Squeaking Pipe in the Engine Bay:
Noticed after a few thousand miles that whenever I’d shut either front door; a short, high pitched metallic squeak would come from the engine bay. I then started to notice it inside whilst driving over small frequency bumps too.
(it’ll require the volume turned up a bit)
External:
It seemed to worsen when the weather was warmer, so when I took it down to the dealer on a rainy day – I couldn’t replicate it !!
After having a nosey though, the culprit was identified to be this metal rod/tube:
Engine Bay:
It looks like it works it way from what might be the intercooler up front -> towards the back end of the engine -> to the firewall/windscreen base. That’s all I can deduce it down to!
It says ‘ST’ on the label so I’m not sure if that indicates an ST only fitment/part.
But if you work your way down, there’s a plastic plug there that obviously comes short of its intended fitting as its just hanging there being useless!
All I’ve done is rotate that plug round to face up, and that seems to have done the trick – has it become a balancer weight…?
Puncture:
After the brief blast on the roads near the Peak District, I ended up smacking the front driver’s wheel coming off a kerb in the dark/heavy rain. The next morning, driving down the road with the car pulling the steering wheel to 1 o’ clock; I came to find this disfigured tyre.
Pumped up the tyre, nursed the car to the local Kwik-Fit in Manchester and….no Bridgestones available! Turns out they ended their contract with them and hence never kept any in stock. And so, with it being a Sunday, there was no other way of getting home other than being on the Space-saver.
*Sigh!* I’m in the fastest car I’ve ever had and I’m stuck at 50mph on the M6… Have you ever had old people in a Xsara Picasso wondering why you’re making them overtake?!
In all fairness to my local Kwik Fit the following day, they ordered the tyre in the morning and had it fitted by end of play. A Bridgestone Potenza RE050A = £105
Spec: Fiesta ST-2 Engine: 1.6T Petrol, 197bhp, 214lb ft Transmission: 6 Speed Manual Mpg: Official: 47.9mpg Achieved: 39mpg Performance: 0-62mph: 6.9 Secs, 139mph Colour: Molten Orange Running Period: Summer 2013 - Autumn 2014, 17,500 Miles Options: Cruise Control, 15" Spare Wheel, Rear Centre Head Restraint, Adjustable Boot Floor, Style Pack (Rado Grey Alloys, Red Brake Calipers, Illuminated Scuff Plates), Convenience Pack (Keyless Entry, Folding Door Mirrors & Puddle Lights), Auto-Lights/Wipers, Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror.
