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According to Cambiare, the Fiesta’s ignitions system appears to be a bit of a weak spot. In fact coils and leads account for 7 out of the top 10 selling lines for this model. Misfires, hard starting and poor running could all be the result of these parts failing.

Coil and Lead Systems

While most newer vehicles are fitted with very reliable, low maintenance coil packs, pencil coils and rail coils, there are still plenty of coil and lead systems out there. In fact around 16 million vehicles on UK roads rely on ignition leads. This population is actively growing thanks to the new generation of small vehicles such as the Fiesta (and also the KA, Fiat’s 500, Panda and Punto models, as well as Mercedes’ Smart Car).

Corteco supplies an activated carbon upgrade to the standard issue cabin filter, which is usually located inside the vehicle on the passenger side of the centre console, just above floor level, close to the bulkhead. It's a 10 min job, involving a torx screwdriver, five screws in all, plus two clips.

Unchanged, it's a passenger health and safety issue and can lead to early maintenance problems with the HVAC unit. Upgraded, it's an additional revenue stream and scores well on customer satisfaction surveys.

Checking Wear

Multiple V-ribbed belt wear - as a result of the effects of heat, deposits and operationally induced abrasion in the ancillary component drive - is not always visible with the naked eye. ContiTech’s Belt Wear Tester (BWT) reliably detects the degree of wear by checking the profile geometry of the individual ribs. This enables professionals to determine precisely whether the multiple V-ribbed belt needs to be changed. Important: This test does not replace the specified servicing intervals, but assists workshop professionals in assessing the belt condition.

As with many applications, this vehicle is prone to brake squeal. Comline  are the manufacturer of their friction and have therefore used the know-how to engineer out inherent problems such as squeal.

How do they do it? Firstly with their innovative RMR shim technology. The RMR (Rubber Metal Rubber) laminate shims isolate any noise from the backing plate and prevent rotation inside the calliper. Combined with our ‘bedding in layer’ means a greater pedal feel and no squeal from first fitment.

Techincal expert Alan Povey explains diagnosing A/C faults on the Ford Fiesta. Two of the most common indicators are abnormal sounds and emissions.

Listen in

The sounds made by the air con unit can help you pinpoint a host of issues.  The table below shows how to identify a range of problems by simply listening to the noise of the air conditioning system.

Once the source of the noise has been identified it is important to know what action to take:

Engine Oil

• Ford generally favour a product like Comma Xtech 5W30 for most of their applications however there are some exceptions, particularly in their more recent models.

Fiesta 1.25L up to 2008 Petrol - Engine Management Issue

There is a common fault with the throttle position sensor contacts failing. Typical fault codes logged for this fault are P2119, P2135 or P2176. To fix the problem the technician will need to fit a new sensor, along with a revised wiring harness.

Fiesta 1400 2008 Diesel - Engine Management Issue

Drivers complain of an intermittent loss of power. This is accompanied with the powertrain / engine management light being illuminated. If the fault code P0380 is logged as an intermittent fault, then the cause can be an internal short circuit within the 7-pin glow plug relay. To fix the problem, the technician should replace the relay.

The updated 2008 Ford Fiesta continued using many of the tried and tested engines found in the previous generation of the vehicle, with a popular range of Duratec petrol (1.25-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre) and Duratorq diesel engines (1.4- and 1.6-litre).  Castrol points out that almost every engine (up to 2012) in the current generation Ford Fiesta was designed to run on fully-synthetic, low viscosity Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 A1 engine oil.

It’s important that vehicle technicians top-up these vehicles with the correct oil formulation.  Anything other than the recommended fully-synthetic Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 A1 formulation may not have the relevant Ford WSS-M2C-913C approval, and may reduce the efficiency, performance and longevity of the engine.

Both factors and workshops can benefit from the systems that TecDoc and sister company AuDaCon can provide those that need to correctly identify and supply replacement parts and those actually undertaking repair or service work.

The examples below are common faults that occur on various versions of the Peugeot 308 and which have been sourced using the AuDaCon system in conjunction with its SOS service recall option. Not only does it identify likely faults, it also points the technician in the right direction in those instances where the most obvious solution may in fact be the wrong one.

PEUGEOT 308 SW 1.4 16V – Gearbox

Fault symptoms: Noises in 4th, 5th and 6th gear from the transmission region 54.000 miles

Causes: Production defect