Problems with the 3.5L Turbo Engines 2015-17???

[Fred Moore]

I just joined the forum and am learning a lot. Thanks to all who share.

I have a 2017 Expedition King Ranch, with all the HD towing capabilities. I just purchased a 33' travel trailer with a dry weight of 5600lbs. I bought the trailer from a man I work with that I know to be very meticulous in his upkeep of things. The trailer is immaculate.

He towed it with an older Expedition, and I had no issues pulling it from his house to mine. We are a couple weeks from our first time out with it, and am wondering if those with similar rigs have recommendations for the Expy or for towing in general. I have a good Reese Weight Distribution hitch.

Specifically, I'm wondering if there are suspension upgrades that have proven useful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Adieu]

Sorry, canon says a 4 door Bronco ain't a Bronco. Imagine a 4 door Mustang....just try.

Debadge a Lincoln Continental, add a wing in back and a pony up front

 

[coolzzy]

I just joined the forum and am learning a lot. Thanks to all who share.

I have a 2017 Expedition King Ranch, with all the HD towing capabilities. I just purchased a 33' travel trailer with a dry weight of 5600lbs. I bought the trailer from a man I work with that I know to be very meticulous in his upkeep of things. The trailer is immaculate.

He towed it with an older Expedition, and I had no issues pulling it from his house to mine. We are a couple weeks from our first time out with it, and am wondering if those with similar rigs have recommendations for the Expy or for towing in general. I have a good Reese Weight Distribution hitch.

Specifically, I'm wondering if there are suspension upgrades that have proven useful.

Thanks in advance.

Just get your WD hitch dialed in and setup correctly. Expect tons of rear suspension sag until you have the weight bars on, I use 1k pound bars and it keeps my expy level with 900+ pounds of tongue weight plus gear in the truck.

 

[chuck s]

Equalizer (brand) 10,000/1000 pound hitch has built in sway control, no slider bars that have to be removed before backing, no chains, etc. Been on my trailer and trucks (plural) for 15 seasons. Tongue weight hovers about 700 pounds with my Roo 23SS travel trailer.

-- Chuck

 

[Captain Kirk]

I thought I read somewhere that the 17' engine didn't have the carbon problems?

 

[TDGFordGuy]

Looks like we're getting off track; I'm sure you can find more info on this topic in other threads. But... here we go.

Mine has the Rear Load-Leveling Air Suspension and about 1 minute after dumping all the tongue weight on the rear end; the truck levels out and then I install the weight distribution bars. Since AAA did deem mine a Total Loss from the repair shop damage; I'm not finding very many Expy in CA with the Air Suspension. It's great for towing and for making the non-hauling ride so smooth.

 

[08navigator]

I will say the 2015 being a "new model year" seems to have more issues than others. Not so much with the engine but other things. Our 15 navigator has had a lot of warranty work done on it. We bought it with 34k miles and it now has 46k miles on it. We have had the following:

Right rear shock blew out on the drive home(ccd suspension)

Front driveshaft differential seal leaked and was replaced

Front driveshaft CV boot ripped and driveshaft was replaced

Water pump leaked and was replaced

4wd actuators replaced twice, hubs replaced once

We have the cold start engine rattle also. It's intermittent at this time so we are waiting until it starts occuring more often.

We also had a rattle that sounded like a shopping cart under the suv while going downhill and applying the brakes. Turned out that the heat shield was clanking against the exhaust.

This is all under warranty so I am grateful for that. I'm hoping it's all fixed at this point since we are keeping this SUV until it dies

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[TDGFordGuy]

I will say the 2015 being a "new model year" seems to have more issues than others. Not so much with the engine but other things. Our 15 navigator has had a lot of warranty work done on it. We bought it with 34k miles and it now has 46k miles on it. We have had the following:

Right rear shock blew out on the drive home(ccd suspension)

Front driveshaft differential seal leaked and was replaced

Front driveshaft CV boot ripped and driveshaft was replaced

Water pump leaked and was replaced

4wd actuators replaced twice, hubs replaced once

We have the cold start engine rattle also. It's intermittent at this time so we are waiting until it starts occuring more often.

We also had a rattle that sounded like a shopping cart under the suv while going downhill and applying the brakes. Turned out that the heat shield was clanking against the exhaust.

This is all under warranty so I am grateful for that. I'm hoping it's all fixed at this point since we are keeping this SUV until it dies

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Fix Or Repair Daily.... UGH, You definatly didn't get a Wednesday truck. Thanks for the very useful info. My 2013 Taurus (3.5L) has the same exhaust rattle but more often. Super loud outside the car, can't hear it at all from inside with windows up. Oil preasure sensor was leaking giving me low oil preasure light progressivly more often. Changed it with FoMoCo part, all better.

 

[08navigator]

I've actually had great luck with Fords and so has my Dad. It's not until I got into the full size SUV game that I started having issues with the vehicles. Oh well. Hopefully I won't have anything else besides normal wear and tear

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[TDGFordGuy]

I've actually had great luck with Fords and so has my Dad. It's not until I got into the full size SUV game that I started having issues with the vehicles. Oh well. Hopefully I won't have anything else besides normal wear and tear

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I'm a Ford guy too, my dad and my grandfather. Grandpa was a Ford mechanic and service mgr for 30+ yrs. He called Chevy a "bucket of bolts" and said he kicks himself often that he didn't buy mustangs when they first came out when his cost was $250!

I have found similar experience as you in the full size ford suv "game". Having owned a 04 Excursion 6.0 and now 2 Expeditions, build quality and comfort feel seems skimped on, like the Expeditions have been Ford's "red headed step child" for a Long time. I saw a (2014?) F150 King Ranch with the leather all over the dash, door panels, pillars, full steering wheel wrap, etc (might have been a custom job). Nothing even close to that on Expy, why not? Especially as sales continued to fall and they keep increasing the price. I mean, how much does it really cost to add 6 sq.ft. of leather to some surfaces to justify the $65k+ price tags?!?

Rant Over.