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Old 20th October 2019, 15:43   #1006
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post

I have a question for other 1.6 Fiesta owners---at what odo reading did you have to change the clutch? Mine has been showing signs of a mild judder in 1st gear for the past year, but nothing serious. The FE has not dropped either. However, I don't want to ignore it for long. I remember changing the clutch plates on my Waggie when the odo was 77000 kms.

Another question--when did you have to change the shocks and struts? I am running on the stock ones so far. The suspension feels fine, but it is also possible that I have got used to the worn out suspension, and hence not noticing anything amiss. Any pointers?

Thanks in advance.
Judder is mostly due to uneven surface of the pressure plate. Replace it when the clutch starts to slip.
I replaced the front struts at 110k kms when the RH side leaked out. Rear suspension is still stock.
(Mine is a Diesel)

Maybe we can catch-up over a weekend ?
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Old 20th October 2019, 23:51   #1007
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by interc00led View Post
Judder is mostly due to uneven surface of the pressure plate. Replace it when the clutch starts to slip.
I replaced the front struts at 110k kms when the RH side leaked out. Rear suspension is still stock.
(Mine is a Diesel)

Maybe we can catch-up over a weekend ?
Sure, let us catch up sometime. Thanks for your response. I've heard about you from a4anurag.
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Old 21st October 2019, 16:47   #1008
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Looks like I finally have an issue. While heading to work an hour ago, I stopped at KBR traffic signal for the red light, but I suddenly noticed bluish fumes coming out from the engine bay from behind the right headlamp. I immediately stopped the engine (AC was anyway off), and opened the engine bay. I could smell burning fumes coming from behind the engine block, but stopped in a few seconds.

Not taking chances, I took a U turn and reached FASS in Sanath Nagar, without AC or even blower, The temp needle was normal though.

Upon reaching Vibrant Ford, the SA said it looks like a power steering fluid leakage from the container, not the hose. The car is now under observation, and it can be checked only after the engine bay cools down. I guess the plastic container got a crack after 12.5 years, which may not be abnormal. I hope they have the part in stock, and wonder how much it will cost.

Will update this thread by evening. Fingers crossed.
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Old 21st October 2019, 18:13   #1009
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Got the car back in an hour. Total damage was Rs 1154.

All seems well as I drove to work without any other issue.

My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!-img_20191021_172908.jpg
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Old 21st October 2019, 19:29   #1010
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

I forgot to mention that it was a coolant reservoir leak, not a power steering fluid container leak.

The cost was Rs 490 for the reservoir and Rs 450 for coolant. The rest was GST.

There is now a question that why the temperature gauge showed a normal reading despite losing coolant. Perhaps the leak had just started, and had I driven to work, the needle would have shot up to indicate over-heating? God knows!
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Old 22nd October 2019, 13:00   #1011
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
I forgot to mention that it was a coolant reservoir leak, not a power steering fluid container leak.

The cost was Rs 490 for the reservoir and Rs 450 for coolant. The rest was GST.

There is now a question that why the temperature gauge showed a normal reading despite losing coolant. Perhaps the leak had just started, and had I driven to work, the needle would have shot up to indicate over-heating? God knows!
It all depends upon how much coolant was lost.
Was there any coolant left in the tank when it was being removed for replacement ?

Also, how old are the coolant hose ?

Can you please attach a copy of the bill ?

Last edited by interc00led : 22nd October 2019 at 13:07.
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Old 22nd October 2019, 16:33   #1012
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by interc00led View Post
It all depends upon how much coolant was lost.
Was there any coolant left in the tank when it was being removed for replacement ?

Also, how old are the coolant hose ?

Can you please attach a copy of the bill ?
There was coolant left in the container before it was replaced. I remember the coolant was replaced 5 years ago, and they had charged me 1200 rupees for it. So I guess I might have lost around 1/3rd of the coolant.

The hose, to my knowledge, was replaced with the coolant tank at that time.

I'll upload a copy of the bill soon.
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Old 22nd October 2019, 17:30   #1013
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
There was coolant left in the container before it was replaced. I remember the coolant was replaced 5 years ago, and they had charged me 1200 rupees for it. So I guess I might have lost around 1/3rd of the coolant.

The hose, to my knowledge, was replaced with the coolant tank at that time.

I'll upload a copy of the bill soon.
The coolant needs to be replaced every 2-3 years in Indian conditions. The Fiesta manual specifies "Engine coolant need to be replaced at every 1,60,000 kms or 5 years" but that might be a bit too much in hot weather like we have here.
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Old 22nd October 2019, 18:48   #1014
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Bill attached below

My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!-img_20191022_181025.jpg
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Old 22nd October 2019, 22:43   #1015
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Quote:
Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
There was coolant left in the container before it was replaced. I remember the coolant was replaced 5 years ago, and they had charged me 1200 rupees for it. So I guess I might have lost around 1/3rd of the coolant.

The hose, to my knowledge, was replaced with the coolant tank at that time.

