@Anerbe - but I think this speaks to part of the problem with so many mfr's right now, especially it seems the US based ones. The manufacturing tolerances create such disparity between products. Not including these last couple years (as I believe with supply chain woes, ever mfr is experiencing part quality issues), many others like Hyundai, Honda, Toyota all have pretty tight tolerances, ever car of the line is very similar to the one before it, but these US cars, not so much. I've had 5 GC's and other than a screwed up moonroof that took years to properly diagnose and fix, my Wk2 was amazing. 120k miles and very few issues, but i also take far better care of my vehicles than many.
I only pray I can get 120k out of this with as few issues as I had before (technically i'm already worse than the GC on major issues).
Yes, I think you have hit at the crux of my disappointment / frustration.
There are tens of thousands of 2018 and 2019 Expy’s out there on the road that have not had the cam phaser issue (yet?)
And an equally large number that have not had major transmission failure. (Although the number of owners experiencing rough shifting seems to be very large).
So this speaks to a quality control problem during manufacture.
If it were strictly a poor design, then (in theory) every one would eventually succumb to the fllaw.
But no, Ford tells me that only a small percentage will experience this issue. First off, I’m not convinced that it is a small percentage.
And secondly, what is happening during the build process that is resulting in latent failures of this magnitude?
If I’m top brass at Ford, don’t you think I would want to know right !@#$ NOW! What was causing this problem in my Expy /F150 platform?? I mean, that platform is THE number one selling vehicle in America. I would rapidly dig deep and find / correct this issue.
And then go back and make it right with all the people that have purchased one of the bad apples.
But all you get from Ford, is …“after manufacture date June 2020, the 3.5EB in your Expedition is not susceptible to the cam phaser rattle”..……uh ok. So what did you change?
(Crickets chirping)
So you KNOW the cam phaser issue won‘t pop up in a 2021 Expy, ..but you won’t tell me WHY you know that.
Because you are hoping you can keep tap dancing long enough for my warranty to run out, and then… welp… it’s not your problem, right Ford?
Yeah, F. U.
It’s a quality control problem, that they found and fixed. And maybe an improved design to provide a little more margin to failure. (Improved oil porting?). And they are being slimy as F@#K in not doing the right thing for the owners with proven bad engines. Keep putting that bandaid on and smiling until the warranty runs out.
The ”standardized quality“ you see in a Toyota is far more consistent.
And when there is a problem, Toyota will acknowledge it and own it.
If Ford were being forthright and aggressively beating this problem down? .. yeah, ok, I can see giving them another chance.
I love my Expy. I really wish it were a good one.
But it’s not, and Ford has really disappointed me in how they have handled this. Sadly, there will not be another Expy in my future—or anything based on that platform, for that matter.
I’m contemplating an F250 diesel, but quite frankly, I just don’t want anything to do with Ford right now.
