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Blown up 2011 5.0 engine, not coverd by Ford

42K views 150 replies 79 participants last post by  MFE 
#1 · (Edited)
I wanted to share my heart breaking story with you all:

I bought a 2011 5.0 Mustang a wile back. I absolutely love the way the car handles, how much power the car has and how it looks. I did have the clutch pedal/shifting problem, which left me stranded (I had to get the car towed to the dealer because it would not go in gear at all while the car was running) after just a couple thousand miles. It also forced me in to 2nd gear while trying to shift from 3rd to 4th gear (not exciting). Ford fixed that after they got parts. Maybe 1000 miles or so after I took it back for a vibration at 2100 RPM, they looked at it and said they where not sure if it was normal and it was gonna be too difficult to troubleshoot, and to drive it and if it got worse or changed bring it back.

Fast forward a couple thousand miles. While driving the car one saturday night the car starts to flash a check engine light (car drove normal). I took it to the dealer: misfire in #8 cyl They said they where gonna have to troubleshoot it to see whats causing it. I said fine. After a week and a half they said that a Ford engineer was comeing down to look at it. The next week they said they where gonna have to dissasemble the engine... OK... they told me that #8 cyl has low compression and to find out what it was they where going to have to take it appart. About a week later they said that they sent #8 piston to the engeneer because it was damaged. later that week they said he sent the piston to the manufacturer. another week later they told me whats going on.

They said that the piston has two broken ring lands caused by high cyl pressure
and stated the high cyl pressure chould be caused by engine over speed with a modded strategy and or the use of nitrous.....

I told them that those are bogus clames and simply are not true. After about 2 or 2 1/2 weeks of trying to talk to them about it I finly got a guy at the dealer to get in contact with the Ford engineer and he called me back. He basiclly said that fords equipment wouldnt allow high cyl pressures that caused the failure and that the engineer believes the car was modded or ran nitrous, gerrr I asked why they thought that and they said that was the only thing that could have caused it.. (no proof) whats up with that.. Im gonna have to pay for an engine replacement because of speculation?? My car was at the dealer for over a month untill they told me what was going on.. :curses:

Its frustrating, and everyone I have told shares the same feeling with me: sick to my stomach..
 
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#12 ·
If your letting this get by without a fight....I think you juiced it.

I know if it were me and I didn't do what they said, I would be all over them like a wild dog. No way I would pay for a new engine.
 
#13 ·
Find out the name of Ford's Regional Service Rep(this guy works for corporate not the dealer).

Then set up an appointment to see the general manager of the dealership. I would let him know what is going on and let him know that you aren't about to bend over and take it. Tell him that you thought you would try to get his help before you contacted the dealerships principal owner. If the general manager won't help you ask for a meeting with the principal owner. If the owner won't help you let him know that you are going to work your way up the food chain until you get your car fixed under warranty. Then you need to contact the regional who despite what he may tell you has the authority to bend the rules to take of special situations.

I am sure they wouldn't want one of the Mustang mags to publish your story on how the new Coyote engine is a POS and how Ford won't honor their warranty claims.
 
#14 ·
dude if you didn't juice it or seriously mod it in anyway and its just speculatation...no way they can win...im not a lawyer but i would be breaking some knee caps if i bought a brand new car and had an engine go and they told me i had to pay for it.
 
#16 ·
Definitely don't quit....that's what they want. They make it as difficult as possible, adding as much red-tape imaginable, hoping people eventually give up...and they win. You can fight it and win.
 
#19 ·
I worked in a stealership for 4 years and one of my best friends still owns a couple. If they think you are going to start calling the regional and stirring up a bunch of #### they will probably just eat it. Did you by chance finance it through Ford Motor Credit? If so let them know you won't be making any more payments.
 
#20 ·
contact FoMoCo directly and let them know what is going on. still if no one is willing to help you dont be the victim check up on your states automotive lemon law.
 
