[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by hserus

Change it at every 10k service interval or even every 5k km whether or not Ford asssures you it isnt needed.

Yes, i will. Another item FASS ignores is the air filter. It hardly costs anything, but they generally do not replace it. I replaced it last year, and the FE did increase.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Yes, i will. Another item FASS ignores is the air filter. It hardly costs anything, but they generally do not replace it. I replaced it last year, and the FE did increase.

In a harsh and often dusty environment such as India, air filter is probably the one item you need to replace earlier than some manufacturers recommend.

They clog up easily (that is the whole purpose of course, to catch dirt) but are very easy and cheap to replace of course. And as you experience, a dirty, let alone clogged air filter affects your FE.

Jeroen

[hserus]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Yes, i will. Another item FASS ignores is the air filter. It hardly costs anything, but they generally do not replace it. I replaced it last year, and the FE did increase.

They have a 20k replacement interval for both and just clean it at the 10k stage.

I usually pay extra to replace both every 10k

[Baiz72]

@vnabhi,
What a title for the thread!
Wish you many more miles with Fiesta 1.6.

Fiesta Classic was an awesome machine which I still cherish to go behind those wheels!
Mine, 1.6 ZXI, I have driven till 1,68,000+ and sold with a heavy heart - had some rust issues, tried to retain but let it go in the end.

Though I changed to a Duster AWD (2016 model), Fiesta 1.6 was a pure driver's car!
That experience even tempts me whenever I see a used add for 1.6S even now

No. I don't want to invoke those thoughts often...as it is very tempting.

[Rohan24]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

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.
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The only issue I will need to focus on is the AC effect---it is now adequate, but I don't think it will be effective in summer. The people on the rear had complained last summer during peak afternoons, so i guess it might be the evaporator coil again. It was changed in the summer of 2015 for the first time, therefore the new one seems to be leaking a bit too soon. Or it could be some other AC part that is leaking. I'll visit the FNG over a weekend before summer and get that fixed.
.
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Even I'm facing an issue with respect to AC effectiveness, albeit only on long drives, that too during the day.
After approximately around 4-5hrs of driving, I see that the AC basically stops blowing cool air. And I've observed that this generally happens only when the outside temperature is fairly hot (30deg C+).
To tackle the issue, I switch off the AC, and switch air con to Fresh Air mode for sometime. After about 10-15 mins, when I restart the AC it works fine again.
What could be causing the issue?

[hserus]

Originally Posted by Rohan24

Even I'm facing an issue with respect to AC effectiveness, albeit only on long drives, that too during the day.
After approximately around 4-5hrs of driving, I see that the AC basically stops blowing cool air. And I've observed that this generally happens only when the outside temperature is fairly hot (30deg C+).
To tackle the issue, I switch off the AC, and switch air con to Fresh Air mode for sometime. After about 10-15 mins, when I restart the AC it works fine again.
What could be causing the issue?

AC cutting off at high heat - if it isn't your AC filter, first check your coolant levels and that your radiator isn't clogged with sediments. If its the coolant - ensure that you use either premix coolant, or if you use concentrate coolant, always mix it with distilled water. Don't ever add tap water, and don't top up with just distilled water, always with a proper mix of coolant and water, or with premix coolant.

[Rohan24]

Originally Posted by hserus

AC cutting off at high heat - if it isn't your AC filter, first check your coolant levels and that your radiator isn't clogged with sediments. If its the coolant - ensure that you use either premix coolant, or if you use concentrate coolant, always mix it with distilled water. Don't ever add tap water, and don't top up with just distilled water, always with a proper mix of coolant and water, or with premix coolant.

Thanks. Coolant level was fine when I checked. So its mostly either the radiator being clogged or air filter.
I feel it might be the radiator, as, if it is clogged it won't be fully efficient and hence unable to exchange heat at the desired rate. Could it be frosting up? i.e. ice buildup on the radiator? I've observed this in Room ACs.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by Rohan24

Thanks. Coolant level was fine when I checked. So its mostly either the radiator being clogged or air filter.
I feel it might be the radiator, as, if it is clogged it won't be fully efficient and hence unable to exchange heat at the desired rate. Could it be frosting up? i.e. ice buildup on the radiator? I've observed this in Room ACs.

