Focus Battery? electrics? Help! Please!

[Louise6262]

Hi,

Sorry, going to sound like a complete girl here but I am clueless when it comes to these things!

I have a 2001 Focus Diesel and recently the indicators stopped clicking off when I round a corner. It just stopped suddenly.

Now my central locking never clicks on when I am in the car, if I push in the button it just locks my drivers door. Sometimes when I dead lock the car and unlock it next all the doors unlock but not the drivers door? If I hit the unlock button again it does unlock so I know it does work (sort of?!)

At the risk of sounding very dense .. do you think this could be some thing as simple and my battery going? I have owned the car just over 4 years and never have it changed and an RAC man recently told me it should last approx 3 years??

I only had the car MoT'd and serviced a month ago so I would hope this all would be picked up but it has literally started in the last week?!

Any suggestions would be a great help as I would like to avoid putting the car in for an expensive service if I can just change the battery.

Thank you in advance and Happy new year!!

 

[xerxes]

It sounds as if you have two separate, unrelated problems.

The device for self-cancelling the direction indicators is mechanical; it responds to movement of the steering wheel (straightening up after turning a corner). You can either live with the problem, remembering to cancel the signal manually, or get the parts replaced. I've no idea in your case of the price, but sometimes these can be disproportionately expensive.

As the fault with the central locking system is intermittent, it could be that there is a faulty connection somewhere.

Neither of these faults would be dealt with during a routine maintenance service, unless you had pointed them out beforehand and asked for them to be addressed.

I suggest that locking the doors while you are driving is not normally safe. You may choose to do this if you're stuck in traffic in a dodgy area, but consider what could happen if you crashed and rescuers were faced with locked doors. Locking the doors has no effect on whether or not they come open by accident.

As for your battery, if it's starting your diesel engine in the winter satisfactorily, there's nothing to worry about. It won't last forever, but you don't need to replace it while it's still working.

 

[Louise6262]

Thanks xerxes!!

I am actually pleased its not the battery at least I can stop worrying that I will get stuck somewhere ;o)

I can def live with it if it saves a few pennies!

Thanks again for your help ;o)

 

[xerxes]

You're welcome. Happy new year.

 

[Steve]

I suggest that locking the doors while you are driving is not normally safe. You may choose to do this if you're stuck in traffic in a dodgy area, but consider what could happen if you crashed and rescuers were faced with locked doors. Locking the doors has no effect on whether or not they come open by accident.

My car locks automatically above 7mph. (Citroen C4) There is a setting to override it, but this is the default setting. I like it - makes me feel secure.