Powerboost CEL P237C/Exhaust Heat Exchanger Leak Megathread

[Nasto]

Garbage Post. Your rep's can't even tell me what place I am in line for this issue and keep repeating your company call center script. My truck has been sitting for 10 days and you guys gave me a shtty 2018 Chevy Trax as a rental that is leaking air in one tire.

i think you're arguing with a bot ?

"This doesn't sound like an experience we want you to have with your F-150."

Wow. I hope that's a bot. I'd hate to think a human would type something this insulting.

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[Nasto]

Well if Ford puts these in all their Hybrids, then they have been designing them for many years.
Even more disturbing at the obvious fail on the Powerboost.

Having said that, mine is 12 months old and the company Powerboost is 13 months old and neither leak. And there's now 70,000+ Powerboosts (100,000 even?) and so only a tiny fraction leak so far?

All we can do is guess. Is it a manufacturer defect in the plastic composition? Or is it inevitable that they all will leak?

One interesting data point is that it seems most of the leakers are extremely low mileage. That would imply QC problems, no?

I agree with you about the QC. How does our little group compare to all the new PB owners who don't use this site? Are the percentages the same? I'd love to know the overall failure rate. 1%? 5%? 10%? A 1% QC failure rate obviously means 99% of owners don't have a problem.

And if it is QC, what has caused it? The Covid situation causing raw materials shortages or subsitutes? Labor shortage? Someone here also mentioned he was told a supplier labor strike. You're right, Snake. Who knows?

Thanks to @TN Rotty for the spreadsheet. As more owners come here with the same problem, maybe some sort of pattern will emerge.

 

[Snakebitten]

I agree with you about the QC. How does our little group compare to all the new PB owners who don't use this site? Are the percentages the same? I'd love to know the overall failure rate. 1%? 5%? 10%? A 1% QC failure rate obviously means 99% of owners don't have a problem.

And if it is QC, what has caused it? The Covid situation causing raw materials shortages or subsitutes? Labor shortage? Someone here also mentioned he was told a supplier labor strike. You're right, Snake. Who knows?

Thanks to @TN Rotty for the spreadsheet. As more owners come here with the same problem, maybe some sort of pattern will emerge.

It's true that forum membership is a tiny slice/sample. But the parts department reports that indicate ~500-600 of the part currently on order, is a data point beyond the forum.

Realizing its just a snapshot and rudimentary math at best, 600 leakers amongst 60,000 trucks.....

I bet it's a relatively small percentage.
But a high percentage of 100% of your trucks when it's you.

 

[rhymeandreasons]

there are other posts on here, and on other Forums that indicate this issue arose as early as last Summer.


edit: I also made a post on Reddit

It's true that forum membership is a tiny slice/sample. But the parts department reports that indicate ~500-600 of the part currently on order, is a data point beyond the forum.

Realizing its just a snapshot and rudimentary math at best, 600 leakers amongst 60,000 trucks.....

I bet it's a relatively small percentage.
But a high percentage of 100% of your trucks when it's you.

 

[Severdog]

Garbage Post. Your rep's can't even tell me what place I am in line for this issue and keep repeating your company call center script. My truck has been sitting for 10 days and you guys gave me a shtty 2018 Chevy Trax as a rental that is leaking air in one tire.

Oooohhhh, look at the "initial quality" on this ride! I'd be hard-pressed to give it back!

 

[Dlwizz]

I agree with you about the QC. How does our little group compare to all the new PB owners who don't use this site? Are the percentages the same? I'd love to know the overall failure rate. 1%? 5%? 10%? A 1% QC failure rate obviously means 99% of owners don't have a problem.

And if it is QC, what has caused it? The Covid situation causing raw materials shortages or subsitutes? Labor shortage? Someone here also mentioned he was told a supplier labor strike. You're right, Snake. Who knows?

Thanks to @TN Rotty for the spreadsheet. As more owners come here with the same problem, maybe some sort of pattern will emerge.

Hey guys, How many of you with leaks have had overheat events? Can we add this to your charts? I'm wondering if the selector valve gets stuck causing the coolant to overheat and melt\deform the plastic.

 

[Dlwizz]

My 5.5 Powerboost does not leak, however I will get a message that "Power Reduced to Lower Engine Temperature">. If I am traveling on the X way I need to keep the speed under 70 mph. Once the message displays my car shifts down to either 7 or 8 gear and the speed drops at leasdt 10 mph to as much as 18 mph which constitutes an unsafe highway speed.

 

[Oxford_Powerboost]

My 5.5 Powerboost does not leak, however I will get a message that "Power Reduced to Lower Engine Temperature">. If I am traveling on the X way I need to keep the speed under 70 mph. Once the message displays my car shifts down to either 7 or 8 gear and the speed drops at leasdt 10 mph to as much as 18 mph which constitutes an unsafe highway speed.

What does your coolant temp gauge say when this happens? You just have the check engine for the heat exchanger valve?

 

[Snakebitten]

My 5.5 Powerboost does not leak, however I will get a message that "Power Reduced to Lower Engine Temperature">. If I am traveling on the X way I need to keep the speed under 70 mph. Once the message displays my car shifts down to either 7 or 8 gear and the speed drops at leasdt 10 mph to as much as 18 mph which constitutes an unsafe highway speed.

I'm very curious what your engine coolant temp is when the truck goes into limp mode like that.
The dash gauge is no help, of course, but you could either enable digital temps using Forscan or monitor the actual temp from the ODB port.

From what I can tell, Ford initiates the first stage limp mode earlier on this 3rd generation 3.5 Ecoboost than the previous two generations. But the limp mode is less severe, as well.

 

[Oxford_Powerboost]

I'm very curious what your engine coolant temp is when the truck goes into limp mode like that.
The dash gauge is no help, of course, but you could either enable digital temps using Forscan or monitor the actual temp from the ODB port.

From what I can tell, Ford initiates the first stage limp mode earlier on this 3rd generation 3.5 Ecoboost than the previous two generations. But the limp mode is less severe, as well.

I forgot to add, my most recent limp mode event occurred at 215 degrees, and stayed in limp mode down to 207. I’m not sure this limp mode is tied to coolant temp, at least not coolant temp at the normal ECT sensor we read from

 

[Cuse0307]

My 5.5 Powerboost does not leak, however I will get a message that "Power Reduced to Lower Engine Temperature">. If I am traveling on the X way I need to keep the speed under 70 mph. Once the message displays my car shifts down to either 7 or 8 gear and the speed drops at leasdt 10 mph to as much as 18 mph which constitutes an unsafe highway speed.

That's how mine started. No power on the highway.

 

[rhymeandreasons]

Update:

it was NOT the heat exchanger. A coolant line was rubbing up against the driveshaft and it wore a hole in it...I think i came across that issue either in these 40 pages or another post somewhere.

Part arrives tomorrow.


Edit: Here's where i remember seeing it:

"In the shop to be repaired. It appears that the line was installed at the factory upside down causing it to rub on the drive shaft."

 

[Nasto]

Update:

it was NOT the heat exchanger. A coolant line was rubbing up against the driveshaft and it wore a hole in it...I think i came across that issue either in these 40 pages or another post somewhere.

Part arrives tomorrow.

Well, that’s a friggin’ relief! ?

 

[rhymeandreasons]

seriously!

i asked for a pic to help everyone be on the lookout.

Well, that’s a friggin’ relief! ?

 

[Nasto]

seriously!

i asked for a pic to help everyone be on the lookout.

just in time to notice a second recall notice today for something else. ?

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