amm

:D Well at last my C-Max is back to it's old self. The people at Quicks Wrexham have made it climb hills again in fifth gear. As a way of saying sorry for the inconvenience of 3 trips to sort it, the car was valleted and the tank was completely filled. Thanks.

Update 9/9/04 - courtesy car arranged (Ka) - E(haust) G(as) R(ecirc) valve to be fitted, but ................. ................... drove away and put petrol in Ka & went to LLangollen to while away the 4-5 hours. Text on mobile to contact Quicks of Wrexham asap. Brand new EGR valve is found to be broken when mechanic takes it from box. C-Max will have to suffer still until further replacement arrives from Manufacturer. Not very happy but the dealer has offered to fill tank when I return as a way of saying sorry for inconvenience. Watch this space .... Amm [/b]

Well it has been to the Ford Dealer! Apparently they have solved the clock/low fuel alarm problem and it does at the moment seem OK (I gave a copy of the TSB that I downloaded from this site to the man). The major problem with the power is "the GDR valve???????)" or I may have heard it wrong. It needs a new part and of course they didn't have one. Now I am waiting a phone call. I have instructed the dealership that I MUST have a courtesy car next time. It is 50 mile round trip to my house so I am never having to wander around a town on my own waiting for a mechanic to ring my mobile again. O

My car is now booked in for computer analysis etc Wed. 25th August. At the same time an attempt will be made to cure clock/low fuel alarm. Will update site with results.

Hi I think that the C-Max is heavier & of course the 3 door Focus has a bigger engine so I don't expect the performance. But I don't think an 18 wheeler should flash me to get out of the way. The C-Max really seems sluggish up hills, but will willingly exceed the speed limit on the straight. Sometimes the engine seems to take off on its own, suddenly spurting forward with out increasing the accelerator.

Hi vitrocmax thanks for info. The car was delivered Jan 2004 so that must make it the stage 3. My husband, a gas turbine engineer, thinks the problem is engine management setting in the computer. Has anyone else noted a lack of performance on hills. My husband's car is a Focus 3 door 1.8TDCi (115) which I also drive so I first thought it was because I was comparing two unlike cars. I am trying to gather as much info as possible before going back to dealer. It's times consuming to have to book the car in and the dealership have already "found nothing wrong" once.

How do I find out what stage engine? Vehicle has 4000 miles since new. It went to dealer to sort out clock/low fuel alarm in March and since then I think it started to suffer on hills. The problem with the clock/low fuel still exists. I intend to take it in again but am trying to find out more information.

My Ford Focus C Max 1.6 TDCi seems underpowered going up gradients. I have to change down gear for slightest inclines. Lorries overtake me. The car seems fine on the straight and level and fuel consumption is fine.