Powerboost CEL P237C/Exhaust Heat Exchanger Leak Megathread

[Gros Ventre]

Another possible leak path is from the coolant side to the exhaust side. You'd expect the exhaust side to be at a higher pressure than the coolant, but gas flow can be a funny thing since a low pressure area or eddy can form allowing the coolant to be drawn out of the cooling circuit. If this is the case, then the lost coolant is being evaporated and sent out the exhaust pipe... Thus you'll never see the telltale evidence of the coolant. I doubt you'll ever see any evidence of coolant in the exhaust piping, although you might check. If Ford hasn't done a tear-down of one of these heat exchangers to look for such things, they need to be doing them on returned heat exchangers.

Sponsored

 

[ThyDayWalker]

Another way to come close to this is Park the truck for a week (or more if you can stand it!) and see if any level change occurs with it having been thoroughly cold the whole week. Then take a week and either drive it every day to full warmup, or if you don't drive every day warm it up completely and then idle for maybe 15 minutes after fully warmed up. Then at the end of the week see if level changes. Maybe not as good as the UV light test they can do but is an indicator.

The good thing is that it has sat for weeks at a time, with a definite change in level. Not concerning, but say 1/4 to 1/3 of the way between MAX and MIN. As of last week I set up a spot on the hood to prop my phone and take a picture, and plan to do it every week - that way I can properly document the level drop.

Once I get enough data of it sitting still, I'll try to then see what happens if I use it more vs. level drop... Good points tho! I hadn't thought about heat cycles / etc ...

 

[PeaksFord]

Name	Blend	Bed/ Part	Told Dlr	Miles	Can Drive	part ordered	part arrived	Install Date	Issues After?
Dan65 repair#1	12/22/21	5.5/W	1/20	166	No	01/20/22		3/17/2022 56 days	YES - ~5000 miles, in May leaking again
Rhymeand reasons	01/05/22	5.5/W	2/16	1990	No	02/18/22	3/9 - arrived damaged - re-ordered 3/9 - arrived 4/7	4/8/2022 51 days	No!!!
Nasto	01/05/22	6.5/V	2/22	296	No	Wrong -S part ordered: 2/23/22. Re-ordered -V: 03/09/22.	3/29/2022	3/30/2022 37 days	no
Cuse0307 repair#1	01/15/22	6.5/V	3/19	3300	No	03/20/22	5/13/2022	5/13/2022 55 days	YES - 900 miles and leaking again
Bellin stoke	02/01/22	5.5/W	3/23	2600	No	--	--	4/14/2022 22 days	no
Thunder chief	12/23/21	5.5/W	3/28	1237	No	03/28/22	4/25/2022	4/26/2022 29 days	no
MTPower boost	12/06/21	5.5/W	4/8	3127	No	04/06/22		5/11/2022 33 days	No - 150 miles so far
Matthyius	01/06/22	6.5/V	4/18	3930	No	04/22/22	scavenged off new truck in lot	6/20/2022 63 days	No - 460 km so far FORD offerign 3 month payments 8yr/180k km warranty
Deeds972	MY22	6.5/V	5/9	4800	No			5/23/2022 14 days	No
Oxford_Po werboost	09/27/21	5.5/W	2/7	7600	Yes	02/07/22	5/20/2022	5/25/2022 107 days	no
Dmark john	12/20/21	5.5 W	2/21	400	Yes	02/21/22	3/10/2022	3/11/2022 18 days	No- have 4K miles post repair and everything is good
iceman77	01/06/22	5.5/W	2/22	1707	Yes	02/24/22	4/21/2022	4/23/2022 60 days	no - ~5k miles so far with no leaks
MrFarly repair#1	01/04/22	6.5/V	4/8	8000	Yes	04/11/22	5/11/2022	5/12/2022 34 days	YES - @ 2500 miles leaking again
MrFarly repair#2	01/04/22	6.5/V	6/6	10900	Yes	Corporate Ford tech expedited and looked at this 2nd leak	6/14/2022	6/21/2022 15 days
--------	--------	--------	-----	-----	--------	--------	--------	--------	--------
TN Rotty	12/19/21	6.5/V	3/1	1100	Yes	03/07/22
DB63	12/14/21	5.5/W	3/14	1000	Yes	03/14/22
Ford Driver	01/22/22	5.5/W	3/29	300	No	04/22/22
RyanC111	4/21?	6.5/V	4/7	7694	Yes	05/25/22
Klvanzu	01/16/22	5.5/W	5/11	3100	Yes	05/11/22
Sir Choppins	12/17/21	5.5/W	6/2	1200	Maybe	06/06/22
Cuse0307 repair#2	01/15/22	6.5/V	6/6	4200	Yes	06/06/22			New V part leaking after 900 miles
Dan65 repair#2	12/22/21	5.5/W	6/9	5002	No	06/09/22	Estimated 7/18
emiantan	12/20/22	5.5/W	6/16	6728	No	06/17/22
Puddle	01/09/22	5.5/W	6/20	2000 km	No	6/23/22?
70mach1	12/16/21	5.5/W	6/22	4500	No	??
PeaksFord	??	5.5/W	6/28	4852	No	6/7/22

Original part# (dependent on bed size) ML3Z-5A212-S.

