Ford - Focus :: 2005 Suddenly Dies - Alternator?
Aug 19, 2014
My 05 Ford Focus just suddenly died. I had it jumped and moments later it died again. Jumped it again and it died again. Could this be an alternator problem?
View 15 RepliesMy 05 Ford Focus just suddenly died. I had it jumped and moments later it died again. Jumped it again and it died again. Could this be an alternator problem?
View 15 RepliesI was driving my sport trac when it suddenly died on me. We are leaning toward the fuel pump. But is there any other causes for fuel to not get to the engine? We changed the fuel filter out already...
View 4 RepliesWhat is wrong with her car. It is an 05 subaru outback 3.0. She bought it 4 months ago. A week ago the battery died at red light. It tested bad and was replaced. Then yesterday it died at stop sign. Jumped it and died in 5 seconds. Before dying, car would not rev. Jumped it leaving cables on for 5 minutes since battery was almost drained. She made it half mile back to office and coasted into lot. Battery tested good but drained and was fully charged. Alternator tested 7 times to be certain. We bought a 10A multimeter (our town has no 20A).
Tested for parasitic drain. No results. We took Alternator off and tested a couple more times. We took out non essential fuses to be safe. Nothing was left running. There was a phone charger that has been plugged in for the whole four months. She took it out for good measure. Starter tested good. 3 people said battery cables are good. They appear to be non corroded and tight imo as well. They checked fuel pump. All was well.
She wants to go on vacation for the 4th but is scared to try. Mechanic friend said wait until it happens again, go to o reileys and demand them replace the battery as it has to be bad even if testing good. I'm not sure of this is the correct approach, but what else is there? One online mechanic said a voltage test on electrical system is next step but only a few select mechanics even know how to do it such as one that specializes in electrical wiring or something like that.
Last week, I brought my 2002 Ford Focus (automatic transmission) to the mechanic to have an oil change and to have the motor mounts and cabin air filter replaced. Before I brought the car in, it was fairly loud at idle--which had been going on for a couple of years and which I attributed to the worn motor mounts--but had otherwise been running fine.
When I went to pick it up after the repairs, the car would not start. The mechanic ran some tests and told me that the alternator was overcharging the battery. The battery could no longer hold a charge, so both the alternator and the battery needed to be replaced, which the mechanic did.
I thought at first that everything was OK after the battery and alternator replacement. Because I almost always turn my car off immediately after putting it in park, I didn't realize what was happening and that it was a problem... but in retrospect, I realize that ever since I got the car back from this second set of repairs, the battery light has flashed on during the split second between when I shift to park and when I turn the ignition off.
Yesterday, I took my car back to the mechanic because it stalled when I was in the parking lot at work. (I realize now that it must have happened just after I shifted gears, probably into park.) Since that was the first time it had actually properly stalled--rather than just a quick battery light flash just before I turned the car off--I had not yet made the connection between the stalling and the shifting to park, so all I told the mechanic is that it stalled on me when I was slowing to a stop. I'm pretty sure the first time it stalled was the first time I let it idle for more than a half-second in park before turning off the ignition.
He kept my car for a full day and ran a lot of tests on it. He was unable to make the car stall during multiple test drives (though, to be fair, I hadn't told him that the trigger for making it stall was shifting to park because I didn't realize it myself yet). There were no engine codes, the check engine light was never on, the fuel pressure is OK, and the throttle body position sensor, the idle air control valve, the ignition system, and the fuel system were giving no abnormal readings. When I asked, he told me that they did perform an idle-relearn procedure after replacing the battery and alternator. He returned the car to me and told me to come back if it stalled again.
Tonight, when I got the car home, it started to die immediately when I put it into park (the headlights dimmed and the battery light came on). I was able to reproduce this a second time as well. Fortunately, it does start back up just fine.
I plan to take the car in for repairs again, but I'm wondering if I should go back to the same mechanic. My questions are:
1) What is likely to be causing the problem?
2) Is it something that is likely to have been caused by incompetence when installing the new battery and alternator or doing other repairs, or could it be a coincidence (I was willing to believe the first coincidence of the battery and alternator dying while the car was at the repair shop, but I'm having difficulty believing a second coincidence)?
3) Whether or not the problem is likely to be the mechanic's fault, is it something that a thorough check on their part should have discovered?
