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-   -   Ford Ikon 1.6 ZXi Petrol (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/106529-ford-ikon-1-6-zxi-petrol.html)

Finally I took the plunge and bought the Ford Ikon 1.6 yesterday.

It was owned by a friend of my brother's, and the mileage as well as history was genuine, which was a big reason for the decision. The car had clocked around 36k in about 10 years. It was mainly used within the city and no major accident. The paintwork was almost good as new.

After discussing the decision with family I took a train to Pune, standing all the way, to actually see the car in person. It's a maroon coloured sedan. A brief test drive and spot check revealed some minor issues, which the owner had himself disclosed to me over the phone a day earlier. Finally after a little deliberation I decided to go ahead.

Drove the car back to home in the night, being careful to keep the speeds at around 60-80kmph. After a short break for refreshments I tried accelerating in 4th gear for short bursts of overtaking, took the sweeping ghat curves at 60, went over some uneven patches of road, all of which I had already done many times in my Santro.

The experience in the Ikon was almost a world apart! The car stays planted on the curves, so no more bollywood-style swinging in the seats. Even in the fourth gear it's only a matter of seconds before the speedo climbs from 60 to 100 for short overtaking maneuvres. Brief patches of uneven surfaces are swallowed up by the car with ease, where my Santro would wobble around. I also found the brakes to be quite adequate, though the pedal feel is a little harder. The only part where the Santro beats the Ikon is the driver's seat. I need to learn acrobatics or yoga to be able to smoothly slide into or out of the Ikon's seat, though once settled in, it's pretty comfy. Santro, on the other hand, is much spacious in this regard.

The windshield however had round, cocentric lines right in front of the driver, which worsened the glare of oncoming headlights. Also the stock headlights were a tad inadequate, either the bulbs or the aiming could have been better.

Drove to office today in the new sedan. It's a wholly different feel managing the huge size with the teeny weeny wing mirrors, after having driven the Santro with its huge mirrors.

A list of issues which will be looked into on Saturday:

1. The rear passenger power window is not working (thankfully it's wound up all the way so no worries)
2. The horn stopped working right after we joined the expressway last night.
3. The right side ORVM has developed play, and does not remain in the position for long.
4. Right turn indicator does not lock (I have to keep it in position by hand). The left indicator locks easily.
5. When riding over speed breakers or going through craters, there is a rattle noticed from the front wheels. Don't know if it's the suspension or something else.
6. The tyres look original (which is scary as they must be 10 years old!). Though they have a lot of tread still left. Will take a decision after checking with the tyre shop.
7. The acceleration is not smooth, it's a little jerky. The accelerator cable probably needs lubrication.
8. Engine oil change (with semi-synthetic), oil filter replacement and air filter replacement, as well as spark plugs replacement are on cards. The manual advises spark plugs to be replaced at 40k, so I shall probably get it done right away.
9. Headlight bulb upgrade to either a better quality 55/60 or 90/100 with relay.
10. The gear lever has some play. Will see if it can be fixed.
11. Check and replace any bushes.

I hope this turns out to be a good case of lateral upgrade, and I hope to keep the car with me for another 3-4 years and make a lot of outstation trips in it. The only question is what do I do with my Santro. I obviously can't use both together. So I have to either sell it off, or keep it around for my bro to practice driving and then use.

Congrats on your purchase!..


Most times, a liberal amount of WD40 does the trick.

Be thankful. OE horns sucks. Spend 250 bucks, and get a pair if nice sounding aftermarket horns.

Costly to replace. IIRC, it costs ~2k. If you can live with it, then nothing like it.

10 years is quite a time for a suspension overhaul, if not previously done. If done, then please elaborate on the issue.
Whatever be the case, PLEASE CHANGE 10 year old tyres.
Please explain more.
:thumbs up. Add fuel filter, and complete fluid change. Ie, flush and replace the coolant oil, Gear Oil, PS Oil.
The Ikon doesnt need a relay for 100/90. If you install a relay, you will have to make a hole in the HL assembly, which will increase the probability of fogging.

dude, you didn't mention this, in your quiry in the used car thread.

btw, I guess the 1.6 mill in '01 too was ROCAM and not the pushrod?

Thanks for the replies, dhanushs.

As it's the rear passenger window, which most of the times will stay up, it's not a high priority. If it can be solved by WD40, great. If not, I shall leave it as it for now, specially if the motor assembly or some such part has to be replaced.

The horn sucked, however right now it's not at all blowing. So the first priority is to get it checked and make it working. I am suspecting it's the fuse, but will know more once I take it to an electrician. Am planning to do it asap as it's very important to have this one part working.

Right turn indicator: I am going to show this one to one of the local mechanics who had cleaned up and fixed my Santro combination switch. If he can do it, great. If he cannot, I shall push it down the list of priorities.

Suspension overhaul has NOT been done anytime by the previous owner, so I am guessing it's still stock. Will be taking my local mechanic on a test drive to have him find and fix the noise. The noise comes when the front wheels climb up the speed breaker, or down into a pothole. The noise is like the clanging of a few iron rods kept in the boot of a hatch.

