Beware of the Power Stroke diesel

[Guest]

Ford's diesel drama drags on

Power Stroke woes anger buyers, drive up warranty costs

Richard Truett

Automotive News / December 12, 2005 - 6:00 am

James and Penny Schrader have bought Fords faithfully for 30 years.

But persistent problems with the Power Stroke diesel engine in their 2004 F-250 pickup have unraveled three decades of brand loyalty. The Schraders, both 63, put a second mortgage on their home in Linden, Mich., to buy the $45,000 truck. Now they say they'll probably never buy another Ford.

"My husband wouldn't look at anything else," says Penny Schrader of their pickup. "But I don't care how good their product was in the past. They haven't treated me well as a loyal customer."

The Schraders aren't alone. Ford Motor Co. has been sued at least 58 times by consumers who bought 2003- and 2004-model Power Stroke trucks. The company also has fielded more than 12,000 consumer complaints, according to Ford's internal warranty data.

Not a minor flaw

This isn't a minor flaw that Ford can dispatch with basic service. The Power Stroke's warranty repair costs are battering Ford's bottom line. In a conference call with Wall Street analysts last March, a company executive acknowledged that Ford's diesel-powered super-duty pickups suffered from quality problems.

Ford has declined to estimate the cost of fixing those defective Power Stroke engines. But Ford has acknowledged that its warranty costs ballooned by $500 million through the first nine months of 2005, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Ford says it is honoring the engine's five-year, 100,000-mile warranty and doing everything it can to repair it. And newer versions of the engine in late 2004- and 2005-model pickups are more reliable.

But the problem will continue to fester. Ford already has sold more than 384,000 diesel trucks with potentially defective engines. And customers like the Schraders appear ready to abandon the brand.

Fixing its diesel problems -- in terms of both engine performance and public confidence -- is crucial for Ford because the stakes are enormous: Diesels account for about 25 percent of all F-series sales, and the 6.0-liter Power Stroke is a $5,000 option. The engine is offered on medium- and heavy-duty pickups, and had been offered on the discontinued Ford Excursion SUV.

From 225,000 to 250,000 diesel-powered F-series trucks are sold each year, at prices ranging from $30,000 to $50,000-plus.

If Ford can't put things right, the Power Stroke could cause a consumer backlash similar to that of Chrysler's problem-plagued Ultradrive transmission, which alienated minivan owners in the early 1990s.

"If this isn't fixed, and fixed right, and customer satisfaction put back on track, there will be fallout," says Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research Inc. in Bandon, Ore. "Ford will lose buyers to Dodge and General Motors."

Trouble from the start

The 6.0-liter Power Stroke engine has been troublesome from the day it was launched in the fall of 2002. It replaced a somewhat unrefined 7.3-liter diesel.

The powertrain was built by a longtime Ford diesel supplier, International Truck and Engine Corp., of Melrose Park, Ill.

For this version of the engine, International Truck designed a unique high-pressure fuel-injection system.

Most automakers use only electronic controls to operate the fuel injectors in a common-rail system. But the Power Stroke's fuel injectors are operated by a high-pressure oil pump as well as electronics.

According to several of the 150-plus complaints posted on the Web site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some trucks never even made it home from the dealership before the fuel injectors or turbocharger failed.

The engine also has been plagued with leaky fuel injectors, oil leaks, broken turbochargers, wiring harness troubles, faulty sensors, defective exhaust gas recirculation valves and bad computers.

Since the engine debuted three years ago, Ford has issued at least 77 technical service bulletins. That is far above average, even for a new engine. These bulletins tell mechanics how to diagnose and fix various problems.

By comparison, there have been eight service bulletins for GM's Duramax diesel V-8 and none for the diesel engine in the Dodge Ram truck. Both engines debuted at about the same time as the Power Stroke.

After just a year on the market, International almost completely redesigned the Power Stroke's fuel system, replacing or redesigning nearly 500 parts. That helped reduce the number of problems, but did not cure the engine of all its ills. Ford has voluntarily recalled the engine at least twice to fix various problems.

The engine can be repaired and made reliable, says International spokesman Bob Carso. Engineers from Ford and International have fixed the problems that plagued the early versions of the engine, he said.

But Carso says the engine is extremely complex and requires "outstanding diagnostic capabilities" to properly identify and repair the faulty parts.

"When they first started out with the 6.0-liter, Ford had a team that was looking over every bit of it and just doing whatever it took to get them fixed," says Mark Ward, a master diesel technician at Landers McLarty Ford in Bentonville, Ark. "And then that just shut off like a light when Ford found out how much losses they were having."

Ward contends Ford is trying to shift more repair costs onto consumers.

"We used to replace turbochargers left and right if the fins had any damage to them," he says. "Now they (Ford) won't accept a turbo back with any fin damage. They are saying if there is any (turbocharger) fin damage whatsoever, it has to be from a dirty air filter. You have to inform the customer that Ford won't pay for that. It's $700, plus the labor."

The fin is the part of the turbocharger that is driven by engine's exhaust system.

"When the 6.0 is running properly, it has much better performance than the 7.3 did," says Charles Ledger, a Ford master technician from Oroville, Calif. "Unfortunately, the 6.0 is plagued with sensor problems." Ledger dispenses advice on his Dieselmann Web site (intellidog.com/dieselmann/home.html).

Getting better

The number of complaints for 2005 Power Stroke engines has dropped sharply compared with earlier versions since last year's redesign of the engine's fuel system.