I have a 2000 Ford Focus with new battery and cables, new alternator, less than 100,000 (barely). Recently made a trip from austin to dallas and back. On the way back, on the interstate, car suddenly refused to continue acceleration (no indicator lights came on); pulled to the shoulder, shut everything off; waited about five minutes, car started up on first try..continued driving; about 12 miles later, same thing occurred. Pulled over, turned everything off, started up again just fine, drove the rest of the way home.
Took it to my mechanic, he ran diagnostics..found nothing. Ran perfectly on short drives around town for three weeks; three weeks later, another road trip...did not run air conditioner or anything extra on the drive; about 30 miles from final destination, same thing...lost speed, wouldn't accelerate, pulled over, shut it off...started right up again and ran fine to final destination. On the way home, about 100 miles into return trip, same thing.. lost acceleration etc. But this time would only keep running correctly for about 20 or so miles each time. Was happening so frequently, had it towed home. Got home, started right up, drove fine. the only thing my mechanic noted on last inspection was the AC would not turn off. Could this be an electrical or switch problem?
Yesterday my 2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec wagon (140k) died at a stoplight. Before that, the radio would turn off and on like it was possessed. The last five miles before it conked out, the fuel gauge and speedometer dropped to zero (ie same as with key-out). Waited two hours and was able to drive it two blocks home but the same symptoms w/instruments occurred. Battery measured 12.0v @ home. The alternator is the first suspect but what else should get replaced? Any guesses as for cost? DIY or take it to a shop?
View 17 Replies2002 Ford Focus SE with 130k miles on it. For the past 4 months the battery light flashes randomly while driving. The flashing and frequency of flashing doesn't seem related to anything I can tell including temperature, length of time the car is running, speed or any variable. Seems like it should be an alternator, but that was replaced less than an year ago and it also has a new battery. The alternator always checks out fine at the mechanic and it will never flash for the mechanic. It went 1 month with no flashing and suddenly it will now flash maybe 20 times in a 5 mile drive. Yesterday it just died at a stoplight with no warning, but then after shutting everything off it started just fine and the battery light didn't turn on for the 2 miles to home.
View 5 Replies95 Ford Escort shuts down like you turn off the key. This just started happening with no warning. Idles fine had to replace the plugs,wires and the dist.pack.
View 1 RepliesMy 02 6.8 v10 4x4 4.30 X has a big problem. I was driving on sand and all of the sudden it stopped and dies. Had no trans fluid and a dead battery. After paying $450 to get it off the beach i filled the trans fluid and got a jump and it runs. When put in gear wether in 4WD or not it does NOT move. Only when put in neutral and pulled ... red dot is pavement, blue is where i got to, star is where i broke down on the way out...smh
View 7 RepliesAfter 2yrs and 1mo, my DC power 270XP amp died. I put the almost 10 yr old factory alt back on and everything is good again, except for the glaring fact that I have a dead alternator. It is a month beyond warranty (of course).
Truck has been running great. Oil cooler, EGR bulletproof cooler, STC done in Dec at Ford due to high deltas. I have a small stereo - one 12" sub woofer, otherwise nothing that really stresses the electrical system. I did the "big three" with 1/0 copper - cost a fortune, saw no difference - but that could have been an issue for the alt.
I left a message today with etch support but did not get a call back. I hope they make good on this - I waited almost 4 mo's to get this thing and it was supposed to outlast my truck.
My 1988 Mustang 5.0 GT has stalled out once last year and again recently. Same situation. I drove it for 300 miles with stops about every hour and a half. Pushed to to 90 MPH at times. Ran fine other times on the road for more than two hours. But all of a sudden the engine dies. Electrical all works but won't turn over. If I sit in it for about 10 minutes, it will start and run for the next 5 to 10 minutes than a cough or two and pull over. I have had new plugs put in and also replaced the whole distributor. Ford mechanics have stared at it and scratched their heads and say it is running fine when they hand it back to me.
View 2 RepliesI also tried jump starting - get same same result. Engine cranks, turns, and then sounds like it is just about to start up normally but it just dies completely. It seems to want to start but just can accelerate the engine high enough to keep it running. Almost like it's flooded on a carb motor.. 2000 V10..