The updated part for a 5.5 foot bed is ML3Z-5A212-W.
The updated part for a 6.5 foot bed is ML3Z-5A212-V.

For any new records get me the info in a column like so :

Name
Blend (build date of your truck)
bed length/
part letter
told dealer date
mileage when leak noticed
drivable y/n
part ordered date
part arrived date
installed date
any issues after

Example:
TN Rotty
12/19/22
6.5/V
03/01/22
1100
Yes
3/7/2022

If you have no info for a field, no worries - just put ??? or similar for that item

 

[TN Rotty]

@PeaksFord - welcome and condolences for being on our list.

You told the dealer on 6/7 and they ordered the part on 6/28? (dates are reversed on the form - which I can add to the sheet later)

 

[PeaksFord]

Ah yes, I am sorry, no coffee yet. 6/28 and 7/7 as far as I know.

To compound it I also have a electrical failure preventing vehicle start. No idea if thats the same everyone else's whos doesnt run though.

My dealer is trying to pursue a VLA deal to buy it back.

 

[Gros Ventre]

If someone says such heat driven leaks are rare... they're correct. But they do happen and if they do they kick your butt trying to find them............

 

[TN Rotty]

Ah yes, I am sorry, no coffee yet. 6/28 and 7/7 as far as I know.

To compound it I also have a electrical failure preventing vehicle start. No idea if thats the same everyone else's whos doesnt run though.

My dealer is trying to pursue a VLA deal to buy it back.

Ouch - sorry to hear. Hope it comes to a successful resolution for you.

 

[Sir Choppins]

Name	Blend	Bed/ Part	Told Dlr	Miles	Can Drive	part ordered	part arrived	Install Date	Issues After?
Dan65 repair#1	12/22/21	5.5/W	1/20	166	No	01/20/22		3/17/2022 56 days	YES - ~5000 miles, in May leaking again
Rhymeand reasons	01/05/22	5.5/W	2/16	1990	No	02/18/22	3/9 - arrived damaged - re-ordered 3/9 - arrived 4/7	4/8/2022 51 days	No!!!
Nasto	01/05/22	6.5/V	2/22	296	No	Wrong -S part ordered: 2/23/22. Re-ordered -V: 03/09/22.	3/29/2022	3/30/2022 37 days	no
Cuse0307 repair#1	01/15/22	6.5/V	3/19	3300	No	03/20/22	5/13/2022	5/13/2022 55 days	YES - 900 miles and leaking again
Bellin stoke	02/01/22	5.5/W	3/23	2600	No	--	--	4/14/2022 22 days	no
Thunder chief	12/23/21	5.5/W	3/28	1237	No	03/28/22	4/25/2022	4/26/2022 29 days	no
MTPower boost	12/06/21	5.5/W	4/8	3127	No	04/06/22		5/11/2022 33 days	No - 150 miles so far
Matthyius	01/06/22	6.5/V	4/18	3930	No	04/22/22	scavenged off new truck in lot	6/20/2022 63 days	No - 460 km so far FORD offerign 3 month payments 8yr/180k km warranty
Deeds972	MY22	6.5/V	5/9	4800	No			5/23/2022 14 days	No
Oxford_Po werboost	09/27/21	5.5/W	2/7	7600	Yes	02/07/22	5/20/2022	5/25/2022 107 days	no
Dmark john	12/20/21	5.5 W	2/21	400	Yes	02/21/22	3/10/2022	3/11/2022 18 days	No- have 4K miles post repair and everything is good
iceman77	01/06/22	5.5/W	2/22	1707	Yes	02/24/22	4/21/2022	4/23/2022 60 days	no - ~5k miles so far with no leaks
MrFarly repair#1	01/04/22	6.5/V	4/8	8000	Yes	04/11/22	5/11/2022	5/12/2022 34 days	YES - @ 2500 miles leaking again
MrFarly repair#2	01/04/22	6.5/V	6/6	10900	Yes	Corporate Ford tech expedited and looked at this 2nd leak	6/14/2022	6/21/2022 15 days
--------	--------	--------	-----	-----	--------	--------	--------	--------	--------
TN Rotty	12/19/21	6.5/V	3/1	1100	Yes	03/07/22
DB63	12/14/21	5.5/W	3/14	1000	Yes	03/14/22
Ford Driver	01/22/22	5.5/W	3/29	300	No	04/22/22
RyanC111	4/21?	6.5/V	4/7	7694	Yes	05/25/22
Klvanzu	01/16/22	5.5/W	5/11	3100	Yes	05/11/22
Sir Choppins	12/17/21	5.5/W	6/2	1200	Maybe	06/06/22
Cuse0307 repair#2	01/15/22	6.5/V	6/6	4200	Yes	06/06/22			New V part leaking after 900 miles
Dan65 repair#2	12/22/21	5.5/W	6/9	5002	No	06/09/22	Estimated 7/18
emiantan	12/20/22	5.5/W	6/16	6728	No	06/17/22
Puddle	01/09/22	5.5/W	6/20	2000 km	No	6/23/22?
70mach1	12/16/21	5.5/W	6/22	4500	No	??
PeaksFord	??	5.5/W	6/28	4852	No	6/7/22

