2018 Max Platinum - Misfire/Plugs/Coils/VCT/Engine Rumble/Customer Assurance/PCM Info

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Schini

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Hey everyone, I spent a lot of time scouring the forums during my Misfire/VCT/PCM saga and I wanted to share my experience to help others who may go down this same path.

History - I bought my 2018 Expedition Max Platinum, used on 2/10/21 with approximately 47,000 miles. This vehicle was Ford Gold Certified and I ended up buying an extended warranty through Zeigler Ford. I traded in my 2016 F-150 Lariat (Ecoboost).

After the purchase, everything was fine with some minor repairs (rear hatch button, media door closer, etc). Soon, I started experiencing the engine rumbling/hesitating which got progressively worse. Multiple trips to Ford and technician ride-alongs, I kept being told this is "normal". Coming from essentially the same engine and vehicle I had a very hard time believing that. I was even told not to run in 4A, which was a complete copout.

Fast forward - rumble/hesitation getting worse, now at times I take a right turn out of somewhere and try to go - it would get lost and provide no power to the drivetrain, eventually catching up and making the vehicle go. Now, we are finally throwing a code for a misfire. Ford takes it in, diagnoses the VCT problem, makes the repair for free, Reprogramed PCM, Etc.

Two weeks later - problem back again, Ford determined they had put bad VCT parts in, replaced them for free. Reprogramed PCM, Etc.

Weeks later - more hesitation, misfire. It turns out that a spark plug and ignition coil has failed. At this point I am under 50k miles still. For coils/plugs to fail is odd to me (more on that later). Ford makes the repair with my $100 deductible, however they refuse to replace the other plugs and coils because they arent "bad".

Weeks later - misfire again, you guessed it, two more coils and plugs. Ford still holding strong that they will not replace all (6). So now I have a new set of 3 and old set of 3. Each time I go to have this done, I have to pay my $100 deductible. So at this point I am fed up, buy my own plugs and coils (Motorcraft), ensure correct gap, etc. Everything runs great.

From this point things are better but I still constantly get engine rumble. Gears 5 and 8, Gear 5 being at approximately 20MPH and Gear 8 around 45-50MPH you could feel the engine rumbling as if it couldn't figure out which gear to go in, 4 or 6 or stay in 5. It was like it was holding it too long. This shook the entire vehicle. Take it to Ford, go through the standard "that's normal" BS and they reprogram the PCM. This is the 4th time they have reprogrammed the PCM and dumped it back on me without it resolving the problem (Once was the original owner before my time).

Finally, being fed up with this issue I take it back to Ford, get a loaner and inform them I will not be taking the vehicle back until they fix this problem, it's a life safety issue for me and my family. Somehow this sparked some fire in them. They apparently contacted Ford through a Customer Assurance Program? and had the PCM reprogrammed to remove this rumble. As you can imagine I was completely skeptical but they ensured me that the problem is gone now.

So far - so good, running 3 weeks no issues. So in a nutshell here is what I have learned through my research here and actual experience:

-As we all know Ford has a serious issue with the VCT replacement and subsequent bad VCT part installation, it appears the new product they are using has solved the issue
-Remote start/stop is killing the plugs/coils way too early. Unless you turn the feature off when you get in the vehicle, before the first stop/activation, you essentially firing your plugs/coils double/triple/quadruple.. times and wearing them out prematurely
-If you still have engine studder/rumble you need to press your dealership to contact Ford through this Customer Assurance issue. The procedure is "FSA 21N08 Procedure B" and it solved my issue.

I hope this information helps some of you dealing with the same issues as this drove me absolutely mad for almost a year. I hope I can answer any other questions if you have any. Thanks!
 

LokiWolf

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Auto Start/Stop has ZERO effect on the life of the plugs. These Ecoboosts are hard on them. Most Turbo motors are. That is WELL documented. Your dealership is a bunch of Morons. You do realize by stopping the motor during a Start/Stop cycle you are firing the plugs/coils LESS. By your rational, it would cause them to last longer.

VCT issues aside, which many never have issue with. On my 4th 3.5 in a vehicle, and 6th Ecoboost overall, not a single VCT/VVT issue. I run them HARD!

The FIRST time you had a plug and coil replaced, they should have done them all. That was 90% of your issue. The current replacement plug in the catalog, and what your 2018 came with are DIFFERENT plugs. The originals weren't good, and the replacements are worse. There are many threads(Even recently) covering this. There are NGK options, and they are night and day better from the current Motorcraft options. People have seen improved performance and MPG switching to them.

Now to the PCM. They kept flashing it, one of which was the Cam Phaser update. That causes issues on some, and shudder. The update you got, basically puts it back to somewhat stock behavior. Then, and here is the important part, after all of the previous programming they NEVER ran a calibration. There are certain steps you are supposed to do AFTER the programming to start the learning process on the Transmission.

Hope that helps ALL to understand the above story.
 

Soliyou

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Auto Start/Stop has ZERO effect on the life of the plugs. These Ecoboosts are hard on them. Most Turbo motors are. That is WELL documented. Your dealership is a bunch of Morons. You do realize by stopping the motor during a Start/Stop cycle you are firing the plugs/coils LESS. By your rational, it would cause them to last longer.

VCT issues aside, which many never have issue with. On my 4th 3.5 in a vehicle, and 6th Ecoboost overall, not a single VCT/VVT issue. I run them HARD!

