Hi Everybody

Not posted for ages. Been busy driving my ST around. Absolutely love it!!! Just got a few questions to ask about the ST as i've had a few little things happen that i'm not sure about.

Earlier on my way home from work, the sun was shining really low and bright straight into my eyes. I never saw the van in front of me brake, and so i had to slam the brakes on, and was a very scary moment as there was no where to swerve to. Thank god, i managed to stop just in time, practically a millimetre away. Anyway, when i braked very hard to stop, the hazard warning lights came up, and flashed about 3-5 times, and then went off. I am not sure whether this is supposed to happen? Maybe it is an ST safety feature? But the the car behind me was flashing me because he couldn't understand why the hazards came on and then went back off.

I have also found that driving in slow/slush/ice is a big NO-NO in the ST. When it was snowing the other day in Birmingham, i caught the side of the wheel on a piece of slushy ice on the road and i just felt the car glide along and felt like i had no control at all. Even though it was only for a few seconds, it was nerve-wracking.

I've also found that i cannot pull off at junctions or lights very fast. This is because when i pull off the car seems to wheel spin and skids. Its not until i am in 3rd gear or above, that i feel like the car is under my control. So many people seem shocked when i crawl away at traffic lights, they expect me to drive off like a nutter! lol.

My last question (sorry guys) is the reverse gear. I have had trouble since i got the ST with the reverse. It takes a good 3 times to put the clutch down and get it into gear properly. I even got my Dad to drive it and try it, and he said how difficult it was to slam it into reverse. I don't know whether this is so it is harder to accidently knock the car into reverse while driving, but i am just worried its gonna turn into a major gear box disatster! Does anyone else have trouble with their reverse?

Thanks for listening, lol

Sam

I used to drive a hyundai coupe before my and trust me, that was 10 times worse than the to bang into reverse. One solution ive found is, that if you go forwards a slight ammount (maybe a centimetre) it goes into reverse ALOT easier. I only have reversing problems when its been sat out over night, or i havent driven it in a couple of hours (maybe it sticks or something).

Also, as for wheelspinning - Take it very easy on the throttle, unless you want to spend alot on new tyres. Learn to control the clutch better, dont bring it up as much, or use less gas. Sometimes, when its icy/wet, all i do to start moving is slowly lift the clutch up and the car will start moving without the use of the throttle. Then just give it a little gas and bang it into 2nd. I always drive in 5th gear also..even on 30 roads. Hope this helps.

At least you dont own an mx-5 - I remember going into a slow curving bend when it was icy, and i made the mistake of accelerating half way round the corner, i was all over the road. Dont accelerate in a rear-wheel drive car whilst going round a corner (or any other for that matter (unless its a corsa)) in icy conditions. Lesson learned.

Question One: Hazard Lights

This is supposed to happen to alert the car behind that you are braking very hard and they should brake too.

I do this on the motorway if I have to brake hard and many others do also... I also use this is I have stopped or going dangerously slow due to traffic to alert the car approaching.

Question Two: Wheel Spinning

There is a nack of how much power to put on and how quickly to pull the cluch out. This all depends on road conditions.

In the summer the roads are warm and this makes them sticky for the low profile tyres to grip and bite.

In the winter the roads are cold and wet and traction for tyres is hard.

In order to get off the lights quickly you need to start off at around 2,500k of revs and then start pulling the clutch out sharpish whilst PLANTING your foot... you will need to do this in 2nd year also with the clutch to avoid wheel spin and to get maximim traction... but obviously you will be around 4k in revs if you are giving it some beans!!!

You should come along to one of our meets and i'll teach you how.

Question Three: Reverse Gear

This is an issue with most cars as the box has to reverse the drive. I have the same problem and i know many others do too. If you can't get it into gear... pump the clutch 3 times, fully up and down quickly... then try again... keep going this until it goes in... it will do.

If it crunches a little or makes a bit of a bang then don't worry, reverse is just difficult for the box to get into.

I hope this helps.

Hazards:
As Scotty said, this is a feature of face-lift STs. If you don't like it you can turn it off in the vehicle setting feature of your instrument cluster.

Wheelspinning:
There is quite a bit of torque for the very low ratio 1st gear so you will always get a bit of spin if your not careful with your clutch control, especially in the wet with our crappy P-Zeros, but it shouldn't be as bad as you are finding it TBH.....


so.....

Reverse Crunch,

...... This is quite common on IB5 gearbox and more so on Fiesta ST as the engine has double the torque at idle than the 1.25 or 1.4 engine that it's designed to be used with. There's alot of torque going through the idler shaft and you've got to stop it completely to engage reverse. Waiting for idle to settle for a few seconds helps, though I haven't had much trouble with reverse with either of my STs, or my Focus' for that matter!!

So.....

From what you are discribing with the snatchy clutch making you wheelspin all the time and the difficulty you are having engaging reverse gear, I would take the car in to get it checked out as it sounds to me like you may have a problem with the clutch or release bearing.

I'm not saying no other ST does what your does, but from the way you are describing the issue it sounds like yours is alot worse than others.

Hope this helps!!

Some very good points there Dave.

With my car it is entirely down to my own driving. I totally fried the last clutch. Over heated it and it melted which meant that it had to be changed and the current one is not brilliant.

I agree with the tyres on the The P-zeros are crappy and should be changed... but obviously this is an expensive option to keep replacing top class tyres... but I always have Good Year tyres put onto my Focus as they are brilliant and do a great job... unfortunatley don't last too long... but I know i'd have been into a million trees, through many hedges and probably down some ditches is I had chosen crappy tyres.

I always find if you go from neutral to first then to reverse it slips in easy

Thanks everyone!
Your all a great help! Am now able to pull away at junctions without wheel spinning - hooray!!! lol

Cheers
:-)