unsettling if you aren't expecting it.

PH is useful but there are other Ford forums out there which may have the answer. Worth a Google - worked forthe stalling problem on my '11 plate!

Matt Cup

3,231 posts

111 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
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“Coded wiper motors” that’s a new on on me...

Shiv_P

2,873 posts

112 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Dogwatch said:
Colonelkaye said:
The only reason I have not tried that yet is fear of needing the radio code when I reconnect? Or is that only applicable if off for some time?
Thanks
The radio code is the VIN number. Put it (the unit) in another car and it won't work. There is no code you can tap in, as of yore.

Same with the wiper motors apparently!!

if you disconnect the battery as suggested (and I have no idea if that will work or not) it will take about 5 miles of driving for the ECU to settle down again. Not a problem but can be unsettling if you aren't expecting it.

PH is useful but there are other Ford forums out there which may have the answer. Worth a Google - worked forthe stalling problem on my '11 plate!
Erm.... radio codes are a thing at least they are in my 09 focus facelift

Colonelkaye

Original Poster:

3 posts

75 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Solved!!
Thanks guys, as a novice with mechanics your are all a great help.

Simply disconnected the positive for 5 mins, reconnected and hey presto! Everything seems to have reset itself and all good.

Such a simple job for what first appeared as a costly garage visit!
Fantastic help, thank you 👍

JimbobVFR

2,727 posts

151 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
When I worked in tech support I'd continually get the piss taken after advising to "switch it off and on again" but 8 out of 10 times it works. Good result.

The Turbonator

2,792 posts

158 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all


Glad it worked OP, it did just sound like a computer glitch, so I was pretty confident disconnecting the battery would work.

super7

2,038 posts

215 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
The display failed on my 2012 1.6 TDCi TitaniumX..... mine didn't reset itself after the battery was left off though so you were lucky. For it's worth though here's some pointers if it ever fails completely...

Firstly..... check the fuses! There are two under the passenger dash that are related to the 'Media' console, there's also one under the bonnet and another in the boot of all places (left had side!)

Secondly.... there's 2 ECU's behind the centre console. One is deep behind the air-con unit. This is the Microsoft Sync unit. You get to it by undoing the two screws under the keyboard/control panel/fascia, pulling that panel off, pulling all the trim around the air-con unit off, then removing the air-con unit (couple of screws). The ECU unscrews from a mount behind and then just unclip the leads. The second is the actual display. This is quite a hefty unit comprising 2 circuit boards stacked on top of each other with the screen mounted on top. This just unscrews and pops out. This is the 'Sony' Radio, the sat nav, the bluetooth, the reverse camera etc etc.

I replaced both ECU's with ones I bought from Ebay. I paid £80 for the Microsoft ECU and £160 for the Media ECU. It was the media which was broken. Neither needed reprogramming or anything,They just unplug and plug back in. In total the job took about 30mins to do. The other ECU I put back on ebay.

Bear in mind that I spoke to Ford about this and they suggested that the diagnosis and repair could be anything between £200-£1000 depending on what had failed. The mechanic suggested getting an ECU off of Ebay!

Lis30

2 posts

70 months

Sunday 13th January 2019
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Same thing has just happen to my screen same car ford focus titanium x 1.6 tdci
Please help me Super 7
If I buy a new screen would it need re programming ? When you replaced the ecu wires did you still have to buy a new screen? Mine had lines appearing gradually over 2 years now has gone completely.

RB446

31 posts

158 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
just read this and unfortunately it seems to be quite a common thing harping back to the old Mk1 issues with clusters.

Had this happen this month to my 2016 TIT X, middle screen went blank, luckily Dealer fitted new one free under warranty. No other issue with car, just the screen. If you have a new screen fitted you will have to have it programmed to the car along with both your keys programmed in again as I did. They can pull the mileage from it and set it to what it was prior. A used cluster is plug & play apart from the mileage I understand.

Edited by RB446 on Monday 21st January 19:30


Edited by RB446 on Monday 21st January 19:33

Lemming Train

5,567 posts

79 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
The mk3s do this as well. I've had my centre display on my 2013 ST suddenly go blank when driving along then come back a short while later. Really bizarre. It hasn't done it for a while now although I'm only using the car once or twice per week these days and short journeys.

super7

2,038 posts

215 months

Monday 28th January 2019
quotequote all
Like I said back in August, I replaced the centre ECU. Didn't replace any leads, just unplugged what was there, replaced the unit, plugged it in again.

I did not need to replace any keys, reset any mileage or do anything else. Nothign needed re-programming. This was on a 2012 Focus MK3 Tit X. Maybe the latest model does need reprogramming? The 2012 one doesn't.


RB446

31 posts

158 months

Wednesday 6th February 2019
quotequote all
I was talking about the small screen go blank in the middle on my instrument cluster not the large screen for the NAV etc. which is what I believe you are on about. If you replace the inst cluster with a used one, (MK3/3.5) its plug/play apart from needing IDS to reset mileage correct, if new, IDS etc. to program inc all keys.

Edited by RB446 on Wednesday 6th February 13:51

Lis30

2 posts

70 months

Thursday 7th February 2019
quotequote all
I will try the ecu (not wires haha)
Every thing works fine it's just annoying not having a clock and having the extras and not being able to use them.
And I dare'nt disconnect the battery as I won't be able to put code in. Thank you

Jordan17

1 posts

64 months

Saturday 27th July 2019
quotequote all
I have a 2017 Ford Fiesta and an issue with Central display. It will come on then go off. Comes on again then goes off and stays off. Haven't checked the fuses as thought if it was the fuse that it wouldn't turn on at all??? Unsure where to start

Ron240

3,082 posts

126 months

Saturday 27th July 2019
quotequote all
Jordan17 said:
I have a 2017 Ford Fiesta and an issue with Central display. It will come on then go off. Comes on again then goes off and stays off. Haven't checked the fuses as thought if it was the fuse that it wouldn't turn on at all??
Unsure where to start
Try a Ford dealer because the car is still under manufacturers warranty. smile

Woutervn

1 posts

57 months

Monday 10th February 2020
quotequote all
Jordan17 said:
I have a 2017 Ford Fiesta and an issue with Central display. It will come on then go off. Comes on again then goes off and stays off. Haven't checked the fuses as thought if it was the fuse that it wouldn't turn on at all??? Unsure where to start
Did you find out what it was?? I did check the fuses and couldnt find anything. I'm planning on checking the CAN busses but no clue whats left after that.

Thanks Wouter

Edit: I checked the CAN busses and they were very steady, even with the dashboard removed and tapping on everything.. So I believe it has to be a faulty LCD screen. Anyone know where I could find one perhaps?

Edited by Woutervn on Tuesday 11th February 10:24