What happens when a known manufacturing defect threatens destroy your vehicle's engine, but the manufacturer asks you to hold a $27,000 bill?
2018 Ford Explorer
Engine Model: 2.3L EcoBoost GTDI 1-4
VIN: 1FM5K8DH7JGB11762
10/14/2022 Purchased a 2018 Ford Explorer with a 2.3 Ecoboost enginefrom Ford or Port Richey, Florida.
08/15/2025 Engine started rough (less than 1 second) then was running fine but the check engine light went on. Took to local Autozone and got an error code P0303 (Cylinder 3 misfire). Took to Mavis Tires who recommended a tune up and scheduled service for the next day.
08/16/2025 Mavis recommended a to replace all spark plugs and ignition coils. At the time of the service the technician came to me and advised he could not get the spark plug out of cylinder 3 but he used to work at a Ford Dealership and had a trick (Heat up the engine, add lubricant to the plug, and let the engine cool), this added an hour to my wait time. All plugs and coils changed.
02/06/2026 I noticed a couple of times that the vehicle was running at a high idle throughout the day. Later that day I received a dashboard message stating “Engine Coolant Over Temperature” I pulled over and popped the hood and didn’t see or smell anything concerning so I cleared the error, after I cleared the error I noticed that the running temperature was normal and the vehicle was running fine.
[IMAGE: https://images.hive.blog/DQmV2ct3nxhzMm2TTjFdgmCwmtQHwqS6teHkrXHxndQSsn7/Ford%20Dash%20Engine%20Coolant.jpeg] Notice the temperature guage is fully pegged to hot but went back to center once I cleared it.
02/09/26 Vehicle taken to For of Port Richey - The service technician reported P0316 and P0217 (No check engine light was on when it was taken to the dealership). Technician found signs of coolant in cylinders 1, 2 and 4 but was unable to remove the spark plug from cylinder 3. Service technician notes on my invoice say I said the check engine light was on but it was not. I mentioned it went on prior to being tuned up back in August of 2025.
Resolutions provided:
1) Ford Service can replace the engine for a cost of just shy of $27,000
2) Ford Sales can offer up to $1,500 in trade in value and roll a portion of my current outstanding loan ($14k) into a loan using negative equity.
Neither of these resolutions were palatable to me. I understand I'm out of warranty but I decided to do some research online. Here is what I found out:
Known Issues:
- Engine Failure ("Ecoboom"): Extreme cases, often linked to manufacturing flaws in 2.0L and 2.3L engines, have led to total engine failure.
- 2.3L EcoBoost: Known for potential head gasket issues where coolant leaks into the cylinders.
- 2019/2024 Engine Block Heater: A defect in the engine block heater can lead to a coolant leak and short circuit. *** 2.3L EcoBoost GTDI 1-4 the base model engine for these years and is the same engine in my 2018 Ford. (Maybe mine was manufactured later in 2018)
- Coolant Leaks/Overheating: Some 2.3L EcoBoost engines have experienced issues with coolant intrusion into the cylinder head, leading to overheating or engine failure, a common issue reported in EcoBoost engines.
- Some 2.3L EcoBoost engines (such as in the 2017 Explorer) have been linked to potential coolant leak issues causing overheating.
I later found out there is a class action lawsuit for this exact issue which can be viewed at Ford Ecoboost Engine Lawsuit
Key Details of the Lawsuits & Issues:
- Affected Models: 2016–2024 Ford Explorer (specifically with 2.3L EcoBoost), as well as 2.7L and 3.0L engines in 2021-2022 models.
- The Problem: Coolant leaks into the cylinders due to block/head design flaws, causing engine overheating, stalling, or failure.
- Key Lawsuit: Trevor Nelson, et. al v. Ford Motor Company (2024/2025) alleges that Ford knowingly sold defective engines, referring to some as "time bombs" due to high failure rates.
- Recall: Over 90,000 Ford/Lincoln vehicles, including the 2021-2022 Explorer, were recalled due to faulty intake valves that can break and destroy the engine. (Why weren't the 2016 through 2020 included?)