View 7 RepliesHere's the situation - 1999 F350 with the 7.3 PSD, crew cab, auto, 4X4.
The truck runs fine in good weather, but if it's raining or snowing, it will suddenly die - and by that I mean lose all power as though you turned off the key. There's no warning. It lasts for a period of time, and then the truck will restart - most of the time.
It's seems like it should be a pretty simple/obvious electrical problem, but I've had the truck in to two of the best diesel shops in town, and neither has been able to locate the problem, in spite of countless hours and some pretty big bills being racked up.
My 2005 Ford Focus just came out of the shop getting the alternator replaced. Driving down the road it just died. The car still has power, Lights, interior lights, all that stuff is on. I turn the key and nothing.
View 6 RepliesI have a 2002 ford excursion. I know they have cali emissions. It runs fine then suddenly dies while driving. We've replaced the glow plug switch and relay. Neither one fixed the problem. we washed the motor a while back and it fried the programmer wiring.
View 7 RepliesMy 'new' 2004 F250 ExtCab SB w/5.4L sometimes 'drops' my keyless entry (key fob) for no apparent reason. Also, when I attempt to do the 'eight turns' of the ignition to get into program mode, it doesn't always work the first time (or second, or third, etc). Is this a common problem?
View 5 RepliesI have a a 2005 Focus, 199,000 miles. The battery light has been come on randomly. It doesn't seen to be related to any other event in the car. Things I've done to diagnose it...
I cleaned the battery cable connections before I started any diagnostics.
I have two code reader and no codes are being thrown.
I connected a multimeter to the battery while the car was idling in the driveway.
I got 13.8-14.1 volts as the car sat and ran. When the light came on no change on the meter.
I have a Scan Gauge that allows me to watch the voltage in real time. Four days and no change when the light came on. ~13.8-14.1 at idle and ~14.1-14.4 underway.
I have the Car Chip. I plugged it in drove for about 10 runs and the voltage trace was pretty flat on all runs, battery light on or off.
The only thing that is consistent is if the light is on and I rev the engine it goes out BUT they rpm when the light goes is inconsistent.
I have a 2005 Ford Focus ZX4. It is a stick. For the past month it has been having trouble starting, the example I will turn the key and it will try to start up, but doesn't. Then it will start but it is weak, sputtering, not wanting to really start, but I give it a little gas and it is fine. The last time it happened, It started after about 8 tries. I was driving a little ways and all of a sudden the radio/cd player quit working flashing a message that said low battery. Then all the lights in the car started to dim out. The headlights started dimming out too.
I did make it home, turned it off and when I tried to start it again all I heard was a click, click, click noise. It is at the shop now. I thought for sure it was the alternator, but they said the alternator is testing fine and once they 'recharged' the battery it is fine too. They drove it around for about a half an hour and they said it was running fine. What the what? They said they did have the problem getting it to start that I did, but only once. Now they aren't sure what the problem is. I don't want to get ripped off! I also don't want to have to fix something that isn't broken. I
I have a 2005 Ford Focus zx5, which has been a great car for me so far. I live in DC, and traffic is insane. Over the last year or so, maybe once every other month, my car has turned off when I come to a hard stop (usually braking suddenly at a light/pedestrian walkway). This is my first time owning an automatic, and it's just as if my car had stalled out. The radio will stay on, etc, but the engine dies and I have to put it into park and re-start it.
The RPMs have seemed to fluctuate a bit as well, usually on start-up or on hot days.
So far I haven't been motivated enough to get it taken care of, since it happens so infrequently and things seem great otherwise. What could be causing this?
So I left my car running ran into a store came out it had turned off so went to start it it and it wouldn't turn over all you could hear was clicking from the starter so had a guy boost it and engine turned over and started just fine but i had no power to anything I couldn't even take the tranny outta park? So i left it sitting for about an hour went back and it fired up just fine? Had battery tested and it was fully charged. Also when car is off and I am inside my interior lights flash on and off as well as there's a beeping like every 5 to 10 minutes.
View 19 Replies2005 Excusrion V10 6.8L .. Have the PO720 code ..
Replaced alternator it was bad when tested
Replaced OSS - the voltage on this when running varies in the 1.3 - 1.7 range.
What should the ohm voltage read? What would you try next?