Electronic Diagnostics

Tracing and fixing faults in electronic engine management systems Ford squeezes amazing performance and fuel consumption figures from its threecylinder, 1.0-litre Ecoboost power units. Kim Henson and Edward Haggar take a close look at the diagnostic pros

It’s been almost 40 years since Ford’s baby front-wheel drive Fiesta hatchback was introduced to the UK. In those days, it ran with basic mechanical components and was powered by a conventional overhead valve pushrod engine. The model was an instant hit with buyers and has remained popular ever since – it was Britain’s best-selling car in 2016.

Over the last four decades, vehicle technology has moved on and today’s Fiestas incorporate up-to-the-minute mechanical components and electronic systems, including the power units employed. Ford’s Ecoboost engines are technically innovative and the company’s three-cylinder turbocharged petrol motors develop power and torque figures more normally associated with much larger capacity engines, in conjunction with impressively low fuel consumption and emissions. Ecoboost engines are found in many Fords produced since 2012, including the Focus, B-MAX, C-MAX and Fiesta.

The 1.0-litre unit is a twin overhead camshaft, three-cylinder, direct injection and turbocharged petrol engine. It incorporates a very compact cast-iron cylinder block, an exhaust manifold cast within the cylinderhead (aiding warm-up time and efficiency from cold starts) and an internallylocated cambelt, which runs within the engine’s oil.

The car used for this feature is a 2015 140PS version incorporating a stop-start system and smart battery charging. Our guide to this model’s engine and its Bosch MED 17 management system is Edward Haggar, master technician with Kwik Fit.