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Cold start - car running like it's on 3 cyl for about 10 seconds

31K views 102 replies 31 participants last post by  FASTIR 555 
#1 ·
So i'm reading about this potential headgasket issue but i'm hoping this is unrelated. I've noticed 2-3 times now on cold start my car will idle like it's down a cylinder. Really rough for about 10 seconds then it clears up. Has anyone else experienced this?
 
#3 ·
i would think it'd throw a code if water was in the cylinder in any trace amount. pull your plugs and check
 
#4 ·
So i'm reading about this potential headgasket issue but i'm hoping this is unrelated. I've noticed 2-3 times now on cold start my car will idle like it's down a cylinder. Really rough for about 10 seconds then it clears up. Has anyone else experienced thi
might of caught it early go take it to dealer ask them to check the gasket
 
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#7 · (Edited)
#9 ·
#13 ·
What's the last 4 of your VIN out of curiosity?
 
#18 · (Edited)
I'm no mechanic but it looks like a HG issue, that was a ton of thick smoke. Did the exhaust smell different at all, like sweet maybe?

It sounded like a Subie engine until that last cylinder started firing and that could be a result of coolant seeping into the combustion chamber. If you haven't thrown a code yet maybe there hasn't been enough of an issue for the computer to throw one. You would think running on 3 cylinders would instantly throw a code though.

Nice that you have a video to document it now though. Time for a dealership trip.
 
#26 ·
I was gonna say you have no case since most provisions require at least 2 attempts to repair, but according to california lemon law:

(3) the vehicle is out of service because of the repair of any number of problems by the manufacturer or its agents for a cumulative total of more than 30 days since delivery of the vehicle.


So sounds like you have a case, but you are going to want to see a lawyer if you are truly serious about this.
 
#42 ·
30 days out of service in the first 1year and 12,000 miles is a breech of contract on ford's part. you will not get a new car or a buy back, you may end up settling out of court and taking a generous payment from ford with maybe a warranty thrown in + get to keep your amazing focus RS. that's a win in my book
 
#48 ·
My car continues to idle weird at cold start. It will run perfect for a min or so and when idle rpms starts to drop, the car almost acts like it has high lift cams. It would be cool if I didn't think it was bad! There is a definite lope in the idle for a few seconds and then it goes away, never to return. Smoke is absent, but some days condensation is plentiful. Coolant levels are at max. Does this sound familiar? I wouldn't describe it as misfiring or down a cylinder.
 
#50 ·
Car has been in the shop for 25 days now. No one knows anything. Can't get a headgasket, can't get a longblock, can't get a single answer from corporate. They call me once a week to tell me they know nothing. What a joke. Meanwhile, my car is torn down and i'm driving a base model focus.
 
#51 ·
I feel your pain man. I still don't understand why Ford can't stock a few spare parts / motors in the US for our cars. I thought it was going to be cool having a limited edition model, but not at the expense of the runaround everyone has to go through to get a new part. I know a few other members had to go through corporate to get something going on their repairs. Have you tried the same? (Sorry if you already stated it; didn't re-read the thread.)
 
#57 ·
Yep that sounds to me exactly like a blown head gasket. Another one bites the dust.

My car has been in the shop 28 days now and still zero answers from Ford. Total joke. I have zero idea whats happening so i made a call to corporate to request a buyback.
 
#56 · (Edited)
Was really hoping he caught the idle issues on camera so I could compare. How he described it as a cammed V8 is very similar to what I've experienced.

Edit - Nevermind... After listening closely a few times, I now hear what the fuss is about. He posted another video an hour ago that was better. Completely different from an issue that my car was doing. So I guess at least mine isn't the HG.
 
#58 ·
That doesn't sound good and the coolant level is indeed low.

Oh, and Justin...here's a new means of communication to show your mechanic.



Kind of a joke and kind of not. If there is an issue, I sure wouldn't want to be driving my car. Hope you're well taken care of and figure it out!
 
#63 ·
If I experience this I will immediately shut off the engine (if at home) and pull the plugs. Hopefully that will give an insight to the problem at hand. These engines have barely sufficient ignition energy to fire a partially fouled plug so any combination of minor issues will cause rough running cold. I have designed systems to put 1 amp with long duration across the spark plug every time and will run perfectly with very lean or rich mixtures. Large gaps and terrible plug life beside the point. 40,000 volts and 1 amp creates all sorts of other interference problems.

The engineers have done a very good job and will solve the issues at hand. Lots of problems will be due to the transition to summer fuel when the temp drops overnight.
 
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