NHTSA opens investigation into Ford 3.5L EcoBoost engines in F-150s; reports of reduced power during hard accelerations
27 May 2013
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last week opened an investigation (PE13018) after its Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received 95 reports alleging incidents of reduced engine power during hard accelerations in model year (MY) 2011 through 2013 Ford F150 trucks equipped with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine. The population of potentially affected vehicles is about 400,000.
The preliminary evaluation will gather information to assess whether the subject vehicles contain a safety-related defect.
NHTSA reported that Ford has issued three technical service bulletins related to intermittent stumble/misfire on acceleration from highway cruise in humid or damp conditions in some MY 2011 and 2012 F150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines.
The most recent bulletin, TSB 13-3-3, includes procedures for:
diagnosing a condition related to moisture accumulation in the Charge Air Cooler (CAC) during extended highway cruising at constant throttle in humid or damp conditions; and
repairing the condition by reprogramming the powertrain control module with the latest calibration and installing a new CAC and air deflector plate.
Approximately one-third of the reports received by ODI indicate that the incidents occurred while driving in humid or rainy conditions. Many complaints allege safety concerns associated with overtaking vehicles. No related crashes have been reported to ODI to date.
Air bearing turbine hybrids are a future of clean burning efficient vehicles. Perhaps Bladon will actually produce them cheap enough even though Capstone has not done so in 20 years. The Wrightspeed turbine truck shows an expensive but money saving way of using turbines. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 01 June 2013 at 02:06 AM