Get a professional (specialist radiator mechanic) to check the radiator especially if it is an older car and you or the service guy have been using tap water to mix into the coolant. Check the air and aircon filters. After that we can look at other issues.

[Rohan24]

Originally Posted by hserus

Get a professional (specialist radiator mechanic) to check the radiator especially if it is an older car and you or the service guy have been using tap water to mix into the coolant. Check the air and aircon filters. After that we can look at other issues.

Cool, will do that.
Have always been topping up with Ford specified coolant at the ASC.

[Vysakh]

Originally Posted by Rohan24

Even I'm facing an issue with respect to AC effectiveness, albeit only on long drives, that too during the day.
After approximately around 4-5hrs of driving, I see that the AC basically stops blowing cool air. And I've observed that this generally happens only when the outside temperature is fairly hot (30deg C+).
To tackle the issue, I switch off the AC, and switch air con to Fresh Air mode for sometime. After about 10-15 mins, when I restart the AC it works fine again.
What could be causing the issue?

Originally Posted by Rohan24

Could it be frosting up? i.e. ice buildup

I've the same problem on my 1.6S too. Sometimes after it stops working for a while when I switch it on again, mist comes out. Scared me the first time as I thought it was smoke. I checked with a garage that specializes in car ACs. As per him the thermostat has gone kaput and doesn't switch off and this causes ice buildup, blocking the AC filter and thus blocking the air. This could also cause pressure to build up and cause coolant tank bursts. The frosting explains the mist too. As per him this is a common issue with fiestas, ikons and scorpios. Also, to replace the thermostat, he would have to open up the dashboard and says its way too much effort for that. He suggested me the same thing you already do - as soon as the AC effectiveness reduces, switch off the AC but let the blower run for half a minute or so. That'll defrost the frost buildup and the AC works like normal again.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by Vysakh

I've -----snip---l again.

Thermostats in the engine bay for the fiesta, if I recall correctly. Unless I'm mistaken and I'm thinking of some other sensor I replaced.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mayankk

Thermostats in the engine bay for the fiesta, if I recall correctly. Unless I'm mistaken and I'm thinking of some other sensor I replaced.

I too think so.

Meanwhile, i took my car to the Subros AC center in Begumpet, as they were the ones who had replaced my AC Evaporator coil around 3.5 years ago. They checked the AC functioning after washing the radiator with a hose pipe, and found it to be functioning normally. They suggested I check this summer and visit them again if i felt the cooling was not normal. I do find it good for the past 5 months, but it was only in peak summer that I got a complaint that it was adequate on the rear seat.

I'll keep a watch on it in the coming months. I'm surprised that FASS, around 4 months ago, said they suspect an evaporator coil issue and that the AC was not cooling enough. They also said topping up gas was not a good idea as that would make the leak bigger. I wonder if they were trying to con me!

As suggested by esteemed members, I'll first change the AC filter in the next service that is due next month, and see if I still have an issue with the AC in April and May, when the summer is at its peak here in Hyderabad.

[hserus]

If they washed the radiator and then checked the aircon to be OK you'd better get your coolant flushed out and replaced. You need to do that every 4 years / 40k km anyway.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by hserus

If they washed the radiator and then checked the aircon to be OK you'd better get your coolant flushed out and replaced. You need to do that every 4 years / 40k km anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I wonder what washing the radiator has to do with coolant replacement.

I had got my coolant replaced in Sep 2014 when the odo was around 47000. I was told the coolant needs to be replaced every 1 lakh kms or 7 years, whichever is earlier. I'm not sure if they changed the recommendation later.

[hserus]

My Fiesta manual says "*Engine coolant need to be replaced at every 1,60,000 kms or 5 years." - and also inspected and topped up at every service. 2014-2019 is five years, so go ahead, drain out your coolant and add it afresh.

Note that topups are with Ford premix coolant (or hell, any other red coolant mixed in the correct ratio of coolant and distilled water), not plain distilled water, certainly not tap water, so if you have done that at any time eg at local garages or on highways ... flush it asap rather than wait for your next service.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks for the suggestion, but I wonder what washing the radiator has to do with coolant replacement.

I had got my coolant replaced in Sep 2014 when the odo was around 47000. I was told the coolant needs to be replaced every 1 lakh kms or 7 years, whichever is earlier. I'm not sure if they changed the recommendation later.