Ford Focus "Acceleration Reduced" on dash (EAC fault)

alan333 · 2 Aug 2015

Hi,
2006 Ford Focus 1.6 petrol automatic (100ps) with 53k miles.

About a week ago my mother's car refused to start for a few turns, then started. Apparently the dash said "acceleration reduced" and threw some red warning lights, and it went into limp mode. She drove it about a mile to the shops, stopped it for about half an hour, and when she returned it was ok again. Apparently "some lights came on again" a couple of days later but no dash warning or reduced power. It's been ok since.

The owners handbook says that particular dash message signifies an EAC fault (Electronic Accelerator Control). Googling it comes up with people getting charged a fortune at Ford and still having the problem. Others suggest anything from wires wearing through, to requiring a new ECU, to squirting some wd40 on the accelerator pedal electronic contacts. A lot of the info I found related to Fiestas tho, not Focuses.

A code reader shows no fault codes stored, nor any snapshot data from the fault. The MIL is off and the car is running fine as usual.

She's had the car for about 6 years and it's been home serviced at the correct intervals by my extremely competent but recently deceased father. It's not had any problems during their ownership except a lambda sensor was replaced soon after the car was purchased, and it got a new battery about a year ago.

It only really gets used to go to the local shops about a mile away nowadays, but I try to give it a run as much as I can.

Any help appreciated.

Dave54 · 2 Aug 2015

Don't really know anything specific about the fault I'm afraid, apart to state the obvious, that intermittent faults are any tech's worst nightmare, and if it's working, then it's working. No fault to find.
No faults stored doesn't help.
One thought is that the lack of use is giving problems with something. If it's the accelerator pot (potentiometer) that's dirty, clean it with proper switch cleaner, not WD40.
Might be a voltage thing if the cars not used much. One of those smart battery chargers as used by the classic car crowd might help if it's possible to set up.

Burnerman · 2 Aug 2015

+1 for a low battery voltage I think.....as the car didn't immediately start it had probably over fuelled itself and the sensors threw up a problem that wasn't actually there.
Does the car sit for days unused?
John

alan333 · 2 Aug 2015

Thanks Dave and John for the replies

I'll see if it comes on again but if it does I think first port of call will be to clean the accelerator contacts. I think Dad had some electrical contact cleaner kicking about, I'll have a look or buy some if I can't find it.

You could be on to something with the battery thing, the car only gets used for a few short trips per week and sits for days at a time. Unfortunately I can't put a charger on it cos she's not happy putting it in her garage or driveway cos it's at a funny angle.

I'll update the thread if there's any more unfolds.

Burnerman · 2 Aug 2015

I think that's all you can do, Alan.....if there's no fault code stored I can't see any visit to Ford or whoever helping.
Maybe ask Mum to keep a sharp eye out for any warning lights?
I'm sure you've seen the various Google reports on this phenomenon, and it seems that no one is really sure - ranging from dashboard issues to ECU and everything in between.
John

alan333 · 3 Aug 2015

An update... Same problem yesterday but this time the dials went mental: rev counter going from zero to full, speedo showing zero etc. I've done my back in yesterday I so physically can't look at it but have given it to a local garage who diagnosed and fixed a dash/limp mode problem with sis-in-law's Focus the other week. He reckons his diagnosis equipment might pick up stuff mine can't. Apparently the "live data" can give some useful onfo if you know what to look for.

Will update in due course.

Burnerman · 3 Aug 2015

Have you checked out BBA-Reman, Alan?
The common failures / rogues gallery may be of interest.
Hope the car - and the back - get better real soon!
John

alan333 · 5 Aug 2015

Either the car has stored some faults from the latest episode or the guy's diagnosis equipment is better than mine - either way it's showing 16 faults, "mainly relating to CAN BUS". I'm glad it's showing something, he's got a better chance of fixing it if he's got an inkling of what's wrong.

I've left it with the garage who have a good auto spark they use, and who's booked in to look at it on Friday. We're all away for a few days from Thursday anyway so hopefully it'll be good news by the time we get back.

I've not looked at that site John, will have a peep.
And the back is a bit better, I just hope Thursday's Scotland to Devon drive (or passenger sit?) bodes well.

alan333 · 12 Aug 2015

An update... The auto spark analysed the fault codes along with specific symptoms from Mum ie exactly which dials/lights did what during/after the fault etc. Apparently the codes could be tracked back to ABS and/or dash problems, and the specific symptoms swayed him towards a dash fault. He stripped the instrument panel out, did some tests, and found a fault (or faults) inside the cluster which required soldering. He then did a lengthy road test in the car with his machine still hooked up and all perameters read as they should. He said he's still a bit suspicious of the ABS fault codes, but the fault(s) he found would definetely induce limp mode.

We've got the car back and all seems ok, although it's early days yet. Hopefully it's fixed but I'll update if there's anything more.

Thanks for your help

Dave54 · 12 Aug 2015

Thanks for letting us know. useful for other people who have the same problem. Sounds like the guy who did the work knows his stuff.

alan333 · 12 Aug 2015

Yeah I think it's nice when people come back with an outcome rather than just the problem, as you say Dave, it might help others in the future.

I'm tempted to agree with you about the auto spark, he seems to know what he's doing (let's see if I still agree after a few weeks lol). He also knows how to charge BTW, £55 an hour.

Burnerman · 12 Aug 2015

Cheers for the update Alan, yon sparky seems like a good find.
What the connection is between the ABS fault code and the dashboard is beyond me!
John

alan333 · 12 Aug 2015

Burnerman said:
What the connection is between the ABS fault code and the dashboard is beyond me!

He explained it pretty well but I had crap phone reception so didn't quite get it all. Something to do with a speed sensor telling the car, and therefore the ABS and the speedo, how fast the car is travelling. He asked precisely which lights came on, which gaugues went funky and what each gauge did, and when the warning message came on in relation to it all.
Apparently a Focus will drive fine without an instrument cluster fitted, but not necessarily with a faulty one. The way I picked it up is that all the signals coming back from each component must give the same info (ie the speed?) or the ECU doesn't know what to do.

Dave54 · 12 Aug 2015

I was just looking at a Zephyr 6 Mark 3 on eBay earlier.
No electronics except in the radio.
Sounds ever more tempting!

alan333 · 13 Aug 2015

Dave54 said:
I was just looking at a Zephyr 6 Mark 3 on eBay earlier.
No electronics except in the radio.
Sounds ever more tempting!

Very cool car too! I suppose there's good and bad with it tho, I wouldn't think most motor factors would have a single item in stock for that car lol.

Ford Focus "Acceleration Reduced" on dash (EAC fault)

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