What should my rev counter read when engine is idle?

[ruthiebabie]

Hi - Just got a Ford Focus 1.6 zetec. Its an 06 plate and a year old. When sat in traffic the engine is idling with the rev counter just below 1. Is this normal or should it be closer to 0?

[NORMANTHEDOG]

thats about right,between 8 ish and 9,any lower and you would stall

[ruthiebabie]

Thanks - it just feels a bit like the engine is racing on the whole i.e. I seem to be hardly touching the accelerator and yet I feel like I am constantly braking to slow the car down when in slow moving traffic. I seem to spend a lot of time with my foot off the accelerator and the car just seems to coast along (hope that makes sense)

I've gone from a 1.2 Peugeot and I don't know whether its just getting used to the different engine.

[woodchopper]

.My wifes previous fiesta was a bu&&er to slow down when you took the foot off the pedal - was a fault in the engine management system - was expensive to fix so she never bothered to get it mended.
Not saying that it is the problem with yours though - idle speed was normal.

[ugly_bob]

is it an automatic?
otherwise you have a clutch.

[thundercrack]

hi, my focus did a similar thing. the rev counter idled at just over nine, which sounded much too fast,and in traffic it would appear to try to pull you along rather than slow down in second or third with your foot off the throttle. I bought a focus estate and that was exactly the same, so guess this is normal.
alf