The FIRST time you had a plug and coil replaced, they should have done them all. That was 90% of your issue. The current replacement plug in the catalog, and what your 2018 came with are DIFFERENT plugs. The originals weren't good, and the replacements are worse. There are many threads(Even recently) covering this. There are NGK options, and they are night and day better from the current Motorcraft options. People have seen improved performance and MPG switching to them.

Hope that helps ALL to understand the above story.
So the updated plug is actually worse??!!
I just purchased set of these plugs and saw they were made in Japan… I assumed by NGK.

The NGK website recommends 90495, but they will need to be re-gapped. I saw a colder plug recommended here, but not sure if it should be used on a stock engine
 

LokiWolf

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So the updated plug is actually worse??!!
I just purchased set of these plugs and saw they were made in Japan… I assumed by NGK.

The NGK website recommends 90495, but they will need to be re-gapped. I saw a colder plug recommended here, but not sure if it should be used on a stock engine
Assuming will get you nowhere. Look at the stock MC plug vs the NGK recommended in several threads on here. There is a BIG difference.

Yep, the colder NGK is what I recommend, even stock. Difference is gap. Run the stock gap, if not tuned.
 

Soliyou

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Assuming will get you nowhere. Look at the stock MC plug vs the NGK recommended in several threads on here. There is a BIG difference.

Yep, the colder NGK is what I recommend, even stock. Difference is gap. Run the stock gap, if not tuned.
Thanks !
 

dbozian

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Hey everyone, I spent a lot of time scouring the forums during my Misfire/VCT/PCM saga and I wanted to share my experience to help others who may go down this same path.

History - I bought my 2018 Expedition Max Platinum, used on 2/10/21 with approximately 47,000 miles. This vehicle was Ford Gold Certified and I ended up buying an extended warranty through Zeigler Ford. I traded in my 2016 F-150 Lariat (Ecoboost).

After the purchase, everything was fine with some minor repairs (rear hatch button, media door closer, etc). Soon, I started experiencing the engine rumbling/hesitating which got progressively worse. Multiple trips to Ford and technician ride-alongs, I kept being told this is "normal". Coming from essentially the same engine and vehicle I had a very hard time believing that. I was even told not to run in 4A, which was a complete copout.

Fast forward - rumble/hesitation getting worse, now at times I take a right turn out of somewhere and try to go - it would get lost and provide no power to the drivetrain, eventually catching up and making the vehicle go. Now, we are finally throwing a code for a misfire. Ford takes it in, diagnoses the VCT problem, makes the repair for free, Reprogramed PCM, Etc.

Two weeks later - problem back again, Ford determined they had put bad VCT parts in, replaced them for free. Reprogramed PCM, Etc.

Weeks later - more hesitation, misfire. It turns out that a spark plug and ignition coil has failed. At this point I am under 50k miles still. For coils/plugs to fail is odd to me (more on that later). Ford makes the repair with my $100 deductible, however they refuse to replace the other plugs and coils because they arent "bad".

Weeks later - misfire again, you guessed it, two more coils and plugs. Ford still holding strong that they will not replace all (6). So now I have a new set of 3 and old set of 3. Each time I go to have this done, I have to pay my $100 deductible. So at this point I am fed up, buy my own plugs and coils (Motorcraft), ensure correct gap, etc. Everything runs great.

From this point things are better but I still constantly get engine rumble. Gears 5 and 8, Gear 5 being at approximately 20MPH and Gear 8 around 45-50MPH you could feel the engine rumbling as if it couldn't figure out which gear to go in, 4 or 6 or stay in 5. It was like it was holding it too long. This shook the entire vehicle. Take it to Ford, go through the standard "that's normal" BS and they reprogram the PCM. This is the 4th time they have reprogrammed the PCM and dumped it back on me without it resolving the problem (Once was the original owner before my time).

Finally, being fed up with this issue I take it back to Ford, get a loaner and inform them I will not be taking the vehicle back until they fix this problem, it's a life safety issue for me and my family. Somehow this sparked some fire in them. They apparently contacted Ford through a Customer Assurance Program? and had the PCM reprogrammed to remove this rumble. As you can imagine I was completely skeptical but they ensured me that the problem is gone now.

So far - so good, running 3 weeks no issues. So in a nutshell here is what I have learned through my research here and actual experience:

-As we all know Ford has a serious issue with the VCT replacement and subsequent bad VCT part installation, it appears the new product they are using has solved the issue
-Remote start/stop is killing the plugs/coils way too early. Unless you turn the feature off when you get in the vehicle, before the first stop/activation, you essentially firing your plugs/coils double/triple/quadruple.. times and wearing them out prematurely
-If you still have engine studder/rumble you need to press your dealership to contact Ford through this Customer Assurance issue. The procedure is "FSA 21N08 Procedure B" and it solved my issue.

I hope this information helps some of you dealing with the same issues as this drove me absolutely mad for almost a year. I hope I can answer any other questions if you have any. Thanks!
 

dbozian

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Thank you for your time in giving most of us an idea of what might go wrong. From my experience a lot of dealers have been stuck with old cam phasers and still try to fix the problems with them.
 

LokiWolf

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Thank you for your time in giving most of us an idea of what might go wrong. From my experience a lot of dealers have been stuck with old cam phasers and still try to fix the problems with them.
What @Schini said was uneducated and misinformed.

Cam phaser, VCT, ya’ll are mixing issues.

I addressed his issues and where the problems were here:
https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...customer-assurance-pcm-info.50460/post-463704

The whole statement that Start/stop is causing premature wear on plugs coils is so flawed in logic that it makes the rest of his post null and void.
 
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