Hi guys

Long time reader first time member. 

Yesterday the car developed a missfire when pulling away/accelerating through third gear. On pulling over we noticed the coolant tank was empty and there was a hose disconnected. The engine temp gauge hadn't risen at all and if it weren't for the misfire wouldn't have noticed anything was amiss.  Spark plugs seemed clean and dry, there's no evidence of contamination on examining the dipstick. We put the pipe back on, topped up with emergency water we had from a kind house we had stopped in front of and made it home at 50mph for another hour.... the problem only represented when we accelerated into a gap in traffic to cross a dual carriageway.

We seem to have been losing coolant quite rapidly but haven't driven anywhere major over the last few months because of lockdown. The AC was re-gassed earlier this year for the first time and we're up for MOT in the autumn. Never noticed any leaks on the ground where the car has been sat, or any other problems with engine temp etc.

I've had a dig and delve in the forum and elsewhere, the car is booked in to the local garage later today but I was wondering if there's a common fault or cheap cause without panicking about it being a head gasket or water pump problem? The car is only a 63 plate - we're only the 2nd owners and we only probably hit 74 miles a week at the moment and not much more than 5,000 a year since we've had the car. 

Could be related to this.. 

 

After conversations with my trusted mechanic and Ford Dealer, it is looking like it could be this: 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-ecoboost-engine-failures-customers-receive-refunds#:~:text=The issue has been highlighted,flames when they were driving.

 

Trouble is, if my mechanic touches it - we won't get the costs covered. Local ford dealer has no room for even the initial assessment until October. Next most local one - 10 miles away were a little more helpful in saying we qualified for the initial assessment but they were fully booked until end of September - BUT they were going to try and move things around to at least get the assessment done.
Either way I'm now without a car, for something that appears to be Ford's fault! With me having health problems, elderly parents 2 hours away young kids and both me and the Mrs being key NHS workers it's all a little bit stressful!

1 hour ago, chunky120717 said:

After conversations with my trusted mechanic and Ford Dealer, it is looking like it could be this: 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-ecoboost-engine-failures-customers-receive-refunds#:~:text=The issue has been highlighted,flames when they were driving.

 

Trouble is, if my mechanic touches it - we won't get the costs covered. Local ford dealer has no room for even the initial assessment until October. Next most local one - 10 miles away were a little more helpful in saying we qualified for the initial assessment but they were fully booked until end of September - BUT they were going to try and move things around to at least get the assessment done.
Either way I'm now without a car, for something that appears to be Ford's fault! With me having health problems, elderly parents 2 hours away young kids and both me and the Mrs being key NHS workers it's all a little bit stressful!

That article just refers to the degas hose issue as linked in the large thread above.  You have been extremely lucky as the engine is usually cooked almost instantly when the hose fails like that!  

The best solution is to fit the hoses from the facelift model as even the replacement 'recall' hose they fit to pre-facelifts breaks again, just in a slightly different place.  

We were looking to move onto an S-Max or C-Max later this year anyway so I think once the repair is done we'll be doing that. I'll have a good delve into that thread and stuff now I know the correct terminology! Have struggled to find anything else relatable to the underlying ecoboost issue on the forum but probably not searching properly.

My main issue is the servicing and even diagnostics not being available for 2 months for something that doesn't appear to be our fault.

15 minutes ago, chunky120717 said:

We were looking to move onto an S-Max or C-Max later this year anyway so I think once the repair is done we'll be doing that. I'll have a good delve into that thread and stuff now I know the correct terminology! Have struggled to find anything else relatable to the underlying ecoboost issue on the forum but probably not searching properly.

My main issue is the servicing and even diagnostics not being available for 2 months for something that doesn't appear to be our fault.

There is a huge backlog of work at most garages due to covid19, they're all fully booked for weeks, if not months now.  Ford can't be blamed for that really.

I'd be very surprised if you get a free repair from Ford for this though, it's well out of warranty at 7 years old and the 1.0 EcoBoost in the pre-facelift is infamous for the degas issue.  They were fitting new engines at one point but stopped that a while back.  It was also only if you'd missed the original recall which started several years ago.  I'd guess that your car did have the recall done but the 'new' hose has now broken?  I really can't see Ford repairing that for free but it's worth a try.

