[Mustang.101]

Originally Posted by scorpio07

@mustang: This is the third part to be replaced under warranty. first was braking pad, then timing cable and now the stabiliser bar. Any idea why these parts would wear out so soon? its been a year and a day since i got hold of my car. Driven about 12500kms so far, and mainly within cities through proper roads and not on bumpy onesnor bad roads.
When i asked what could have been the reason, they didn't have a proper answer for all the replacements. I sincerely hope this is one off case and will be the last of replacements for worn out parts for me

On another note, i have seen a number of figo's with Apollo Acceler tyres on newer cars. Didn't they stop using Apollo tyres earlier due to some fault? i earlier had those but due to the pulling of the car it was replaced early on.

I believe the brake pad was also replaced for reasons of either sound/vibrations, right?

Anyways whatever the reason is, mechanics and service advisors mainly rely on hit & trial method to check your car for problems that you mention. This is the case in most car workshops. I am sure at least 2 of these parts were replaced unnecessarily.

I will give you an example of what the person in South City Ford told me when i told him that my battery is discharged and not charging and i had checked myself that the alternator was working. He told me "Your stereo is draining the battery and it has to be removed and then this condition has to be eliminated before we call for a replacement battery".

My reply to him was "You're an idiot, This is a "Ford branded" OEM product and has been put in Lacs of vehicles so far and hence this is not the cause, moreover i have not played music on the stereo for the past month and this problem started occurring in the last 7 days". He still refused to give me a new battery and I then used my sources a bit to source a new battery from ford india and then told him that the bloody battery had a dead cell and that his behavior has been duly acknowledged by ford india. Till date that job card has not been cleared at south city ford and inquiries are going on.

[Deep Blue]

Originally Posted by scorpio07

Noise is like a metal to metal noise sort of distinct 'dunk' sound,
I was informed that the stabiliser bar on the suspension had become weak and had to be replaced ( under warranty ).

Why should a weak stabiliser bar cause metal to metal grinding sound

I have a similar sound from the time I bought the car. So bad roads shouldnt be the problem. I got three different diagnoses.-dashboard rattle, caliper rattle and brake pad play-However nothing has worked. Now a weak stabiliser bar!

Originally Posted by Mustang.101

Anyways whatever the reason is, mechanics and service advisors mainly rely on hit & trial method to check your car for problems that you mention.

The service advisors at my dealer act surprised or dumbfounded when asked about the sounds being common in many Figos.
Myself, a technical noob, going through Tbhp pages, knows what are the common figo problems and even solutions to some.
But these guys at the workshop who probably see one figo/day atleast refuse to accept it. Dont they have any system to compile, collate and review common problems.
Waiting for the warranty period to get over. Our local mechanics are smarter I feel.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by kiku007

12 kmpl means a dte figure of 500+ for a full tank hhhm wonder how you are able to extract that kind of mileage in city. My 1.6 dte hovers around 380 most of the time and once in a blue moon around 450 with city plus highway.

Very unusual. Even when I drive with a heavy foot, my DTE was never below 470. It normally shows 490 to 500 in city driving, and between 520 to 600 on highway drives, which are rare.

Originally Posted by Mustang.101

Although i do not see the DTE that much on my fiesta 1.6, as i believe DTE to be more accurate in diesel cars. But i never get less than 9 kmpl on my fiesta in the city, no matter how i drive. Maybe its the Delhi roads and excess traffic in Chennai.

I've never got below 10.5 in my last 49 months of ownership.
I agree with you that the Figo 1.6 ought to give 13 in city driving, owing to its lighter weight.

[kiku007]

vnabhi - That's music to my ears. The best city mileage I've got is during the winter, around 10 in city. Not more than that. Am I being brutal or my car a drunkard?

BTW I forgot to mention in my highway review of the Figo, the brakes were not as good as the Fiesta (Both cars with ABS). Infact my friend who drove the Fiesta while I took the Figo was surprised to know that cars can stop so quick. So what differentiates the braking between the two cars?

[Deep Blue]

Originally Posted by kiku007

BTW I forgot to mention in my highway review of the Figo, the brakes were not as good as the Fiesta (Both cars with ABS). Infact my friend who drove the Fiesta while I took the Figo was surprised to know that cars can stop so quick. So what differentiates the braking between the two cars?

I too am not very happy with Figo's brakes. The Punto's brakes seem more eager.

[wildsdi5530]

Recently, while in Chennai, stuck in traffic in Perungalathur, a sand laden lorry which was to my right wanted to get off the road and drive on the shoulder. as he was turning, I knew he couldn't make it and was honking desperately. the cleaner was looking out of the window and saw the lorry hit the right fender and pull off the front bumper. There was nowhere to go as if I had cut left, I'd have crushed a 2-wheeler. Traffic started moving and I was right behind him. At the next police beat in about 50 mts, I complained to the 2 traffic policemen. They said they could not do anything and to just drive on. A little further, I saw a patrol vehicle with an inspector in it. I stopped and showed him the lorry and told him of the incident. He told me that nothing could be done without an FIR and adviced me to go to a traffic police station about 5km away in Pallavaram. Not convinced, I called up the police control and was told I could give a complaint in Aynavaram, which is 25km away, but my destination, so I proceded there. Halfway through, I recieve a call telling me that I had to go to Pallavaram only, As it was late and me, wife and baby had not yet had dinner, I asked if I could come the next day. I was told the contact person's name and asked to come b/w 1 and 2 pm. Next day, was told that It was lunch time and that the concerned person will not come as the world cup finals were that day.
Fine, decided that This is not going to work, and returned home to Tirunelveli. The small dent I can live with, the bumper needs to be refixed. Second shock, The ford guys say that they will not refix the bumper as it is dented, they can only replace it. I go to a local mechanic, and find that they need a propritery screw driver to remove the mud flap. I can still live with it except for the noise.
Kindly advice.