I'll upload a copy of the bill soon.
Consider replacing these coolant hoses- lower radiator hose, upper radiator hose and reservoir to block hose.
It's a cheap insurance since this set of 3 hose costs less than 1k.
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Old 23rd October 2019, 08:09   #1016
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
Bill attached below
Looks like Ford have done really well on keeping service costs in check for the old Fiesta. A repair like this would cost nothing less than 5k if it were a Ford Ikon.
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Old 23rd October 2019, 23:03   #1017
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by sandeepmohan View Post
Looks like Ford have done really well on keeping service costs in check for the old Fiesta. A repair like this would cost nothing less than 5k if it were a Ford Ikon.
That's right. But I believe the new Aspires and Figos are even cheaper when it comes to part costs.

The old Fiesta does have some parts that are costly, like the drive / accessory belts. They cost Rs 1700 when compared to Rs 600 for the new Fords. I believe the ones for the Fiesta are imported from Thailand.

I also remember paying Rs 2500 or so for the windshield fluid container around 2 or 3 years ago. That does seem expensive, don't you think so?
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Old 25th October 2019, 03:03   #1018
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
That does seem expensive, don't you think so?
It is.

The high upkeep costs from the past is something that keeps people away from Ford, from what I make of it. I see no other reason why their current gen Figo does not sell as much as it should. As a package, it is superior to pretty much anything else out there.
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Old 25th October 2019, 10:35   #1019
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by sandeepmohan View Post
It is.

The high upkeep costs from the past is something that keeps people away from Ford, from what I make of it. I see no other reason why their current gen Figo does not sell as much as it should. As a package, it is superior to pretty much anything else out there.
You've hit the nail on the head. And with the current news of Ford starting a JV with Mahindra, sales might be impacted further.
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Old 11th January 2020, 23:18   #1020
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
But after reading a thread on this forum on how to check Engine Oil, I thought of giving it a try. When i checked the engine oil level early morning, I was surprised to see that the level was at the minimum notch of the dipstick. I checked an hour after reaching work, and found it to be at the same level. As the car was serviced in March, and had done only 3000+ kms, I was a bit worried. I placed newspaper beneath the engine bay at home and also at work, but there was no sign of spillage! This confused me even more.

As the next service was more than 6 months away, I did not want to take a chance. I visited Vibrant Ford and got it checked. They confirmed that oil was indeed low, but that it was not abnormal. I told them that last year also, I had got them to elevate the car to check for any leaks, and none were found. They had topped up a liter of oil then, and the car had done 5000+ kms after the prior service. So I declined their suggestion of leaving the car and getting a thorough scan done. I asked them to top up the oil in my presence, and they put in around 900 ml of engine oil. They also said that it was normal for oil level to drop after a few thousand kms. They also said it changes consistency over time.
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Originally Posted by Jeroen View Post
Anything up to 1 litre per 1000 tends to be considered as "normal". Obviously, if it is leaking out, you might want that seen to. But if it disappears through the exhaust don't worry. Luv oil is a whole lot cheaper than an engine overhaul!

Jeroen
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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post

Also, about seals, well, the parts are not expensive but it is a labour intensive replacement. You know that saying "chaar ane ki murgi baara ane ka masala". People need to weigh the benefits vs the risks.


If one is regular with oil changes using mid to high quality mineral/synthetic oil & filter changes one does not need to flush the engine.
The mystery of oil decreasing seems to have been unraveled. I visited Vibrant Ford to get my suspension checked because i was getting a clunky sound while turning the steering just after an early morning start for the past few weeks. Also, sometimes the steering would turn a bit more than intended. I suspected worn tyres or drive shaft bushes.

The test drive revealed minor issues cropping up with the link rods. I'd changed the stabilizer bars 2 years ago when the odo was 70000 kms, and the tie rods and bushes 5 years ago when the odo was 48000 kms. With the odo now at 80400 kms, the link rods were beginning to wear out. i am not sure if they are the same as tie rods, but the SA gave me the option of having them changed later, as he felt they were fine. This apart, the issue was only during early morning starts, when turning perpendicular right from my parking spot.

I also asked them to check the engine oil level, as the car was driven around 3700 kms after the last service in April. That is when the SA found it was at the minimum mark of the dipstick. I told him I was facing this issue for the past 2 years, but earlier inspections did not reveal any leak. Therefore, he got the car elevated for an inspection.

This time we did find a minor oil lead under the oil sump, but not originating from it. Further inspection with a torch light indicated that it was leaking from far above. They then suspected that it was leaking from the valve seal/ gasket on the engine. They advised me to top up a liter of oil and give the car to them next week for a thorough inspection, as they had too many cars that day. I felt relieved that the mystery of oil loss was discovered after 2 years. As the car is nearly 13 years old, i guess it is normal for seals to leak.

I'll update the thread after the repairs next week. I will post pictures of the lead after downsizing a couple of photos.

Images below:

My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!-img_20200109_120705min.jpg

My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!-img_20200109_120819min.jpg

Last edited by vnabhi : 11th January 2020 at 23:23.
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