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My husband was driving my Ford Focus. Said nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Then all of a sudden the engine failure service now came up on the screen and the car shut off! The wording may have been a little different I wasn’t there. What is wrong with my car?
Answer: I have never seen a warning light or message that says “engine failure, service now”. If you can get the problem to happen again and then tell us exactly what it said would be helpful. I would take a guess that it said something like low oil or engine overheating- engine failure may occur, or something like that. So, check the oil level, check coolant level, drive your car and see what the warning is.
I have a 2006 ford focus zx3. When I needed a new alternator, the mechanic told me that I had to buy a more expensive alternator because my car is (apparently) “california equipped.” Is it true that if my car is equipped for California emissions, I will always need to buy a special alternator? This is what they told me, saying that it had to be specially ordered and more expensive.
There are many reasons a vehicle will do what you are describing. An engine that just shuts off can be caused by something as simple as a blown fuse or sensor has gone bad, to something as major as a computer went bad or the engine has failed.
You need to have some basic diagnostics done. Have the computer scanned for trouble codes. Check for spark and fuel pressure.
This general problem cannot be answered here in a forum post without some more information. Sorry. There are just too many variables.
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