[Black Bart]

I bought a new Focus in Sept. 09 so it is now 2 years old.
I own several other Fords and they are 4x4 so I don't drive the Focus in the winter.
Last fall I put it away for the winter before it got cold but this fall I'm still driving it probably will put it in storage this week.

The car just turn 3000 miles and I notice this morning that while the engine is on idle the heater blows cold air.
If I pull rpm up to 1000 rpm the heater is hot but as soon as I let it return to idle it goes cold.

Is this a normal thing with the Focus, I never had a vehicle before that did not make heat on idle.

 

[sailor]

The setup on the Focus is like MOST newer vehicles, where the heater flows hot water ALL the time - and there's a "mix door" in the HVAC unit that controls how much warm & cold air "mixes" B4 going into the cabin...

Haven't heard of your SPECIFIC issue B4, but my first thought is that if the electrical system isn't adequate at idle, the control might not work properly & that at 1,000 rpm it gets enough "juice" to function properly...


Just a "guess", but with winter lay-ups, if the battery doesn't get charged during that time it COULD be "old beyond it's years", or it could be as simple as the FIRST thing we recommend of cleaning terminals & ESPECIALLY the grounds (like the ones right next to the battery).

Checking voltage at idle would be MY first step, even B4 the "cleaning", just to see what's going on NOW.

Luck!

(MOST of the electrical issues seen here are fixed THAT easily, it's a case of check the easy stuff first... EVEN if you find out it's more complicated, like a "sticky" mix door, at least the "basics" are covered...)

 

[Black Bart]

Thanks for your reply.
The car is under warranty so if it needs something done I will just take it to the dealer.

I was just curious as to if it was something that was a common thing with a Focus.

I will need to take it to Ft Wayne my local dealer in Marion,Indiana would screw up a train wreck they could not direct a one car funeral.

 

[sailor]

If you have a minute to spare, you might want to check out my "guess" anyways (it's not REAL likely, but it's an easy check) just cause if it WAS the issue warranty wouldn't cover it unless they're REAL nice and sleaze a claim through for ya under another heading....

 

[FordService]

The car just turn 3000 miles and I notice this morning that while the engine is on idle the heater blows cold air.
If I pull rpm up to 1000 rpm the heater is hot but as soon as I let it return to idle it goes cold.

Hello!

Thanks for being such a loyal member of the Ford Family! Sorry to hear of your negative opinion of your local dealer. You should bring your Focus to the dealer you feel most comfortable with. If you would like to discuss your experiences, feel free to send me a PM with your VIN and some details so I can document it.

Let me know how your dealer visit goes. []

~Natasha

 

[alz focus]

How is the coolant level? Sounds as if you may have air in your system. Usually indicated by no heat at idle, with increased heat when rpms are raised.