#22 ·
Thats crazy they could even make a claim like that to you and just deny it. I guess if they saw a hole drilled in the intake where you could have been spraying, that would be a different story. Hate to hear this but interested to see what happens. I think if you keep at it there is no doubt they will have to fix it. $8100 in parts and service is crazy when you have a warranty and never been sprayed like they claim
 
#23 ·
...It also forced me in to 2nd gear while trying to shift from 3rd to 4th gear (not exciting).....
I hate to hear of your mishap with the engine. Stay on top of them and follow fmyth's advice.

However, how did it FORCE you into 2nd? Were you driving it hard and doing some WOT shifts? I could see where a missed shift from 4th to 2nd could cause an engine overspeed. Simple physics there that a rev limiter would not be able to overcome.
 
#24 ·
It was while I was passing someone, and while I was trying to merge on a freeway, (highway speeds) and seamed like it went in the right gear, but happen to be in second.. things happen so fast at that point its hard to react quick enough. as SOON as I realized what happened I pushed the clutch in, but I could tell the engine over revved. I pulled over and looked at everything when it happened because Ive heard of cars flying apart because if this..

I have been driving manual cars for a long time (a manual fox mustang was the first car I bought) and never had anything like that happen, ever, and I did alot of racing with my old fox..
 
#26 ·
So, aside from the issues of "to warranty or not to warranty", how come they can't just clean up that cylinder and stick a new slug and rings in there??? Why do you need an entire shortblock??
 
#27 ·
Contact Ford Corporate customer service speak with a V.P. and calmly explain that you did not use nitrous and did not mod the engine in any way and that the engine should be replaced under warranty.
 
#30 ·
As a recommendation, perhaps we all can help. What if each of us sent an email to someone in a position to do something expressing our concern as mustang owners?

The internet is an amazing thing. If each of us were willing to send a little email, to whom would we send it for maximum impact??? I have to think if they knew we as owners and enthusiasts were watching it might matter to them. Mustang loyalty is clearly a major factor in the success of our favorite model.

Further there are other sites with other enthusiasts, I'm sure cumulatively we could make an impact.

If someone could suggest the person/department/email address that would have max impact, I think we should get somewhat involved. Sounds like very inappropriate customer care.
 
#31 ·
I would get a lawyer. I had to use a lawyer when Ford refused to cover a rear end failure on a 2001 Cobra. I first attempted to work with Ford on my own but I got the run-around so I contacted a lawyer and followed their advice from that point. In the end, we settled instead of the case making it to court.
 
#35 ·
I still have the phone number to the crs of florida... I can get her to spill the beans on the info for the delaware person....

that way u got someone up top to see if they can help.
 
#37 ·
I think there is more to the story....

O/R x-pipe requires a tune. What other mods are/were on the car before the issue?

Only thing that will cause the failure you had was detonation.

7300 RPM is still safe for the motor N/A.

Tell the rest of the story...
 
#47 ·
I'm with this guy. Although I can attest to the third to second issue but not on Mustags. Vipers are notorious for this. If you modded the car in any way other than a Ford approved upgrade I doubt you will have any real ground to stand on. The off road X tells me there is more to this story and the dealership and Ford are well within their right to stand their ground. That said it seems as though you have had nothing but problems with this car and this can not go unnoticed.
 
#38 ·
Ask them then how can they warranty a Dealer installed Roush SC if they engine isn't rated for boost?
2nd, I'd like to see the plug from that cylinder and match it to the rest of the plugs. Nitrous would have melted the plug long before blowing rings out. I'd have to say manufacture flaw.

Apparently these guys have the "Fast and Furious" theory of Nitrous. It would be different if you had 2-3 cylinders with bad compression.

They have to PROVE that nitrous was used.

Keep us posted.
 
#44 ·
Ask them then how can they warranty a Dealer installed Roush SC if they engine isn't rated for boost?
2nd, I'd like to see the plug from that cylinder and match it to the rest of the plugs. Nitrous would have melted the plug long before blowing rings out. I'd have to say manufacture flaw.

Apparently these guys have the "Fast and Furious" theory of Nitrous. It would be different if you had 2-3 cylinders with bad compression.

They have to PROVE that nitrous was used.

Keep us posted.
because its not fords factory warrenty, Roush/saleen etc... actually will cover the engine for 3/36 not ford as long as its installed by a ford tech, frpp is the same way
 
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