2016 Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost big end bearing gone - new engine?

[MrBikerJon]

Hi all, I bought a 2016 Fiesta 1.0 ST Line with the ecoboost engine about 6 months ago. A month ago noticed a tapping sound coming from the engine which got faster at higher revs. Took it to my local non-Ford dealer, they have said it's the big end bearing gone, apparently a common fault with this engine. And it's not possible to get the parts so it's a complete new engine, £2k + VAT for the engine so with labour (£800) & consumables totalling £3.9k!! Could this be right? The car's only done about 65k miles, obviously don't know how it was driven before but has been serviced regularly as far as I can tell. Thinking about getting it towed to a Ford main dealer for them to have a look, but then would have to pay both labour to the garage who did the fault-finding plus towing costs, on top of paying the Ford dealer. The advantage I guess of having it done by Ford is we're protected for any future problems, the downside is if it is a new engine, could end up costing me more having it done there.  Before doing that I think I'll call the Ford dealer first for their advice, but any thoughts would be appreciated. Trying to keep smiling but obviously not a happy bunny at the moment. Cheers all. 

[JW1982]

The fact that Ford considers the bottom end to be unserviceable and does not supply internal parts and service data does not mean that these engines can not be rebuild.

Both standard and oversize main and bigend bearings are easily available from third party suppliers.

If the bigend bearing is the only problem you can probably get away with regrinding the crankshaft and installing an oversized bearing. The crankshaft can be removed from the bottom and there is basically no need to remove the engine from the car. Since the wetbelt needs to be removed it also needs to be replaced.

A defective bigend bearing on itself  is definitely not a known issue on a 1.0 ECOboost.

Lack of lubrication caused by the oil pump strainer being blocked with wetbelt debris however is a well known problem. If this is the cause of the defective bigend bearing there will be much more damage and excessive wear.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Sorry to see that, Jonathan. Unfortunately there are literally dozens of threads on here regarding ecoboost issues if you have a search around. Cheapest prices for new engines we've found are about £2k plus fitting, eg

https://pumaspeed.co.uk/product-Brand-New-Ford-Service-10-EcoBoost-Engine_18898.jsp&pic=3

https://approvedengines.com/products/1-litre-ecoboost-engine

Some members have reported £4k or more from Ford dealers.

As Wilco mentions above, there are people around who specialize in repairing ecoboost engines, one which seems to have had favourable mentions is https://northwestengines.co.uk/ though some way from you.

 

[Eatonm112]

4 hours ago, MrBikerJon said:

Hi all, I bought a 2016 Fiesta 1.0 ST Line with the ecoboost engine about 6 months ago. A month ago noticed a tapping sound coming from the engine which got faster at higher revs. Took it to my local non-Ford dealer, they have said it's the big end bearing gone, apparently a common fault with this engine. And it's not possible to get the parts so it's a complete new engine, £2k + VAT for the engine so with labour (£800) & consumables totalling £3.9k!! Could this be right? The car's only done about 65k miles, obviously don't know how it was driven before but has been serviced regularly as far as I can tell. Thinking about getting it towed to a Ford main dealer for them to have a look, but then would have to pay both labour to the garage who did the fault-finding plus towing costs, on top of paying the Ford dealer. The advantage I guess of having it done by Ford is we're protected for any future problems, the downside is if it is a new engine, could end up costing me more having it done there.  Before doing that I think I'll call the Ford dealer first for their advice, but any thoughts would be appreciated. Trying to keep smiling but obviously not a happy bunny at the moment. Cheers all. 

Where did you buy the car from? Private or trader. If you bought from a trader then you have somewhere to go for a fix or money back.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Yes, you mentioned buying the car "about" 6 months ago which could be important in respect of your consumer rights, quick summary here:

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/knowledge-base/what-are-a-consumers-legal-rights-when-buying-a-car

[MrBikerJon]

9 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Yes, you mentioned buying the car "about" 6 months ago which could be important in respect of your consumer rights, quick summary here:

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/knowledge-base/what-are-a-consumers-legal-rights-when-buying-a-car

Thank you.  Yes, I purchased it on 18th June from a trader. Noticed the noise in November, took it to my local garage (not the one I bought it from, they're in London) on 22nd December. It's taken until 12th Jan for my local garage to diagnose it. So I guess the fault did develop in the first 6 months, but as it's now outside the first 6 months will I need to prove it somehow.  From the Ombudsman site "If you are complaining about a fault within the first six months of purchase, it is presumed this fault was there at the time of purchase. The seller will need to prove that this fault was not there at point of sale. If you are complaining about a fault outside of the first six months, you will need to prove that fault was there at point of sale.". 

I did call the seller in November when the noise started as I bought a warranty from him in June when I bought the car (only covers up to £1000 of the cost) and I wanted some advice about how to proceed, so that might help my case. 

I suppose the next step is to call the seller and explain the situation...

[Eric Bloodaxe]

2 hours ago, MrBikerJon said:

I suppose the next step is to call the seller and explain the situation..

Indeed.

This seems a bit more complicated than if you had bought the car locally and the issue had arisen next day, but life's like that, unfortunately.

You don't mention what happened when you contacted them in November?

Presumably back in June the car was not making noises or you wouldn't have proceeded with the purchase, but it's quite possible the conditions which brought it about were already in place then.

As Wilco's post above, regular oil changes with the specified oil are absolutely crucial on these engines, and failure to do so leads to degradation of the "wet" timing belt, debris from which blocks the oil pump strainer, leading ultimately to loss of oil pressure and serious damage.

You mentioned it had been serviced regularly "as far as you could tell". Was it sold as having a full service history? If so, that is some leverage, and if misrepresented may be grounds to get Trading Standards involved. 

Also not clear if the car has been driven between November and diagnosis on 12 January? If so the seller could claim you have exacerbated the problem by doing so.

 

 

[Hackney]

It is easier for a dealer to replace the whole engine.No dealer would be interested in repairing it, but in saying that you have many specialists in the UK well versed in these engines.Stay away from any Ford dealer.Get it repaired independently.

[Hackney]

On 1/18/2023 at 5:07 AM, MrBikerJon said:

Hi all, I bought a 2016 Fiesta 1.0 ST Line with the ecoboost engine about 6 months ago. A month ago noticed a tapping sound coming from the engine which got faster at higher revs. Took it to my local non-Ford dealer, they have said it's the big end bearing gone, apparently a common fault with this engine. And it's not possible to get the parts so it's a complete new engine, £2k + VAT for the engine so with labour (£800) & consumables totalling £3.9k!! Could this be right? The car's only done about 65k miles, obviously don't know how it was driven before but has been serviced regularly as far as I can tell. Thinking about getting it towed to a Ford main dealer for them to have a look, but then would have to pay both labour to the garage who did the fault-finding plus towing costs, on top of paying the Ford dealer. The advantage I guess of having it done by Ford is we're protected for any future problems, the downside is if it is a new engine, could end up costing me more having it done there.  Before doing that I think I'll call the Ford dealer first for their advice, but any thoughts would be appreciated. Trying to keep smiling but obviously not a happy bunny at the moment. Cheers all. 

Good luck in your endeavours with the vehicle.👍👍