Troubleshooting

As per any car the Ford Puma has it's troubles on occasions and the items below are some of the common problems that people may come across. If your problem is not covered here I would recommend visiting the WIKI section on the Pumapeople website - Pumapeople WIKI

Rusty Rear Arches

Rusty Arch Even the last Pumas off the production line are now around 6 years old so rust can be an issue. Generally the Puma's not too bad but the one common area is the rear arches, as per many Fords. Unfortunately there is a lip inside the rear arches that collects moisture and this leads to rust bubbling through to the surface.

One solution is to have the area treated and then resprayed but this resolution will only be temporary and you will find that ultimately yu have wasted your money as the rust bubbles through again.

The only solution is to have the rusty area cut out and new metal welded in. Such a repair will cost approximately £300 per side.

Reprogramme Remote Key

If the battery on your key dies it will lose its settings and the key will have to be reprogrammed. There are two types of key available with the Puma; 2 key and 3 key. Please see instructions below on how to reprogramme the key.

2 Button Key

Turn the ignition switch from the OFF to the ON position four times within three seconds to enter the learning mode.
Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position. The central security module will remain in the learning mode for 20 seconds, indicated by the LED in the instrument panel being illuminated continuously.
Press any button on the remote key being programmed. When the signal from the remote key, is accepted by the central security module, the LED will flash.
To program additional keys, repeat step 3, with a 2 second delay after the LED flashes.
To exit the learning mode, turn the ignition switch to the ON position. If no key signal is received by the central security module for 20 seconds, the system will automatically exit the learning mode.
Test the key to see if it worked.

3 Button Key

Turn the ignition switch from position I to position II at least four times in six seconds.
Turn the ignition switch to position I.
The central security module is now in the learning mode.
Press and hold one of the buttons on the remote key until a chime sounds. This indicates a new key code has successfully received.
After each successful programming, another 10 second learning mode is automatically entered, up to a maximum of four times.
To program additional keys, repeat step 5.
The system will leave the learning mode after the ignition switch is turned to position III, or if no new key is programmed during the 10 seconds, or if four remote keys have been programmed.

Disintegrated Steering Wheel

The leather on the steering wheels can go horrible and sticky with use. Some steering wheels can be cleaned to improve the appearance, if this doesn't work they onlt way around it is to purchase a replacement. A new steering wheel can be quite expensive so keep an eye out on Ebay, this is where I purchased a replacement. For some colour schemes on older Pumas it can be hard to match the colour, especially with the Elchemy Blue interior plastic.

Crunch Grind Noise from Cold

What's that crunching sound when I pull away from cold? Don't worry, nothing's wrong! With every cold start, at approx 13mph, a Puma with ABS will do a self test.

This ABS test makes a crunch/grind type noise regardless of which gear you are in at approximately 13mph.

Knocking on Front Suspension

With age and the joys of today's roads, with all their speed humps, the Puma may start knocking from the front. The common problem with this will be worn bushes, which are an MOT failure, on the front suspension arms. The options available are to replace the bushes with Powerflex bushes or simply replace the front suspension arms.

If this doesn't cure the knocking the front suspension, the anti-roll bar link arms will probably need replacing.

To replace all the above will probably cost approx £120 in parts.