NHTSA Complaint #11668497 — 2017 FORD F-150

I had a slight oil leak that was getting worse over time. It got to the point one day, I was seeing minimal smoke coming out from the hood and wheel wells. I was on my way home from work one day, and as soon as I got off the interstate, as soon as I stopped at the stop light, the whole hood was covered with smoke billowing out everywhere, and the scent of fire. I quickly shut the truck off and grabbed my fire extinguisher, thinking my truck was on fire. I took it to a local shop I’m familiar with, and he said both valve covers were warped, and there is a TSB out from Ford about this issue. The valve covers, over time, will warp, causing oil to slosh out onto the hot exhaust manifold, and everything else. He said they have had multiple 3.5 EcoBoost motors in, and everytime they have an oil leak, it’s a warped valve cover. He told me that Ford makes a replacement valve cover with a different material, but I see this as a MAJOR fire risk! Oil getting out and combusting on an exhaust manifold, that’s not safe at all, and could easily ignite. It really upsets me that Ford will make the new part, but not recall the vehicle to fix the issue. I had to pay $1,700 to have it all fixed and safe. I have a Foster Child and it jeopardizes his safety, along with my wife and I.