Focus Battery Drain

[yoda954]

My Focus (2.0 L Ghia) battery drains if left standing for over a week (roughly). I had the AA out a month ago to look at it & was advised it may be the instrument cluster remaining 'on' as such when the ignition is switched off. He did lots of diagnostics, but couldn't find anything major & all was OK after a quick battery boost.....until today that is. I've removed the battery (which the AA chap said was the right type & working properly) ready to give it a charge.

DAK if the instrument cluster has any known problems on these models & what might be involved to get it sorted so I can be (technically) prepared before I surrender it to a dealer?

TIA

[Dave_ST220]

Later Focus has instrument cluster issues-not sure if it is battery drain though-guage failure is what i heard.Is it a Mk2?

[Mutton]

If it is a Mk 1 Focus it is probably the Radio that is causing the battery drain. If you turn the ignition off before turning the lights off this can cause the radio to drain the battery if it does not have the latest software loaded. A dealer can check the software version for you, but it will need sending off it is not the latest. There are no battery drain issues on either Mk 1 or Mk 2 instrument clusters.

[yoda954]

It's a 2002 model Mark 1

[zelleyford]

my mum had the same problem and hers was a 2.0 and oney a year old

ford fitted a new one but she was hat to pay for it

[Yoda954]

zelleyford said:

my mum had the same problem and hers was a 2.0 and oney a year old

ford fitted a new one but she was hat to pay for it

Radio or instrument cluster?

[Mutton]

If the radio is a 6006, the easiest way to check whether it's the radio that's at fault is to do the following:
1. Turn on the radio.
2. Press and hold preset buttons 1 and 6 for a few seconds.
3. The display will then cycle through three different information screens.
4. The third one shows the software version and will show a long number that should end in 11A.
5. If it doesn't (i.e. the A is missing) then the software needs updating.
Ford will update it for you (at cost if out of warranty) but the radio will need to be sent away for this to happen.
The way to stop the radio draining the battery in the mean time is to ensure you turn your lights off before switching the ignition off.

[Yoda954]

Thanks Mutton you're a star

I now have to get the radio code as I disconnected the battery to charge it...but that's the way it had to be done Will your trick still work without the radio code (I've yet to check if it's a 6006) ?

Edited by Yoda954 on Thursday 29th March 22:37

[Mutton]

Not sure mate, but it probably needs to have the code entered first.

[zelleyford]

Yoda954 said:

zelleyford said:

my mum had the same problem and hers was a 2.0 and oney a year old

ford fitted a new one but she was hat to pay for it

Radio or instrument cluster?

as it happends she had to reaplace the battery, witch i thort was a bit off as it was still under warranty but not batterys so they say