EcoBoost Woes Continue
Ford EcoBoost engine problems have quickly become old news. This saga has been dragging on for years, dragging Ford into courtrooms across the US and Canada.
Ford has already recalled several EcoBoost-powered models, but those were for other gremlins in the same engine family. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is zeroing in on the 2.0-liter EcoBoost, and this time, it’s the Ford Edge taking center stage.
Take note that the agency just opened a petition – not a recall or a full-blown investigation. Think of it as the first lap in figuring out if this is a real mess or just a lot of noise.
Steven J. Ewing / AOL
Covering Nearly 500,000 Ford Edge SUVs
According to an NHTSA document, the petition covers 2015 to 2018 Ford Edge SUVs with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost under the hood. That’s nearly half a million vehicles rolling around the US.
Regulators got hit with 1,563 reports of these SUVs suddenly losing power, all pointing fingers at coolant sneaking into the engine. No crashes, fires, or injuries so far, but that complaint pile was big enough for ODI to start poking around.
According to owners, the engine suddenly loses power, flashes an “Engine Coolant Over Temperature” warning, and after a cool-down break, it might fire back up with a rough idle before the check engine light comes on for a cylinder misfire.
If this all sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Lawsuits have already called out the EcoBoost’s open-deck cooling design, which can let coolant sneak into the combustion chambers through weak spots in the engine block, cylinder head, or head gasket. Once that happens, you’re looking at corrosion, misfires, overheating, sluggish performance, and in the worst cases, a dead engine that needs a full long block replacement. And if your warranty’s up, that repair bill is about as ugly as it gets.
Owners Should Pay Attention
For now, it’s important to separate this petition from a recall. NHTSA has opened a defect petition, which means regulators are reviewing the evidence to decide whether a full defect investigation is warranted. The agency could eventually grant the petition and launch a broader investigation, or deny it if it determines the available evidence doesn’t justify further action.
Ford’s already recalled over a million vehicles with EcoBoost engines for other problems, so this engine family is no stranger to safety campaigns. But this time, it’s all about coolant intrusion and sudden power loss in 2015-2018 Ford Edge SUVs.
If you’re driving one of these model years, keep an eye out for weird drops in coolant and overheating warnings. You should also watch for rough starts, stubborn misfire codes, or a check engine light that comes on with coolant alerts. If you spot any of these symptoms, jot them down and get your Edge checked out ASAP. Reporting the problem to NHTSA can help push things along.
Steven J. Ewing / AOL
