2017 Exp EL Ltd 168K. Twin turbo problem dealer says $11,000 to fix. Just had $1,600. Tune-up service Help car isn't worth that

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Alpha30022

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2021
Posts
6
Reaction score
2
Location
Alpharetta Georgia
I have a 2017 Exp EL Ltd 4x4. Just had 2 coils replaced with tune up at 168k including service. Car still ran rough. Now Ford dealer says the twin turbos are bad. $11,000. To replace. Car is not worth $11,000 to sell. Any advice please.
 

DieselMonk

Full Access Members
Joined
Dec 29, 2024
Posts
592
Reaction score
339
Location
Atlantic Canada
What codes are you getting now? Is the $$$ light on? Runs rough how (explain)? Is it idling ok?
For misfires, usual suspects are plugs, coils, vacuum leak, not enough compression, timing, plugged CAT’s, etc. I think yours may also fall on a TSB for a throttle body assembly for a rough idle.
I guess we need a better picture of what going on with your Expy.
Could it be turbos? Kinda hard to believe, but possible. I am driving turbo’d cars and trucks for a long time and never had a single turbo fail yet and they were way past 200k miles. Unless you skimped on the oil changes.
 

99WhiteC5Coupe

Full Access Members
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Posts
3,403
Reaction score
1,990
Location
USA
I have a 2017 Exp EL Ltd 4x4. Just had 2 coils replaced with tune up at 168k including service. Car still ran rough. Now Ford dealer says the twin turbos are bad. $11,000. To replace. Car is not worth $11,000 to sell. Any advice please.

Both turbos failing at the same time is also unusual. What did the dealer explain is wrong with them?
 

dkincaid32

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2021
Posts
19
Reaction score
6
Location
texas
Running rough? If your turbo goes bad it will leak, smoke or not boost and probable give you a code. Driving/idle feels normal until you punch it and it drags ass. Its amazing how much the turbos help push these behemoths.

Both turbos can be replaced in your driveway although it takes some mechanical ability and tools. Lots of youtube videos on that.

The dealership lifts the body off the frame to do it, so that explains some cost, but $11k? Thats insane.
 
OP
OP
A

Alpha30022

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2021
Posts
6
Reaction score
2
Location
Alpharetta Georgia
The dealer said that the one turbo was leaking and I cant recall what the problem was with the other. No Smoke. There was no change from before the tune up. There was no code for the turbo. The code came in for a bad coil. The car ran rough. It is driveable although I am leary of driving distances. The one dealer I took it to said I needed to replace the engine as it would be cheaper to fix. Did not happen, This car has been serviced by the dealer since I bougjht it. I change the oil every 5,000 miles. I cant believe the service technician did not see the turbo problem when It went in for the tune up. Thanks
 

BlackBetty

Full Access Members
Army
Joined
Feb 1, 2021
Posts
427
Reaction score
168
Location
Surprise, AZ
You definitely can replace the turbo’s in ur driveway. Not super hard. Had one of mine removed while installing my SPD downpipe.

Is the turbo leaking oil, or coolant?
 

JasonH

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
1,557
Reaction score
895
Location
Houston, TX
Get a second opinion from a trustworthy independent mechanic. If the turbos are problematic, that should have been identified before they went for the plug swap. A leaking turbo can be anything from a coolant line to an internal seal. I'm at 170,000 on the OE turbos and no issues so far. If there's no smoke or oil/coolant loss then there's no leak. First step would be to try a code reader to see if there are any pending codes.

I've had good luck going with shops that have near 5 stars on Google Maps. At a minimum, they usually care about how they are perceived by potential customers and go the extra mile to make sure customers are satisfied so they can keep that high rating. My experience with Ford dealerships has been very poor. They act like they're doing you a favor and communication is often very poor.
 

Calidad

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Posts
765
Reaction score
400
Location
California
I have a 2017 Exp EL Ltd 4x4. Just had 2 coils replaced with tune up at 168k including service. Car still ran rough. Now Ford dealer says the twin turbos are bad. $11,000. To replace. Car is not worth $11,000 to sell. Any advice please.
Your getting fleeced. Dealer is ripping you off
 

k4vbb

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2025
Posts
31
Reaction score
18
Location
Castle Rock, CO
I look at turbochargers as a consumable, much like brake pads or spark plugs. At some point they all die, and normally before the engine does.

That said, 11K is a lot of cash to be spending on their replacement. I'd definitely check somewhere else. Sounds to me like it's a precursor to a sales pitch for a new vehicle.
 
Top