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-   -   My Blu-Monster- Ford Fiesta 1.6S Aquarius (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/69929-my-blu-monster-ford-fiesta-1-6s-aquarius-11.html)

Hi, its just a new showroom from same MPL. I see a fast deterioration in quality of service and promptness from MPL Ford for past 8-10 months. They constantly are trying to change some parts saying its worn out, their service as such is not good and incomplete many times. I also have a suspicion that they are trying to "seed" issues in car during service to replace parts during next service. I will soon post a detailed message on this observation.

joshdrive, which MPL service center did you go to? My first experience at CF was not good either. I was planning to take it to MPL next time. Have you brought this practice to Ford's attention? This practice is common in Maruti service centres as well.

Thanks for the heads up. CF is 5 minutes away from my house, so there is no chance of another one coming up in my neighborhood I guess.

I go to the one near Velachery (kannikapuram). 4 years back I tried MPL and CF and found CF slightly better than MPL. Since MPL is just 10 mints drive for me, I settled with MPL. They were just okay for me earlier. I see a clear change in the way they work for past 8-10 months. I am okay with dealers trying to change parts prematurely.Its just a business tactics to exploit a un-informed customer. But trying to plant issues in the car is very bad. Yes I am going to raise this to Ford.

And I agree with you that these practice are more to do with the dealers than the manufacturers. Its there in other brands like Maruti too. MPL themselves have dealership for Hundai in Chennai.

Please write a detailed report here as well.

Khivraj and Maruti Service Masters have been consistently badgering me to replace 'worn' parts as well. It's a common enough practice. But I don't think they are into 'seeding'. The Skoda A.S.S in Chennai is known to 'seed' and I sincerely hope MPL and CF are not following suit.

Hi the "common" practice that I mentioned among dealers is not the seeding part. Its the practice to change parts. Seeding is very bad and yes not many do this.I have done 10-12 services at the same MPL and I am observing this only for past 8 months.May be they had a ownership change recently. Yes I will write a detailed post here soon.

Guys, how good are the hand brakes in the Fiesta? Last evening, I was on a slightly sloping road waiting for the signal to change. I had engaged the hand brake firmly (not jammed it up to the hilt), but after a couple of secs, the car started rolling forward. I engaged the hand brakes again at more or less the same level, but this time there was a kadak sound and the hand brake disengaged on its own and the lever went down. I had to engage the hand brake again for the 3rd time and this time I really rammed it up and the car stayed put after that.

Anyone else thinks that the Fiesta hand brakes are slightly on the weaker side?

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Not experienced similar problem so far - many a times I used to pull only half the lever but never felt as you experienced.

Will try it specifically-to test this rolling matter when handbrake lever is pulled up half-way ?

Please try it on a good slope and let me know your feedback. Half way works for me as well on normal roads and slight inclines.

I havent felt any problem so far with the handbrake! Have parked it on very steep ramps with the handbrakes ON. But, I also have a practice of leaving it on gear to ensure a neat backup if the handbrakes fail!

Well its been 3 months since I have seen my car :D

@Gilead
I just took the car out.
infact I wanted to test my Tyre pressure gauge, which I got it today, is perfectly working or not. When I checked, the tyres of my car shown less air. So I filled up air using theTurbo Portable Air Compressor (first time using since bought it 6 months back) and again checked with the pressure gauge. I wanted to be sure the readings of this pressure gauge is correct. So I took the car to the nearest tyre shop and asked them to check the air pressure. It was correct as shown in my pressure gauge.
With full satisfaction on my recent purchase, I took the vehicle to nearby slope road(to check whether my car also rolling down when hand brake pulled on halfway),
stopped the car, pulled the hand brake to half way and removed the leg from the brake pedel. The car did not move even a centimetre. Again I released the handbrake
further down (25%-very minimum) and checked. Good, no rolling down of the car at all.

Wonder any of the other members had similar experience as what you had
in your car?. Otherwise suggest check with the workshop if any problem with the hand brake?

nairsaab, thanks for checking that. I will check again tonight at a steep ramp.

@ anachronix, what have you been driving these 3 months.. Tavera? :D

Am going to Spencer's now..have to go up to 3rd flr parking..the way up to 3rd floor - you cannot find more steeper climb that that - will check and confirm.

Great! I am going to try on a similar slope in my office later tonight. Try it like the way Nairsaab did.. 25%, 50% etc. But don't roll back and hit another car. lol:

Yeah yeah! This has made me more hungry for petrol power. Getting my car back from Bangalore this weekend :D.

Dear all,

Have conducted a test with regards to Fiesta handbrake's resistence vis-a-vis steep inclines/declines (>45 deg).

Pls note that there are a total of 5 loud "kadak" sounds which I can make out (the sound which comes out when lever is not pressed). Apart from these 5, I also felt some feeble "kadak" sounds, which are more of a "feel" rather than "audible".

Below please find the result of the experiment conducted, which are valid for both inclines & declines:

1st "kadak" - useless - as good as nothing

2nd "kadak" - slight resistance can be felt, but the vehicle moves

3rd "kadak" - with 1 passenger load, seems to hold steady, but will not trust it, if it's a question of life & death

4th "kadak" - rock solid, vehicle dead-on-track, waited for around 10 secs - no movement.

5th "kadak" - IMO, even on near-vertical slopes, this should work.

Conclusion - Min. 75% to be engaged, in case you are inside the car. In all other situation, pull it up as far as your biceps allow.

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This might be a situation where the notch (like the horizontal notch/lock in the front seats) in not fully engaged..when the wheel moves slightly, it might have disengaged.
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Nairji, thanks for the 3-in-1 experiment. I also have the air pump, but still to use the same.