battery or starter?

[#1fordfan]

It's been cold here in Illinois the last few days. tonight when I got in my 2005 2.0 5 speed to start it and go to work,the engine turned over very slowly and then stopped turning over and then the starter made the noise it makes when it is turning but not contacting the flywheel. I quickly turned the key off,waited a few seconds and tried again. It turned over slowly but the engine did start and run fine. So what should I be looking to replace in the morning when I get off work provided it starts and gets me home?(supposed to be 3 degrees in the a.m.) How hard is it to reolace a starter on this car?

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[GreenEnvy]

Battery is on it's last leg. How old is it? 5 years or more then its time to start looking at replacing before it leaves you stranded and costing more for a tow or jump on top of replacement. Also, if you go to advance or some where like that, they will put it in for free. then take it for a nice long drive to make sure it's fully charged and it gets a cycle through it. :)
And don't go with el cheapo battery, you get what you pay for.

[emsvitil]

Make sure the battery connections are tight and corrosion free.

[mainest]

Originally Posted by emsvitil

Make sure the battery connections are tight and corrosion free.

On both ends, IE. starter(+) and ground(-).

Originally Posted by GreenEnvy

And don't go with el cheapo battery, you get what you pay for.

Generally, yes, but I had an EverStart Maxx installed, yesterday in my wife's Forester, free at Walmart, for $100. With a three year free replacement warranty. Almost all Walmart batteries are highly rated by Consumer Reports.
Your Focus should take a Group 40, or Group 96 battery. Installation is a piece of cake.
Good luck.

[PDQEagle]

In those weather conditions, I wouldn't even consider the starter as a problem until I checked the battery

First, make sure the connections at the battery are good, loosen and reseat by cleaning or twisting to reestablish a goog metal/metal contact. If you have a hydrometer, check it. It's pretty marginal and anything but an immediate start will show it as weak

Good luck
M Just replaced mine. It went 8 winters and was still in the lower "good" reading, but for $80, I want to be sure to get home from work

[SVTisRight4me]

turn the lights on when its off and if the lights are dim its the batt. if u cant tell, keep them on and try to start if its harder than usual or the lights get really dim as u try to then its the batt.

[GreenEnvy]

Originally Posted by mainest

On both ends, IE. starter(+) and ground(-).

Generally, yes, but I had an EverStart Maxx installed, yesterday in my wife's Forester, free at Walmart, for $100. With a three year free replacement warranty. Almost all Walmart batteries are highly rated by Consumer Reports.
Your Focus should take a Group 40, or Group 96 battery. Installation is a piece of cake.
Good luck.

Theres a reason everstart suggest replacement every 3 years...