NHTSA Complaint #11383511 — 2014 FORD F-150

FORD HAS OBVIOUSLY MACHINED MANIFOLDS FOR THE F-150 THAT ARE LESS THAN RELIABLE AND LACK IN QUALITY. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ARE NOT HARDENED TO ENDURE ENGINE HEAT AND END UP WARPING. THIS CAUSES EXHAUST BOLTS TO BREAK, EXHAUST GASKETS TO BE DESTROYED AND IN TURN CAUSES LOUD NOISES AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR ON THEIR F-150 TRUCKS. FORD OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH 1,700+ VEHICLES THAT ARE SITTING IN SERVICE SHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THIS VERY REASON. I CALLED FORD TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE ISSUE AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE MATERIALS JUST AREN'T HOLDING UP TO DRIVING CONDITIONS. FORD IS WORKING REDESIGNING THE MANIFOLDS AND RELEASING THEM FOR PURCHASE. HOWEVER, IT YOU HAVE AN ISSUE THIS LARGE AND HAVE ADMITTED THAT IT IS DUE TO YOUR OWN FAILURE TO PRODUCE A PRODUCT/PART THAT WILL ENDURE NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY FORD. PERSONALLY, I DON'T DRIVE THIS TRUCK VERY OFTEN. IT IS STORED INSIDE AND TAKEN CARE OF TO THE EXTREME. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN A GARAGE FOR A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK (APPROXIMATELY) AND WHEN I STARTED THE TRUCK I HEARD A LOUD "CLICKING" NOISE. I TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE TO SEE IF I COULD LOCATE THE NOISE. AT FIRST IS WAS JUST A FAST CLICKING NOISE ON ACCELERATION. THIS BECAME A LOUD CLICKING MIXED WITH A WHISTLING NOISE. THINKING IT WAS A BEARING IN ONE OF THE TURBOS, I TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND THEY FOUND THE BROKEN EXHAUST STUD AND DAMAGED EXHAUST GASKET. WHILE WORKING ON FIXING THE ISSUES, THEY FOUND THAT ALL OF THIS RESULTED FROM THE DEFORMED MANIFOLD.