2005 Ford Focus Clicking Noise

Tiny
MIKEJ1206
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 135,000 MILES
Ok in my wifes 05 focus every once in a while I hear a clicking noise repeatedly from what sounds like under the hood or somewhere under the dash. When this happens my lights dim the radio cuts in and out and my car hesitates when pressing on the gas. If I turn my car off while its doing this then it cuts everything off. No lights, no radio no nothing and it seems like the anti-theft turns on preventing me from turning on the car. When it comes back to life my radio has been reset and shows back to 12: 00 o clock like all power in the car went out. But when this clicking noise isnt happening my car works fine. This problem has become an issue pretty much every time we drive it. A couple times, after I have turned the car off there's been a separate clicking noise under the hood and I've had to unplug something (see picture) to get it to stop. After a while I plug it back in and it's not making the noise anymore. Oh yeah, the clicking noise is coming from behind the drivers side of the dash, far left side. I would really appreciate any help I can get, thanks
Thursday, November 12th, 2015 AT 5:00 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,184 POSTS
Follow the smaller positive battery wire to the under-hood fuse box and be sure that connection is clean and tight. Also follow the smaller negative wire to the body and be sure that connection is tight and not rusty.
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Thursday, November 12th, 2015 AT 8:01 PM
Tiny
MIKEJ1206
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
I checked all those connections and they were all fine, no corrosion on any of the terminals and it seems like there is a solid connection on the negatives and positives. I took the fuse box completely out and all of the wires are wrapped together and run inside the bottom of the fuse box so I couldn't tell if there was a bad connection inside of it or not
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Friday, November 13th, 2015 AT 5:17 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,184 POSTS
Forget underneath. The real common problem is where the positive wire bolts to the fuse box.

Next, you need to measure voltages at various places when the problem is occurring. Turn on the head lights and heater fan so current is trying to flow. Measure the voltage right on the battery posts. You should have close to 12.6 volts. Now move the meter probes to the cable clamps on those posts. You should see exactly the same voltage. Move the negative probe to a paint-free point on the engine or transmission, then on a paint-free point on the body, like a bolt head or something like that. You should still see the same voltage. Move the positive probe to the stud on the fuse box, not the cable end.

You're looking for the first place the voltage is lower. That will be the point that needs to be cleaned and / or tightened. These measurements are only valid if the problem is occurring.
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Friday, November 13th, 2015 AT 7:40 PM
Tiny
MIKEJ1206
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
I haven't been able to look at it again but I drove the car for the first time yesterday since I tried checking the connection to the fuse box. I had to drive out of town and made an about a 70 mile round trip and didn't have a single problem with it. I'm pretty sure the connection was bad like you said. I'll look under there again first chance I get and find where the positive bolts to the fuse box and make sure everything is good. Thanks so much for your help!
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Sunday, November 15th, 2015 AT 5:28 AM

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