Car bods! Issue with car

Gray

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So I have a 2008 Focus Titanium, has been a brilliant car for the 5 years that I have had it, went Blackpool (Around 50 miles away) yesterday but when I was going to do the return journey an irritable grinding noise when pressing the accelerator but also when turning the steering wheel left or right.

At low speeds the sound is really audible especially to passers-by - Yes, it was fuckin amazing travelling at 2mph in a traffic jam on the beachfront. Sigh


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggJtf_w5ljI



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg2DBBZzhgc


I was going to get it into the garage today but forgot it was Bank Holiday so i'll try tomorrow. So far I have had assumptions of it being a Belt of sorts - Cam, timing, fan - Alternator, tie rods. Potentially inexpensive items but coupled with labour costs I imagine this will be around £100.00 or so to rectify.
 

Job

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Jeez could be anything.
Alternator..has it got electric steering?
If not steering pump ,possibly oil level.
 

caLLous

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The second video sounds like a turbo issue.
 

Gray

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Car doesn't have Turbo, petrol engine. Fluid levels do look okay too, but I did notice a possible leak. Coincidence maybe...

Car is 10 years old now and has just gone past the 93,000 mile point I even commented to myself the other day when I passed that it hasn't needed any work doing to it. Fucksake :/
 

Job

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If it gets worse turning the wheels it has to be steering pump or belt problem.
 

Edmond

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My steering rack went on my Focus but it started with that kind of noise, it changed pitch when you revved the car. Is the steering stiffening up?

That 1st video sounded a lot like mine tbh
 

Gray

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It was audible when stationary (and coming to a running stop also), got more audible when revving but even higher when turning even slightly. The power steering didn't seem to be affected, as turning a corner would act as normal (barring the noise).

It's at the garage now, though they said they're fully booked this week so they'll just get around to it when they can. Hopefully not too expensive, but they said it was £40ph labour so it could get quite juicy...
 

Gray

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Just had call from garage, they have advised that it's the seal on the power steering that has affected it, they said it is quite expensive though - Around £300 for the part and labour. Shit :/
 

Job

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Thats not expensive..trust me.
 

Jupitus

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Gray - looks like a known issue, and it doesn't seem to me that your quote is way out:

ford focus power steering leak

Focus Leaking Power Steering

There is advice out there for DIY fixes, but I am guessing you're not really prepared for that? TBH even someone with experience may well say no too as it seems to be a bit of an arse of a job. Good luck!
 

Gray

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Yes that seems to be exactly the issue. The garage called while I was in work and said it has been sorted, they knocked about £30-40 off the estimate which is always nice. Starting to show faults the car now when it had been so good. There was another known fault with the demister which only demisted half the windscreen, I persisted with that one but couldn't avoid this one.

Hopefully that will be the end! Would love to get a new car but the pennies just aren't there yet.
 

DaGaffer

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Just had call from garage, they have advised that it's the seal on the power steering that has affected it, they said it is quite expensive though - Around £300 for the part and labour. Shit :/

Are you going to A main dealer?Seems expensive for a ten year old Focus
 

Gray

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It's one of those council garages people I assume have in other towns, the part online looks to be worth around £150-200 so with the few hours labour it probably does come to around £250-300. Used them for years, found there was a lot of scammers in some of the other garages charging outrageous prices. Probably could have shopped around, but I think for only diagnosing the fault they charge £40.00 anyway so wasn't going to be viable I suspected.
 

Access Denied

It was like that when I got here...
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Yes that seems to be exactly the issue. The garage called while I was in work and said it has been sorted, they knocked about £30-40 off the estimate which is always nice. Starting to show faults the car now when it had been so good. There was another known fault with the demister which only demisted half the windscreen, I persisted with that one but couldn't avoid this one.

Hopefully that will be the end! Would love to get a new car but the pennies just aren't there yet.

I have an '05 Ghia and I've got the exact same issue with the windscreen. Wouldn't mind so much if it cleared the drivers side!!
 

Gray

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Yes that is one irritating issue, so happy that we're into the warmer months now. I was half tempted to get a heater inside the car to help alleviate the waiting.
 

Moriath

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Yes that is one irritating issue, so happy that we're into the warmer months now. I was half tempted to get a heater inside the car to help alleviate the waiting.
Is this the ford heatered front windscreen stuff?

Do they not build the cars to push air onto the screen as well?
 

Access Denied

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Of course they do. However waiting for the blower to clear the screen takes ages because the engine has to warm up first. I just want to go home after a long shift.
 

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