70k, tensioner belt literally broke off from the engine block...the belt was fine, the water pump was fine, Ford Extended Warranty...says...NORMAL!!!

[TJC]

Wow! Two similar threads in as many days!

Here's the other one (over at Bronco6g). Sad for the OP's loss, but the thread is epic.

I just watched this video in the Bronco thread and it outlines EXACTLY why I pulled the plug on the cellular modem in my cars... including my 2020 Ranger.

And this line was classic!

Modern cars are basically "cheapest parts we can throw together without getting sued"​

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[dtech]

I just watched this video in the Bronco thread and it outlines EXACTLY why I pulled the plug on the cellular modem in my cars... including my 2020 Ranger.

And this line was classic!

​

Modern cars are basically "cheapest parts we can throw together without getting sued"​

based on your recommendation I disc'od the modem some months back - seems to have eliminated a big source of parasitic drain, that and deep sixing that stupid bms makes for a much happier battery.

 

[woodworker]

I think the ROOT issue is a bad pulley bearing causing the tensioner to flex (rock).
Most likely either the Idler Pulley (#12) or the Tensioner Pulley (#2), so far the Water Pump (#3) and Alternator (#4) have been reliable and not many reported issues with them.

So the constant flexing (rocking) of the Tensioner stresses out the mounting points, be it poor design or manufacturing mold issues - it eventually lets go.

Poor Design is for sure, there needs to be a stronger support bracket to absorb the stress on those mounting ears.

Yes - Belt Tensioner = Normal Wear Item
No - Breaking off at the mounting points is NOT NORMAL, and is a design flaw and or manufacturing flaw

I sorta figured the same thing, bearing went bad possibly

 

[TJC]

An interesting link showing what to look for.

Signs of Belt Tensioner Failure (Rock Auto)

 

[Racket]

An interesting link showing what to look for.

Signs of Belt Tensioner Failure (Rock Auto)

Looks like good info:

 

[navychuck72]

They literally said, NORMAL WEAR and TEAR. I loved this truck prior to all the bullshit...but I am done...trading this POS in for a Totyota!

I agree. It is because of Ford's response to issues like this, which should NEVER happen, that are going to push people away and into their competitors. I am seriously thinking of trading mine in for a Toyota Tacoma as well. Plus once people leave the Ford brand due to issues like this, they do not come back. Is is possible that an major issue like this could happen with the Tacoma, sure, but until Toyota screws me over and makes an excuse for Not resolving my issue due to Their bad design or failure, it is worth the chance for many.

 

[navychuck72]

An interesting link showing what to look for.

Signs of Belt Tensioner Failure (Rock Auto)

This was not a tensioner pully issue, but a poor quality bracket issue. The pully, even after being snapped off, spun freely and no binding. The belts had zero wear on them and neither the serpentine or alternator belt were broke. The serpentine belt was kinked from being wrapped around the fan, but other than that it was fine. There was no vibration or noise prior to the tensioner snapping. I was lucky in the fact that others had far more damage from the snapped off bracket and pully slapping around and cutting other parts.

 

[airline tech]

ok but if you take the remains of the tensioner assembly and put it into a vice, and then use a wrench on the hex (and rotate) it - attention to the spring load does it snap back every time and is there a constant resistance with the spring also when doing so does the pulley have and (fore and aft) play that would place tension on the driving pulley thus producing a wobbling effect this wobbling effect would possibly produce a (Fore and Aft) force on the mounting ear.
Think of this as a - Perforated billing statement and the piece you send with the check (Payment)
Bend it back and forth a few times and it tears off more easily - sorry but this is what comes to mind as an example of what I am saying.
Plus, a general (Cold) pulley spin does not always show a bad bearing until it gets hot and then starts seizing up - the heat expands the bearings and increase the friction as you already have friction induced by the tightness of the belt riding on it.

Don't get me wrong here, as yes it appears that the cover has some manufacturing defects, but this casting is not that strong to begin with and just trying to determine is this strictly a manufacturing issue (Mold) or is this a chain reaction of something else actually causing the mount to break off.
Something is telling me that it's a chain reaction event - actually causing the extra stress on the mounting point and then factor in - a weak design of the casting just follows, and it breaks off.
So, it's a combination of 2 issues, is my opinion.
The main reason being that in (normal operation) the mount should hold the tensioner and it's only when you factor in (failing pulley or tensioner) adding the extra stress to the mount - it was not designed for and or causes the (weaker) than normal casting to shear off at that point of attachment.