Original part# (dependent on bed size) ML3Z-5A212-S.

The updated part for a 5.5 foot bed is ML3Z-5A212-W.
The updated part for a 6.5 foot bed is ML3Z-5A212-V.

For any new records get me the info in a column like so :

Name
Blend (build date of your truck)
bed length/
part letter
told dealer date
mileage when leak noticed
drivable y/n
part ordered date
part arrived date
installed date
any issues after

Example:
TN Rotty
12/19/22
6.5/V
03/01/22
1100
Yes
3/7/2022

If you have no info for a field, no worries - just put ??? or similar for that item

The Heat Exchanger for my truck arrived yesterday and they installed it this morning.
Part ML3Z 5A212 W

Now I pray that this replacement part does the job!

 

[TN Rotty]

The Heat Exchanger for my truck arrived yesterday and they installed it this morning.
Part ML3Z 5A212 W

Now I pray that this replacement part does the job!

Good to hear - Did they have your truck the whole time, or were you driving it while waiting for the part to arrive?

 

[PeaksFord]

Found out today that the AC/DC Invertor was the cause of the failure to start on my truck, secondary to the coolant leak issue.

Ironically, these are on national back order also.

I'm now told to go and find a new truck I like, and they will make it happen..... however, there are no fully loaded Platinum's out there that had all the options I had previously.

 

[WBL_Chzhd]

How are you all getting compensation (payments/extended warranty) from Ford? My Powerboost has been in since June 11. I called customer "care" on Monday. They told me I could rent a truck on my own and get reimbursed when my truck was fixed. No other offer. Dealer had nothing for me to drive. I'm driving my kid's Jeep right now, so I'm not going to rent a vehicle and front the money for potentially months.

 

[emiantan]

How are you all getting compensation (payments/extended warranty) from Ford? My Powerboost has been in since June 11. I called customer "care" on Monday. They told me I could rent a truck on my own and get reimbursed when my truck was fixed. No other offer. Dealer had nothing for me to drive. I'm driving my kid's Jeep right now, so I'm not going to rent a vehicle and front the money for potentially months.

My dealership setup a rental through Enterprise with Ford footing the bill until the part is replaced. They were able to get me into a heavily-used 2020 Ford F-150. I believe it is a $60/day rental and I am approaching 30 days as well which $1,800/month is a steep price to buy for this delay. I have not reached out to my dealership regarding any further compensation such as reimbursement for truck payment until I reach the 30 day mark. I understand there are some who have stated they have received said reimbursement.

 

[Sir Choppins]

Good to hear - Did they have your truck the whole time, or were you driving it while waiting for the part to arrive?

Fortunately, I was able to keep driving my truck. They provided me with coolant to fill as needed over the last month.

 

[thudnblunder]

Fortunately, I was able to keep driving my truck. They provided me with coolant to fill as needed over the last month.

I'm sure many other folks have similar stories, but my current car is a 2009 Mazda6 with the Ford-Mazda 3.7L V6 in it with 190K miles. In 14 years of owning that car, I've had to top off the coolant ONCE, and that was after a summer drive through Joshua Tree National Park.

I've driven it from DC to FL, to NY, to Chicago, in WV, on the west coast up and down CA, Tahoe, Nevada... in winters and summers and I've only had to top up coolant once to bring it up from min to between min/max.

All these new features add a ton of complexity and reliability problems.

 

[TN Rotty]

I might need to trade out for your old cooling system, mine decided the trip home was a bit much yesterday.

2x6 board for comparison...

Picking up another gallon of coolant this morning. 136 days in on one gallon concentrate (2 dilluted gallons). This puddle and more frequent fills may signal a change in drivability. I hope they are shipping those parts this week.

Sponsored