NHTSA Complaint #11383174 — 2016 FORD F-150

MY 2016 FORD F-150, AT AROUND 68,000 MILES, BEGAN TO EXPERIENCED POWER LOSS AND A LOUD WHISTLE OR WHINING SOUND DURING ACCELERATION, COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. DURING ACCELERATION, A HIGH-PITCHED WHINE OCCURS AND INCREASES WHEN REVVING THE ENGINE. TRUCK POWER LOSS WAS NOTICEABLE AND BOOST DECLINED, DROPPING TO LESS THAN 25%. EXHAUST FUMES WERE NOTICEABLE FROM INSIDE THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. DEPAUL FORD OF ALBANY, NY MISDIAGNOSED IT AS A BAD TURBO WITH A STUCK OPEN WASTEGATE AND SO WE REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE TURBO, WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MECHANIC 'TECHNICIAN', MATT, AT MILLER'S CORNERS GARAGE IN ALBANY, NY. HE DISCOVERED THE BOLTS AND STUDS THAT HOLD THE MANIFOLDS IN PLACE WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND THE MANIFOLD WAS WARPED WITH SIGNIFICANT AIR LEAK AND BLOW BY. THERE WAS A LARGE BLACK SOOTY STREAK ON THE MANIFOLD SIDE WHERE THE TURBO HOOKS UP, WHERE THE BLOW-BY WAS OCCURRING. AT A COST OF $1100 THE PASSENGER SIDE MANIFOLD, HARDWARE AND RELATED COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. THE DRIVER SIDE MANIFOLD IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM FORD UNTIL LATE DECEMBER AND STILL REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND IS DRIVEN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. IT IS RARELY USED FOR TOWING. IT'S ABSURD TO THINK THAT A TRUCK WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE WOULD HAVE SUCH A SEVERE AND EXPENSIVE ISSUE, SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASING ENGINE POWER, REDUCING THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE AND BRINGING FUMES INTO THE CAB. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE.