bryant_andy

That is good news then :)

Just looked at this site http://www.emissioncontrols.co.uk/page. ... 0%20Valves Looks like blanking the valve may not be a good idea :cry:

A 100R resistor across the leads would probably do the trick, but I haven't tried it. The other way of doing this is easier than a blanking plate or trick connector on the Mk 1.5 Focus :- (This is detailed somewhere else on this site, but I can't find it at the moment.) Unplug the vacuum pipe from the EGR valve itself and block the rubber tube with a 5mm bolt with the threads smoothed off. This must be secure as the vacuum operates other things too. The ECU happily energises the valve but nothing happens as there's no vacuum to move it. I've now changed my 2004 1.8 TDCi for a 2007 1.6

All done :D System was just low on gas. Mastertech did say that the compressors on the C-Max do slowly leak gas. I am happy, and if we need to recharge system every 3 years I can live with that as they recommend doing it every 2 years anyway :!: . Andy

Result :lol:

Ditto :roll: They do not seem to fit that well. I removed ours when I fitted front parking eyes so as to run a cable in from drivers side and found that what ever I did I could not get it to fit 100% OK :? And I take cars apart & put them back together for a living. Andy

Warranty Direct offered us an extended Warranty with the added module that covered the EGR valve & AC for £270 a year. I have not gone for it as I do have contacts in the trade and a mate with a computer than can talk to our Renualt & Ford :D

I do understand what you are saying but this forum does seem to focus on the doom & gloom of C-Max ownership :( My previous car was a 1991 MK2 Golf GTI & it was one of the most reliable cars I have ever had. But if you go onto the forums for that car it is also doom & gloom :shock: Most forums seem to get mainly negative posts unless they cars that have a cult following and as good as the C-Max is it is a family car with no cult following so we just get the doom & gloom :( On a positive note our C-Max has been great. 1.6TDCI that now has 44,000 miles on the clock.

I spoke to my local Ford dealer and they think that we may just be low on gas. Reason for thinking this is that AC does still appear to be working as engine speed changes when switched on. They will check level for free and charge me £55 if needs refilling. Not a bad price for a main dealer :) If AC very low they will check for leaks etc. Goes in on Friday. Fingers crossed it is just low on gas :!:

I do hope this is not the latest thing to trouble us C-Max owners :roll: Our alternator is fine, but AC has stopped working so looks like our pipe may have cracked :(

I have had various VW's all with well over 100,000 miles on the clock and all using orginal alternators. You could tell this as they were date stamped. In over 21 years of car owner ship I have never had a faulty alternator :? Andy

Did not spot them when I fitted my non Ford Roof screen. I am sure that the Ford screen could be made to fit. Do you have a spare remote key that you want to sell me, rather than send back with car :wink:

When the AC stops working does the engine still change speed when AC switched on? Our engine does still do this. Reason for asking is that I think that ours is either not working, or low on gas as car was harder to demist over the last few days. What pipe is it that fails? And where abouts is it. Not sure if I should take to Ford and hope that I get a contribution to repair as car is only 1 month out of warranty or take it to an independant as they will be cheaper in the first place! Andy

:!: UPDATE :!: Black = NS tail lamp :!: :!: Check this connection, others have found this to be Orange/white :!: :!: Would appear I have a wiring loom with the wrong colour wire :roll:

I HAVE UPDATED THE WIRING COLOURS AS SOME C-MAXs NOT THE SAME AS MINE :roll: Off side (OS) wires were located through the OS storage pocket in the boot. Orange = OS tail lamp Blue Red = OS indicator Near Side (NS) wires were accessed by removing the NS lamp (Bit of a fiddle) Blue = NS indicator Green Red = Stop/Brake lamps Green Yellow = Fog lamp Black = NS tail lamp :!: :!: Check this connection, others have found this to be Orange/white :!: :!: Earth was attached direct to the body. :!: PLEASE CHECK EACH WIRE BEFORE CONNECTING WITH A TEST LAMP/METER TO ENSURE

Cool. Does the Ghia need a bulb failure relay or is it OK? And what were your wiring colours?

Finding an earth with a meter can be confusing as a feed wire with out a feed will show as an earth :? Safest way arround this is to drill a hole and attach earth to body. Or find an earth where it bolts to body and use that. With regards to bulb failure bypass. It depends if the Ford system checks for extra current. If it does not then the bulb failure light should not light up when trailer board is connected. If it does you will need a bypass relay. These are easy to wire in. All the wires from single socket except for earth go to the bypass relay. Then the wires from the relay

Probably cheaper and easier to take car to a decent towbar fitter or an auto electrcian and get them to wire in a universal kit. Shame you are not local as this job would take me under an hour to do :roll: Andy

I fitted, then removed & then refitted our tow bar and used the wiring colours that I put in the other thread. Weird that my C-Max seems to have different wiring colours. But this does happen and hence why it is very important to check each wire before connection. As for bulbs not working. Could be a blown fuse, loose connection plug on back of lamp, blown bulb as they can blow when fiddled with or a loose bulb. Bypass relay. If you have bulb failure warning you will most likey need one. Andy

As our EGR valve is OK at the moment I shall not be doing this mod yet. But if it does fail and Ford will not contribute as out ot warranty I will look into doing this mod. As the subject has now been raised on the forum I am sure that someone will come up with the answer :wink:

Good luck. Remember to test each wire before connection as wires are not allways the same colour on all cars. And do not tighten all the bolts up untill they are all in and located. Makes the job a whole lot easier :lol: Remember, the parking eyes will need to be unplugged so bumper can be removed. Plug may be inside the car, so try and follow wires and find this first. And finally. Get help removing & refitting the bumper. Although not heavy it can be a bit awkward if you have not done this before. And get an old bit of carpet etc to put the bumper on when removed and so yo

Sounds like the ECU protecting it's self and turning on the lights :shock: Ours did this once and like yours the battery was tottaly flat. I was told that the ECU monitors the battery voltage level and if it thinks it is going flat it turns on the head lamps to protect the ECU against any voltage surges caused by jump starting :!: Great idea in theory, but it seems that if you get a sudden temp change the ECU get all confused (bless it) and turnes on the headlamps :roll: as it thinks the battery is flat :? Ours did this in arround January this year. Was OK for reat of cold spells.

Our C-Max has a standard type towball fitted i.e. not a swan neck type like the Ford own bar. Behind this we have a Witter cycle mount holder fitted. This is a quite a meaty metal bracket and I was very suprised that the parking sensors still worked :) When I have bikes on the back or am towing I turn the parking sensors Off as when I fitted mine I put an over ride switch in the NS storage pocket.

Bit of a fiddle but they scuttle tray/engine bay bulkhead is OK to remove. Just do not lose any clips and remember to unscrew the brake fluid tank.

My mate seemed to think that as long as the valve was still plugged in and the valve thinks that it is working the ECU will carry on as normal. If design of the TDCI valve is such that a blank can be fitted I will give it a go if our valve goes again :) Where is the EGR valve on the 1.6 TDCI :?: