Why has the turbo on my Ford Focus TDCI failed so early?

The turbo on my Focus TDCI failed and had to be replaced at a cost of £700. The mileage is 42,000. Why do turbos fail when an engine will make 200,000 miles? I have been advised that the cause is most likely related to lubrication. I have the car regularly serviced.

Asked on 18 August 2012 by JB, Freshwater Low

Answered by Honest John
After high speed driving, towing or uphill driving, the engine shouldn't be stopped immediately. Keep it running at idle for a minute or so to cool down. What happens if you don’t heed this advice is that the oil in the turbo bearing carbonises, as does the oil in the feed pipe to the turbo, restricting oil flow. That is why a replacement turbo can fail very quickly. It's all explained here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/focus-2004/?sec...d
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