Tyre change: Again a decision will be made on Saturday/Sunday.

Re the acceleration: Immediately after riding over a bump if I press the accelerator, the car seems to hesitate and then lurks forward. This results in a jerky ride. Once the accelerator is pressed in and held firm, the response is consistent. It's only the initial stage where I find the response is not consistent. I don't yet know if it's the accelerator cable which is not working smoothly or something else. Please note: There's no problem once the accelerator pedal is held down firmly. So it could be a case of me adjusting with the throttle input required.

Gear oil as per the owner's manual does not require replacement, ever. Going by my Santro's experience, I am going to leave the other fluids as they are, for now. Gear oil and PS oil are definitely not high on the list. Fuel filter is a good idea, I shall have the same checked and replaced if necessary.

Why do you say the Ikon doesn't need a relay for 100/90? The stock lights are 55/60, so wouldn't it need relays?

Another thing I noticed is about the tyre pressure. The manual mentions the tyre pressure in BARs, whereas we have moved on to PSI. I had a hard time converting the given pressure from BAR to PSI last night, so I went ahead with the attendant's recommended 30psi overall.

Now when I deciphered it, the pressures for the front and rear tyres are quite different, with the rears as low as 27 for upto 3 people, and as high as 41 for a full load! The front stays relatively within the range at 30 for upto 3 people, and jumps to 37 for a full load. Can someone confirm these pressures?

@honeybee

Congratulations of the Ford Ikon.

Please do share some pics of your new ride. I suppose you must have agood deal on the car, mind sharing it too. Would suggest you to give the nearest Ford service a visit and get it thoroughly checked for all the suspected and visible issues.

Are you planning to keep the Ikon and the Santro? You can use the Santro for the zipping around the city and Ikon for the highway drives cosidering the fact that Dombivli is far too crowded for taking out a sedan.

happy mile crunching and drive safely.

Hello ghodlur,

Thanks for the reply and the wishes. The deal was fixed at a little below 90k. I am planning to use the Ikon for the next month or so to get a feel of its handling and overall characteristics. So Santro will be earning some well deserved rest, at least for now.

Considering there's just a marginal difference in the FE between the two vehicles, I am more and more tempted to use the bigger car now. :)

Mile crunching has to wait for another month or so, for now. Then I am planning to put the Ikon to some good use.

Congrats on the ikon. It is a beast of a car. always keep maintenance in check attend to small things quickly before it worsens.

PS: she is a dream on the ghat sections. :)

Check if the power window motor is still functional. The power windows on the car is a major power drinker so try not to operate them without starting the car. To check for the power window motor working, start the car and engage the hand brake. Press the respective power window switch for the jammed window from the drivers console and look for a dimming Parking Brake light in the meter console. If it is showing sign of dimming, the motor is functional. It is probably just a jammed window. Do the same from the particular door switch. If the parking brake light is not dimming, it could be a motor or switch failure. I do not know the cost of the motor. The switch costs Rs. 400. Older Ikons do not have a illuminated switch.


This is a slightly different problem from what a majority of Ikon cars suffer. Most of them lock in place but won't auto return. Mine does not auto return for turning left. In your case, you might want to replace it or just try living with it. Holding the indicator stick can be annoying.

This could be an expensive fix if the repairs are carried out by Ford. First check if all the wheel nuts are secure.


I wonder what it is with car owners sticking to the original tires. My car had this too. The original MRF tires. 8 years old and still had some life in them. Not worth the risk. There is no need to consult a tire shop. You need new tires.

Either this or it could cost you. If the car is missing a beat, chance are the ignition coil is on its last legs. Rs. 4K. Take a look at the spark plugs.[/quote]


My car has this too. It is not a bother. The gears slot in without a problem so I left it at that.

I was surprised to see a Ikon thread in the "Test Drives and Initial ownership section".
Nice surprise though. I have 1.3 flair but call it greed or lust, I was hell bent that my friend buy a pre-owned 1.6 ikon or Fusion:D , so that I get to drive it more often.
My wish has so far not been realised though. But you enjoy the car!!
Have fun with it and you got a great deal, though the price is at par with market rates but glad that you got a pristine piece.

10 years old you said, is it a ROCAM Engine ? If yes, then nothig like it.
Please share some pics as well .

Going by Ikon's usual trait, I suspect the ignition coil.
honeybee, these oils have to be replaced not only km wise, but age wise too. My advice would be to change ALL the fluids, as you are intending to use the car for atleast 3-4 years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, and 10 years is a LONG time. Whatever the manual say. Prevention is better than cure. Believe me, you wouldnt wanna end up with an overheating engine, cos of clogged radiator. Or lack braking.
There is OE relay in the Ikon, which is quite capable of handling the extra wattage. OE holders are fine too. Also, as I mentioned, to install a relay, you will need to pierce the HL assy, which will, in most cases cause water logging.
For 175/70 - R13 tyres, the manufacturer recommended tyre pressure is Min Load - 32F, 30R
Max Load - 36F, 41R.

Same case for 175/65 - R14
Lower arm bush is shot for sure. Does the car feel wallowy?. If so, the shocks might be up for replacement as well. Going by the trait, the ball joint, might also be need replacement.

