2010 Ford Flex

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TURBOS FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURBOS WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR, ALONG WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SOME SENSORS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BLACK SMOKE EXITED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE TURBOS FAILED. PACIFICA FORD IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

ENGINE STALLS OUT, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AROUND TOWN. HAS OCCURRED TWICE, SEPARATED BY A FEW WEEKS. NO WARNING, OR ENGINE TROUBLE OR INDICATOR LIGHTS PRIOR OR AFTER THE EVENT. OCCURS WHILE DRIVING A LOW TO MODERATE SPEED BOTH TIMES, ABOUT 30 MPH. CAR CAN BE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER AND DRIVES FINE. HAVE HAD MECHANICS CHECK FUEL AND AIR SENSORS AND LINES AND FIND NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS. OTHER FORD FLEX OWNERS REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEM SINCE 2009. RUMOR IS THAT REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY CORRECTS THE ISSUE.

WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND BEGAN SHUTTERING/VIBRATING BADLY. THIS LOSS OF POWER NEARLY CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT AS THE SUDDEN SLOW DOWN CAUSED CARS BEHIND US TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY. WE DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP PER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SERVICE REP. THE VEHICLE HAS THE 3.5L ECOBOOST ENGINE. THE SERVICE TECH FIRST SAID AN IGNITION COIL WENT BAD AND REPLACED IT, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY DID A CYLINDER COMPRESSION TEST AND WERE LOOSING COMPRESSION IN ONE CYLINDER. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECH FOUND THE CYLINDER RINGS HAD FAILED IN ONE CYLINDER AND NOW HAS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE AT A COST OF $7,800. THE ENGINE ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT! THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE, AND IT HAS BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED. FORD IS UNWILLING TO HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THE REPAIRS AS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

VEHICLE WAS TURNING OFF OF A STATE HIGHWAY INTO A SCHOOL ENTRANCE. WITHOUT WARNING (NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH) ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. DUE TO ENGINE SHUT DOWN ALL AUXILIARY SYSTEMS LOST POWER. VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A SCHOOL ENTRANCE WHEN ENGINE TURNED OFF. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES MADE NEGOTIATING THE TURN UNSAFE. THE OPERATOR WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE PAVED ENTRANCE AND ENDED UP OFF THE SHOULD AND INTO THE GRASS. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS OR OBSTACLES. FAILURE COULD CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE AT HIGHWAY SPEED DUE TO POTENTIAL FOR REAR ENDING DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. THIS ENGINE FAILURE IS DUE TO FORD 3.5 DURATEC INTERNAL WATER PUMP DESIGN. WHEN THE WATER PUMP SEALS FAIL, ALL COOLANT IS CONTAINED IN THE MOTOR AND COLLECTED IN THE OIL PAN. BY COLLECTING THE COOLANT IN THE OIL PAN IT CAUSED A P0016 CODE AND THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. THEIR WAS NO WARNING OF THIS. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 3.5HRS THE PREVIOUS DAY WITH NO ISSUES OR WARNING LIGHTS. FORD IS UNWILLING TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. I FILED CLAIMS WITH FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE #11792792 AND CAS-11876774 ON THIS ISSUE. REPAIR BILL WAS $4100 TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A SIMILAR USED MOTOR. THE VEHICLE REPAIR WAS JUST COMPLETED YESTERDAY AND I STILL FEEL UNSAFE AND UNCOMFORTABLE KNOWING THE SAME POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE EXISTS. IT IS BOTH A SAFETY CONCERN AND AN FINANCIAL CONCERN. THEIR ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS HAPPENING ON FORDFLEX.NET (15 CASES) ALSO ON FORDTAURUS.NET. PLEASE GOOGLE DURATEC 3.5 WATER PUMP FAILURE. THESE FORUMS DOCUMENT OTHER NHTSA CLAIMS FILED FOR EXACT REASONS.

TOTAL MOTOR FAILURE WHEN DRIVING! TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY SLIPS. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN PRESSURE EXHAUST FOR ECOBOOST IS REDIRECTED TO CYLINDER 3 AND 5 THE HEAD GASKET FAILS ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE HEAD OF MOTOR WHICH THEM STEAM FRIES THE CYLINDERS. THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2010 FLEX WITH ECBOOST AND NEED TO BE RECALLED ASAP! MOTORS UP TO 100,000. MINE HAD 74000 WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. *TR