 

We never had a recall notice and we're only the second owners and only since 2016. Is there any way for me to look at the hose whilst we're waiting for ford to see if it looks like the new/old one as has been posted in a few other threads?
I'm going to try sticking the VIN in the vehicle look up tool when I get chance to see if there's anything on it.

At least they say I'm eligible for the assessment so it must be on the cards. If it's not under warranty or they refuse cos it's already been fixed once at least I'll be able to take it to my local guy not rely on the main dealer and just pray it's not a total write-off! 

Appreciate the input and support.

19 minutes ago, chunky120717 said:

We never had a recall notice and we're only the second owners and only since 2016. Is there any way for me to look at the hose whilst we're waiting for ford to see if it looks like the new/old one as has been posted in a few other threads?
I'm going to try sticking the VIN in the vehicle look up tool when I get chance to see if there's anything on it.

At least they say I'm eligible for the assessment so it must be on the cards. If it's not under warranty or they refuse cos it's already been fixed once at least I'll be able to take it to my local guy not rely on the main dealer and just pray it's not a total write-off! 

Appreciate the input and support.

I think the original recall started before 2016 but not 100% sure.  You can check on ETIS if there are any outstanding field service actions (recalls) on your car.  You don't need to register for that part.  https://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleSelection.do

Yes, there are noticeable visual differences between the original and replacement hose.  The search on here isn't great but you should be able to find comparison images hopefully.  The hose from the coolant tank to the T-piece changed from thin, hard plastic, to a thicker rubber hose.

Edit - It's easier to Google image search than search the forum lol:

Old hose:

 

 

 

New 'recall' hose:

 

Nothing coming up for the VIN and it looks like I've got the "new" hose from what I can see.....

 

Is the drivers footwell wet as another problem some have is the pipes from the heater matrix.

 

 

21 minutes ago, chunky120717 said:

Nothing coming up for the VIN and it looks like I've got the "new" hose from what I can see.....

 

Yeah, that's the new hose, the recall must have been done before you got the car. 

17 minutes ago, jlawes20389 said:

Is the drivers footwell wet as another problem some have is the pipes from the heater matrix.

 

 

Doesn't seem to be (car hasn't moved for 2 days and its been hot) nor have we ever noticed it be at any other time. AC got serviced/regassed earlier this year if thats anything to do with the heater matrix nothing spotted as an issue

11 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Yeah, that's the new hose, the recall must have been done before you got the car. 

Is the recall for the known issue purely the pipe though or are there any other parts which are likely to be involved/fail? 

Maybe it isn't the dreaded recall problem after all... not sure if that's good or bad! 😩

4 minutes ago, chunky120717 said:

Is the recall for the known issue purely the pipe though or are there any other parts which are likely to be involved/fail? 

Maybe it isn't the dreaded recall problem after all... not sure if that's good or bad! 😩

It's just that pipe replaced on the recall.  Isn't that the one that was disconnected?

 

The recall was initiated by Ford at the end of 2014.

Problems with the degas hose assembly and coolant reservoir can easily be prevented by checking the condition of these parts during every service. Before these parts fail there are usually signs of deterioration (microcracks or discolouration). If there are signs of deterioration the parts need to be replaced. 

Replacing these parts every major service (every 3 Years) is highly recommended. 

Yes but wondered if the disconnection is part of the same underlying "known fault" issue (ie the pipe failing/breaking/splititng regardless of it being the original pipe or the recall pipe, or have we just been unlucky that it has disconnected randomly after 4 years trouble free motoring? 

You've been really helpful Tom and I do appreciate all the replies.

5 minutes ago, chunky120717 said:

Yes but wondered if the disconnection is part of the same underlying "known fault" issue (ie the pipe failing/breaking/splititng regardless of it being the original pipe or the recall pipe, or have we just been unlucky that it has disconnected randomly after 4 years trouble free motoring? 

You've been really helpful Tom and I do appreciate all the replies.

Yes, as mentioned above, the recall wasn't particularly successful and the new pipe will eventually break as well, though there was never a recall for the recall!  I wonder whether the connection at the end of the pipe, or the reservoir connection, may be worn on yours now?  It's not the 'common' break point in fairness.

Update:

Ford HQ have accepted responsibility and have given agreement my local garage can inspect. If it is found to be down to the known manufacturers fault they need my garage to submit a report and they will fund the cost of the repairs ie brand new engine at about £3,500.