Not too terribly long after the sixth-generation Ford Bronco launched for the 2021 model year, a small number of owners began having valve-related issues with their twin-turbocharged 2.7L V6 EcoBoost powerplants. The problem was so bad that some of those owners experienced total engine failure as a result, and after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 26 complaints pertaining to it, the agency opened an official investigation back in July 2022. Now, however, the NHTSA has decided to close that investigation.
Just this past October, the NHTSA expanded its investigation to include other models equipped with the 2.7L V6 EcoBoost – including the Ford Edge, Ford Explorer, Ford F-150, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Nautilus. Ford ultimately determined that engine failures in select models stemmed from a faulty intake valve design utilized in those powerplants, which can fracture under certain circumstances. Ford told the NHTSA that these defective valves were produced using an alloy known as “Silchrome Lite,” which can become very hard and brittle in the event that it’s exposed to extremely high temperatures during the machining process.
Back in October 2021, the manufacturing process for these intake valves was changed, and newer versions of that part are made from “Silichrome 1,” which is less susceptible to this problem. Ford notes that the defective valves tend to fail early in the life of the engine – typically within just a few hundred or thousands of miles – and also informed the NHTSA that most of the resulting engine failures have already occurred. Regardless, the automaker issued a recall this past September covering 90,736 different Blue Oval models equipped with the 2.7L V6 EcoBoost and these faulty valves.
Ultimately, the NHTSA determined that the recall sufficiently addresses this issue, and also noted that Ford has stated that it will launch a new customer satisfaction campaign – 24N12 – which will provide extended warranty coverage for the subject vehicles for either 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first, in the event that failures occur later on down the road.
Comment
I’m sure this will save Ford millions of dollars and smart idea on their part. However as a Bronco recall customer I’ll be a little paranoid of total engine failure. Especially while out in the boonies or centre lane on a highway.