[gharika]

Got First Service Done on my Ford Figo TDCi Titanium for the cost of Engine Oil and Fuel Filter (1350 approx). Found that the Ford puts in a Shell engine oil with Petrol Specifications in the diesel too (Shell Helix HX7 AF 5W-30 API SG). Is that OK? They have a HX5 10W-30 SL for the petrol variants. I was of the belief that Diesel Engine oils have a C specification/rating like CG/CH or similar. Also, 5W-30 specifications does not seem to be appropriate for the kind of temperatures that we in the North drive in (5 in winter to 48 in summer). Can any body please shed some light on this.

Other things that happened at the service station (Bhagat Ford, Chandigarh):
1. Got my first scratch on the bumper with some one moving a metallic item in front of the stationary car. Shoddy touchup done on complaint
2. Poorly washed, poorly wiped, Wheel covers taken off for wash on complaint, but the rims only wiped with a cloth, don't know how good the under body is cleaned. The engine, mud flaps and the wheel wells still had dust on them after the wash.
3. Found that the oil filter (Motorcraft 2569-6714AB, Thailand made) is not a single unit that is screwed on like in most other cars, its only the inside filter that is changed and the outer shell is a plastic unit that is reused (might introduce dust into the engine oil while changing).
4. Water sprayed on the inside of the doors, seats
Overall: Disappointing
Will try the other Ford Service center for the second service.

[scorpio07]

Originally Posted by Mustang.101

I believe the brake pad was also replaced for reasons of either sound/vibrations, right?

Anyways whatever the reason is, mechanics and service advisors mainly rely on hit & trial method to check your car for problems that you mention. This is the case in most car workshops. I am sure at least 2 of these parts were replaced unnecessarily.

Till date that job card has not been cleared at south city ford and inquiries are going on.

You are right, there was squeaking from the brake pads, i had complained 3 earlier i guess they just found the easy way.

Second one was the timing cable, when u rev the engine at about 2.5-3k rpm i heard a humming noise, they acknowledged it and replaced it. No answer as to why they will have to replace it. Totally beats me.

Ford needs to educate more else i wouldn't surprised if people think that Ford is using substandard quality products to lower the price of the car.

[Mustang.101]

Originally Posted by scorpio07

Second one was the timing cable, when u rev the engine at about 2.5-3k rpm i heard a humming noise, they acknowledged it and replaced it. No answer as to why they will have to replace it. Totally beats me.

This was a proper replacement as it was done on my swift also when the humming noise had started at about 8K kms mark.

Yes i also agree with your other remarks.

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Very unusual. Even when I drive with a heavy foot, my DTE was never below 470. It normally shows 490 to 500 in city driving, and between 520 to 600 on highway drives, which are rare.



I've never got below 10.5 in my last 49 months of ownership.
I agree with you that the Figo 1.6 ought to give 13 in city driving, owing to its lighter weight.

The Figo is pretty heavy. The Titanium petrol weighs a healthy 1090 kg. This car is for those who enjoy driving and seek performance & driving pleasure. Mileage would not be the prime concern for these petrol-heads.

[Sheel]

I was checking out ACI's Car guide and learnt that Figo has two trip-meters. But I am yet to discover the other one.

Any of you?

[figo_united]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I was checking out ACI's Car guide and learnt that Figo has two trip-meters. But I am yet to discover the other one.

Any of you?

There's only 1. unless there is some tweak to get the other one?
May be they got confused with the DTE as the 2nd one?

[Diesel lover]

Got a highway mileage of 17.1 kmpl (zxi diesel) with 100% AC (Blower position 1) driving at speeds of 100-130 kmph. Have completed 4400 kms so far. March 2010 model.

[KiloAlpha]

I have a Petrol Titanium. Recently did a Bangalore-Udupi-Bangalore trip.

I got a highway mileage of 15.6 kmpl. I was driving at around 80-100 kmph steady on the flatter stretch between Bangalore and Sakleshpur, and like a rally driver between Sakleshpur and Manipal.
AC was on 75% of the time, set one notch less than full cooling.

Boy, am I pleased!!

[Mustang.101]

Originally Posted by Diesel lover

Got a highway mileage of 17.1 kmpl (zxi diesel) with 100% AC (Blower position 1) driving at speeds of 100-130 kmph. Have completed 4400 kms so far. March 2010 model.

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

I have a Petrol Titanium. Recently did a Bangalore-Udupi-Bangalore trip.

I got a highway mileage of 15.6 kmpl. I was driving at around 80-100 kmph steady on the flatter stretch between Bangalore and Sakleshpur, and like a rally driver between Sakleshpur and Manipal.
AC was on 75% of the time, set one notch less than full cooling.

Boy, am I pleased!!

Nice fuel efficiency guys, but you could have got a lot more if you were travelling at constant legal speeds ie. 80 kmph and with a gentle foot, but then again, boys have to have fun.