But there still are thousands on the road that are not reliable -- and may never be. Design deficiencies in some faulty parts, Ward says, have not been addressed.

"If you look at the part number at the new one you are putting on, it's identical to the one you are taking out," notes Ward, the Arkansas technician. "If you start out with something cheap, what do you expect to happen?"

Power Stroke perils

The Power Stroke's problems are making a lot of people angry.

Dealers, because they're losing some of their best customers

Technicians, because they say they are not being given enough time to repair trucks with this engine

Customers, because their trucks may stall, creating a safety hazard -- and because they must make repeated trips to the dealership for Band-Aid fixes

Ford executives, because the Power Stroke problem is driving up warranty costs

[Guest]

All the more reason to buy a Chevy

[Guest LAGRANGEFF40]

M2THEAX : I CAN'T AGREE WITH YOU ON THE CHEVY THING. IF YOU RESEARCH THE DURAMAX DIESEL THEY HAVE A HAND FULL OF PROBLEMS THEMSELVES. I WORK FOR FORD AND LIVED THROUGH THE NIGHTMARE OF THE 1994 7.3 TURBO AND THEY WORKED THERE WAY OUT OF THOSE PROBLEMS IT WAS A GREAT MOTOR AFTER THEY GOT THE BUGS OUT AND FOR THE 6.O LT MOST OF THE PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS ARE BECAUSE OF THE EPA WANTS TO HAVE A EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATOR ) SYSTEM ON THE MOTORS WHICH MAKE THEM RUN MUCH HOTTER THATS WHY THE ELECTRONICS START TO BREAK DOWN EARLY. DONT GET ME WRONG I LIKE THE CHEVY TAHOE AS A FLY CAR OR CHIEFS CAR BUT TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND AND MOST AMBULANCES ARE MADE ON A FORD CHASSIS AND THEY HOLD UP VERY WELL AND I AGREE WITH THE ARTICLE IF I SPEND 45,000 ON A NEW TRUCK IT BETTER WORK RIGHT

4-2

[Guest]

This might relate to an earlier post that was discussed. Well First off how is lagrange treating you? and I hope you and Chewbacca are having a good time up there But I a, pretty set on a Chevy Silverado. Now, I dont know wether to go for the 1500, 2500, HD, Duramax Diesel, etc.... I have talked to a lot of people about there suggestions I have heard a lot of different things such as:

"The 2500 HD is very heavy and burns through brakes and has to be registered as a commercial vehicle becuase of weigt restricitons."

I would love to get the Crew Cab but it adds a lot of $$ to the final price.

I have also heard that the duramax diesel is a must but that also adds 6k to the price.

I am not sure what I am going to get, I am leaning towards the 1500 HD Ext Cab. I don't normally have a lot of passengers and it does provde some pretty good space back there for a pick up, Also I dont know if I really need the 2500 for the towing capacity, the biggest thing I have to tow is a sail boat not to large.

Anyway Hope all is well up there,

Max

[Guest LAGRANGEFF40]

WELL THINGS ARE GOING GOOD UP NORTH CHEWY AND I HAD OUR FIST WORKER ON WEDNESDAY. CHEWY GOT DEEP IN THERE IT WAS A GREAT TIME FOR OUR FIRST FIRE OUT OF THE ACADEMY ANY WAY THATS ENOUGH ABOUT US

I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE DOING WELL AND ENJOYING YOURSELF .

IF I COULD GIVE A LITTLE ADVICE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GO WITH A 2500 WITH A GAS MOTOR THE DIESEL IS MORE FOR THE LONG HEAVY HALL MORE FOR WORK ITS NICE BUT I TELL ALL MY FRIENDS THAT A GAS MOTOR IS BETTER IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE AND ENJOY THE TRUCK I ALSO TRY TO TALK THEM INTO BUYING A FORD BUT IT DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. WHAT I TELL THEM NOW IS TO GO OUT AND DRIVE EVERTHING THEY CAN BUT STAY AWAY FROM DODGES THERE LIKE DRIVING A DUMPSTER SORRY TO ALL THE DODGE PEOPLE

YOU HAVE MY PHONE #S CALL ME TALK TO YOU SOON

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[X615 0]

"STAY AWAY FROM DODGES THERE LIKE DRIVING A DUMPSTER "

what?????????????? have you even driven a dodge to know what you're talking about. i bought a dodge ram 2500 cummins turbo diesel in may after years of wanting an f250 powerstroke. with all the p/stroke problems i stayed as far away from ford as possible. this dodge is by far the best truck i have driven and owned. it corners so well i feel almost no body roll & the brakes were definately intended for a much heavier vehicle since they stop my truck with virtually no effort and i have more motor than i know what to do with and find myself way over the speed limit without trying. the truck isn't without it's faults but it is one hell on an incredible truck. if it weren't for the cummins i probably wouldn't have even looked at a dodge but i'm glad i did. it's extremely comfortable, drives like a dream & is a lot of fun. if my truck got wrecked or stolen tonight i'd go buy another one without even thinking about it.

[Guest]

Fix Or Repair Daily, hopefully they can clean up this mess and no one will get hurt.

[z28skunk 28]

I agree.

Bow ties all the way!

Edited January 9, 2006 by z28skunk

[Guest]

My only problem with Chevy is that I don't know wether to buy the Silverado, Tahoe, or wait for the new camaro!