NHTSA Complaint #10990842 — 2011 FORD F-150

RECOGNIZED PATTERN FAILURE. EXCESSIVE TIMING CHAIN STRETCH ON 2011 FORD F-150 XLT WITH 3.5L ECOBOOST MOTOR. TAPPING AND RATTLING NOISE FROM THE TOP FRONT OF THE ENGINE WHEN FIRST STARTED, LASTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS. VEHICLE WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN IN NORMAL FASHION ON PAVED HIGHWAYS. ODOMOTER ~86K MILES. THE OWNER CONTENDS TIMING CHAINS IN PROPERLY-MAINTAINED AND NORMALLY-DRIVEN VEHICLES SHOULD TYPICALLY LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE (OR THEREABOUTS) UNLESS A DEFECT EXISTS. THE CUSTOMER HAS DISCOVERED (UNVERIFIED) THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS REVISED THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TIMING CHAIN MECHANISM ON THIS MOTOR IN MORE RECENT MODEL YEARS, WITH REDESIGNED CHAIN AND GUIDES AND UPDATED PART NUMBERS. THERE IS A RISK OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LEADING TO A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE VEHICLE NO LONGER DRIVABLE. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES WITH TSB 14-0194, TSB 15-0131, AND TSB 16-0027, BUT HAS FAILED TO INITIATE A VOLUNTARY REMEDY OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY COVERAGE. PREMATURE TIMING CHAIN WEAR APPEARS TO BE AN INCREASING AND ONGOING PROBLEM ON LATER MODEL GASOLINE TURBOCHARGED DIRECT INJECTION (GTDI) ENGINES. THE CUSTOMER RAISED THE ISSUE WITH BOTH A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY HEADQUARTERS TO NO AVAIL. REPAIR COST $2634.44 AT FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS APPARENT DEFECT YIELDS CONTINUING AND SUBSTANTIAL PROFITS FOR THE MANUFACTURER.