 

[Friday yet?]

Wow! Two similar threads in as many days!

Here's the other one (over at Bronco6g). Sad for the OP's loss, but the thread is epic.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/my-‘22-wildtrak-caught-fire-and-burned-to-the-ground.116716/

Read that entire train wreck while getting my caffeine fix earlier this morning. Wow! The gloves are off!

Don’t have a Bronco, but may have to join that forum just for the laughs. Some of those guys wouldn’t make it through their first/intro post here in our little world without getting the boot!

 

[Friday yet?]

based on your recommendation I disc'od the modem some months back - seems to have eliminated a big source of parasitic drain, that and deep sixing that stupid bms makes for a much happier battery.

educate me please. Does doing so negatively impact using Carplay or anything?

 

[TJC]

educate me please. Does doing so negatively impact using Carplay or anything?

It will impact everything that requires the use of the cellular modem that is built into the truck.

Carplay should work as you are using your cell phone as the connection to the internet, not the truck modem.

 

[Friday yet?]

It will impact everything that requires the use of the cellular modem that us built into the truck.

Carplay should work as you are using your cell phone as the connection to the internet,not the truck modem.

Thx!

 

[navychuck72]

ok but if you take the remains of the tensioner assembly and put it into a vice, and then use a wrench on the hex (and rotate) it - attention to the spring load does it snap back every time and is there a constant resistance with the spring also when doing so does the pulley have and (fore and aft) play that would place tension on the driving pulley thus producing a wobbling effect this wobbling effect would possibly produce a (Fore and Aft) force on the mounting ear.
Think of this as a - Perforated billing statement and the piece you send with the check (Payment)
Bend it back and forth a few times and it tears off more easily - sorry but this is what comes to mind as an example of what I am saying.
Plus, a general (Cold) pulley spin does not always show a bad bearing until it gets hot and then starts seizing up - the heat expands the bearings and increase the friction as you already have friction induced by the tightness of the belt riding on it.

Don't get me wrong here, as yes it appears that the cover has some manufacturing defects, but this casting is not that strong to begin with and just trying to determine is this strictly a manufacturing issue (Mold) or is this a chain reaction of something else actually causing the mount to break off.
Something is telling me that it's a chain reaction event - actually causing the extra stress on the mounting point and then factor in - a weak design of the casting just follows, and it breaks off.
So, it's a combination of 2 issues, is my opinion.
The main reason being that in (normal operation) the mount should hold the tensioner and it's only when you factor in (failing pulley or tensioner) adding the extra stress to the mount - it was not designed for and or causes the (weaker) than normal casting to shear off at that point of attachment.

So basically you are saying it was very poor design by the Ford engineers. Knowing that this is a part that has a significant amount of force put on it, it should have been attached to something far stronger and something that would not cause the customer to have to replace the front timing chain cover that cost almost 4k in service fees.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I agree. It is because of Ford's response to issues like this, which should NEVER happen, that are going to push people away and into their competitors. ...

This x100.

All the manufacturers seem to be having issues nowadays, but the number of times that I had Ford dealers tell me No Problem Found on well known and common issues has soured me completely on any new Ford products.

If I hadn't had the extended warranty (now expired) I would have had to pony up $7k+ in repairs for issues that I had taken my truck in for multiple times only to be told all was *Normal*.

And just yesterday I experienced the SYNC 3 Black Screen Of Death for the first time. Possible failing APIM on the incoming.

Ford probably doesn't read these forums anymore since this is now a dead platform to them, but if they do, here's my comment for them:

Dear Ford, you have lost me as a future customer. Not because of the issues I experienced, but because of the response to those issues that I experienced. Your blatant disregard to resolving known issues was a wake up call to how far you have sunk. You won't get another opportunity.

 

[got3fords]

Dear Ford, you have lost me as a future customer. Not because of the issues I experienced, but because of the response to those issues that I experienced. Your blatant disregard to resolving known issues was a wake up call to how far you have sunk. You won't get another opportunity.

Wouldn't some blame go to the dealer? Some are better than others based on what I read here.

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