Thanks people, I am adding all these points to my inspection list for the workshop visit.

govigov, I haven't had the chance to really push the car to her limits in the ghats, but I do know it will be a breeze, specially after the Santro. I got a glimpse of it last night in my first drive. While I don't intend to take corners faster than is safe, it sure helps when you don't have to sway sideways :)

sandeepmohan, I don't think the car is mis-firing or missing a beat. I think you can compare it to the slight hesitation before a turbo kicks in. I shall still get the spark plugs checked and probably replaced. Regarding consulting a tyre shop, it's not only to confirm the existing tyres are 'tired', but also to check on the replacement. Since for the next month or so I won't be using the car much, and certainly not outside city limits, unless the tyres crumble, I am not in a mad hurry to replace. After all I have another car to look after too! The indicator problem I can live with if it's going to cost me a lot of money.

I don't know if it's a ROCAM engine. The manual simply mentions 1.6 l SOHC and the word ROCAM is nowhere mentioned, so I am assuming it's the pushrod one. (Update: I browsed on the net, and it seems the Ikon 1.6 was launched with a ROCAM engine, while the 1.3 was initially launched with a pushrod engine and later again with the ROCAM engine. Here are two links for more info:
http://www.indiacar.com/roadtest/for...nxt/engine.htm
http://www.cybersteering.com/cbmain/...s/Ikonsxi.html
So it seems I do have the ROCAM engine. Any other way to find out? The top of the engine does not show ROCAM written on it.)

dhanushs, I shall try and get the ignition coil checked too. About the other fluids, you are right that they actually might be 10 years old. However I have observed that the brakes are quite capable, and there's been no overheating throughout my last night's driving. So I am putting this task off till next month. I do hope to get this done before I really start whipping her.

For the 175/70 R 13 tyres, the manual mentions for upto 3 people, front pressure should be 2.0 bar and the rear 1.8 bar. For a full load, the front pressure is 2.5 bar while the rear is 2.8 bar. This is identical to the 1.8 l Endura (diesel) variant of the Ikon.

The car doesn't feel "wallowy", but I shall still try and get a thorough inspection of the suspension, steering, joints and all the bushes.

Funny, last night as we drove out of Pune, we halted at a Shell petrol pump (just after Hinjewadi signal, on the way to Mumbai) to fill up the tank. As I got down the attendant asked if I wanted the ordinary one or the premium. After I chose ordinary he put the nozzle into the tank, asked me to confirm the zero reading and just before starting to pump it in, asked, "You sure it's petrol?" I was surprised and nodded.

Later when going into the second foodmall, just before the khalapur toll plaza, I mistakenly entered the petrol pump area. I decided to drive through the pumps. Since there were cars waiting to refuel and attendants roaming about I slowed down to a crawl. An attendant, mistakenly believing I wanted to refuel, asked me, "Diesel, isn't it?" I shook my head in surprise, again. Both of them suspected it was a diesel car, dunno why.

Any advice on the tiny mirrors? I would really love to put something even a tad bigger in their place. Also the right side ORVM is very loose. It keeps moving forth a little on its own as I drive.

Congrats honeybee on the 1.6ZXi. You'll be amazed at the high way & ghat section handling characteristics of the Ikon after being in Santro.:Cheering:
There's a simple remedy to getting in & out of an Ikon. When getting out slide the seat back a bit (I go all the way back):) and once you're back inside, you can adjust it to your position. It might be a problem in the begining, but trust me adjusting the slider is far more comfortable than trying to squeeze in.

Thanks Avinash for the advice. I have already remarked I found the Ikon much much better than the Santro, which again is no surprise at all.

I am not too happy with pushing the seat back and pulling it forth every time I decide to get out of and into the car. I guess I shall try and train my body into this acrobatic feat.

:thumbs up
It's entirely upto you though, I've been doing that on my Ikon for 6 years and there's no complaints on that so far. If your concern was for the longevity or usability of the seats, as a result of sliding in and out; do not worry- I can vouch for 6 years of hard use:).

Here's the To Do list so far:

1. Horn
2. RHS ORVM
3. Right Turn Indicator
4. Underbody Noise (All bushes/tie rod ends/suspension)
5. Air filter
6. Engine oil + Oil filter
7. Fuel filter
8. Accelerator cable lubrication
9. Spark plugs check/replace
10. Left passenger power window check/repair
11. Ignition coil check/replace
12. Brake pads/liners check/replace
13. Brake fluid replace
14. Coolant replace
15. Gear lever play check/correct
16. Tyres check/replace
17. Headlight bulb upgrade

I shall be carrying out these tasks over the next month or so as time permits, since I am not really planning on long drives till Sept. First on the list of priorities will items which can be quickly checked/fixed, such as the horn, spark plugs, air filter and so on. Amongst the fluid changes, engine oil will be done asap, followed by other fluids. Suspension and brakes would best be done together. Tyres will be a parellel activity.

Congratulations on the purchase dear. Wish you happy miles ahead.
Expecting the snaps of the beauty.

I'm not getting your point here. Could you please clarify?