- Alleged Response: The lawsuit claims Ford's "Band-Aid" fixes, such as installing low-coolant sensors, do not fix the root design flaw.
Now for the actions I decided to take to assist in getting this resolved:
2/16/2026 - Contacted dealership Ford of Port Richey and provided this information requesting a review for additional options. Received the following response “Hello, Mr. Breheny - I wanted to provide an update. My shop foreman and myself have went through the information and unfortunately there are no open warranty extensions or recalls that would pertain to these repairs and your VIN number. Being so far out of warranty on time and mileage also does not make it easy to try to get assistance from Ford. However, I will have our team try to seek assistance from Ford on your behalf. It may take a few days to get a response back from Ford on this, but as soon as we do, I will be sure to inform you.”
2/18/2026 - Contacted the NHTSA and filed a safety complaint. Received the below reference information: NHTSA submits to the Office of Defects Investigation. Reference: 11718838
2/26/2026 - Got on a chat with a Gabriela from Ford and provided all of the above information and provided all of the above and below information. She documented it and recommended I call Customer Service. I have been advised by Ford Dealership they expect to hear back by the end of “this week”. That would be Friday 2/27/2026.
2/27/2026 - Received an email from Ford of Port Richey Service Director stating Ford Corporate also would not be providing any additional options.
2/27/2026 - I contacted Ford Customer Service and spoke with a representative (Isa) and advised of my situation. She was unable to provide me with any additional options.
2/27/2026 - I filed a complaint with the office of the Florida Attorney General.
2/27/2026 - I filed a claim through the BBB Auto Line Program * Please note that the vehicle currently runs with no issues and no dashboard errors or lights but is noted by Ford mechanics that the engine will imminently fail. The car is currently at an outside mechanics shop and I’m waiting for a quote to install a used or rebuilt engine.
2/27/2026 - I searched for product liability attorneys and contacted three of them. These all turned out to be personal injury firms. All of them advised me I had a case but wouldn't take the case as they only get paid if they win. In order to sue Ford I would need to hire an attorney out of pocket which I am also not prepared to do, so I get it.
3/2/2026 - I receive an email notification from BBB Auto Line program stating my claim is not eligible. Doesn't fit the warranty time frame limits nor does it fit under Florida State Lemon Law Program.
3/3/2026 - Called the outside mechanic and got a quote for a used engine with about 50k miles on it with a 1 year warranty with parts and labor for $17,000.
My situation at this time was I owned this vehicle (2018 Ford Explorer) was worth approximately $9,000 - $10,00 if sold to a private party and I held a loan with an outstanding amount of $14,000. So about $5,000 in negative equity (which is normal when you own a vehicle with a loan).
So what did I end up doing?
On March 3rd, I took the vehicle to a Honda Dealership (I also own a 2018 Honda Fit and love that car) and I just didn't want to give Ford my business after this entire fiasco.
I explained my situation to them and Honda gave me $2,000 trade in value, worked with a finance company to roll my existing loan into a loan on a 2023 Honda HR-V (Certified Pre-Owned). The finance company forced both gap insurance and a lifetime power train warranty which would cover any issues like I experienced on the Ford and then some. All told I put $6,500 down and walked away with a $40,000 loan on a car that is currently valued at approximately $20,000. That's a pretty big jump in both negative equity and additional debt.
The vehicle drove just fine (with no warnings or dash lights) during my trips to the dealership and then the outside mechanic and finally to it's final resting place at the Honda dealership.
At the time of this writing I am considering going through small claims court and attempting to recoup the maximum allowable per my state and county to help offset some of this.
I saw a Reddit post "Sucessfully Sued Ford In Small Claims. which is what gave me the idea.
And to top it all off I drove the Ford around for over a year with a missing A Trim Pillar which has been on a recall for the last several years but they are on backorder with the parts. Not very important when they're not making any money.
[IMAGE: https://images.hive.blog/DQmaEkigwna3oJtqhToaposmBbpbaRowEDiA7cKJkrfhvZg/Ford%20A%20Trim.jpg]
What does Ford stand for?
Found On Road Dead
Fix Or Repair Daily
Backwards you say?
Driver Returns On Foot
