Fuel in oil

[Justlooking]

It's hard to tell just how common this problem is. I imagine most people with a new car never open the hood. It seems only a handful of people on here have the problem....while that puts the odds in your favor it's no relief for the nightmare they're going through. Ford isn't the only brand having problems with GDI an TDGI engines. Maybe a 24 month lease would be a way to see if it has the problem....if it has it take it back if it's a good one keep it.

Invoking the lemon law would be a lot less expensive than leasing just to see if it’s a keeper. Agree the NHTSA won’t take action until they see it as an issue that effects many, but if no one complains they’ll never know. The lemon law only takes one vehicle but could get sticky Ford tries to take the stance that more than X% fuel in oil is normal.
To those getting nowhere with an unsympathetic dealer I would strongly encourage invoking the lemon law and getting a new truck - not a new engine. Your resale value could be destroyed with an engine replacement on the service record.

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[MotoWojo]

After 66 pages of comments it doesn’t look like this has been solved nor is there a TSB or recall. Wondering why no one has taken the lemon law approach (typically dealer gets 3 tries then Ford gets a try) or filed a safety complaint with the NHTSA? I’ve been seriously considering a Ranger but this thread has brought back memories of why I swore I’d never own another Ford.

Unfortunately in WI, the dealer gets 4 tries or you need to not have use of the vehicle for 30 days or more, but that all has to happen in the first year of ownership. My dealer has had 8 tries, and counting, and I am well over the 30 days, but my problem first started 11 months into ownership, so I do not qualify for Lemon law in WI. At least that is what Ford has told me, as they denied the buyback. They go strictly by the law in your state, they really don't care about you as the customer, at least that is what I am experiencing.

For the first time ever, I got an engine knock at startup today. Ran into town (25 miles) to get groceries, when I was leaving the store, i started the truck and it was definitely making a knocking sound I have not heard before. I thought the engine was going to let go right there, but by the time I got out of the parking lot, it had stopped. Cavitation, maybe? My oil level has to be at least 1-1/2 over max?

 

[Justlooking]

Unfortunately in WI, the dealer gets 4 tries or you need to not have use of the vehicle for 30 days or more, but that all has to happen in the first year of ownership. My dealer has had 8 tries, and counting, and I am well over the 30 days, but my problem first started 11 months into ownership, so I do not qualify for Lemon law in WI. At least that is what Ford has told me, as they denied the buyback. They go strictly by the law in your state, they really don't care about you as the customer, at least that is what I am experiencing.

For the first time ever, I got an engine knock at startup today. Ran into town (25 miles) to get groceries, when I was leaving the store, i started the truck and it was definitely making a knocking sound I have not heard before. I thought the engine was going to let go right there, but by the time I got out of the parking lot, it had stopped. Cavitation, maybe? My oil level has to be at least 1-1/2 over max?

I think someone is giving you the runaround. True, in Wisconsin the dealer gets 4 tries but I would argue problem only has to be reported within the first year - to an arbitrator if necessary. All of the service attempts should not need to occur in the first year. Who is telling you otherwise? The dealer? You can demand a face-to-face appointment with a Ford field service rep Or go to arbitration. I did that with a car many years ago and the dealer suddenly changed his tune about everything. It’s a huge black mark on the dealership for the customer to meet with someone from Ford so they’ll try to avoid it at nearly all costs. Do you have it in writing from Ford that they have denied the buyback?

 

[MotoWojo]

Might well be that you and @MotoWojo have completely different fuel in oil problems. One has piston rings that broke in better and one has a fuel system issue that developed after time. We all have to consider that not everyone's problem might be the same.

Totally the opposite for me, compared to Doc, my trucks oil level was rock steady the first 10,000 miles and then something had to of happened to cause the issue that is ongoing for me. Everything the dealer has done, has made no change, except after the last attempt, in which they swapped out the injectors again and replaced the high pressure fuel lines, my fuel mileage has tanked. Thru the first 18,000 miles, I never had a tank average less than 19 mpg. Mostly between ~20.5 - 22 mpg, depending on weather, cold temperatures and wind having the most impact. Since the last fix attempt, the first 8-9 tank fulls averaged about 17.5 mpg. I finally broke 18 (18.1 mpg) the last tank fill, this past week. I am approaching the same mpg that I got in my old V8 F150.

 

[Justlooking]

Totally the opposite for me, compared to Doc, my trucks oil level was rock steady the first 10,000 miles and then something had to of happened to cause the issue that is ongoing for me. Everything the dealer has done, has made no change, except after the last attempt, in which they swapped out the injectors again and replaced the high pressure fuel lines, my fuel mileage has tanked. Thru the first 18,000 miles, I never had a tank average less than 19 mpg. Mostly between ~20.5 - 22 mpg, depending on weather, cold temperatures and wind having the most impact. Since the last fix attempt, the first 8-9 tank fulls averaged about 17.5 mpg. I finally broke 18 (18.1 mpg) the last tank fill, this past week. I am approaching the same mpg that I got in my old V8 F150.

You guys have reminded me of my two Ford nightmares. I wish there was a midsize truck that I really liked made by a company I could trust to stand behind it. Good luck on this - at least it sounds like your dealer is trying.

 

[CO2Ranger]

Unfortunately in WI, the dealer gets 4 tries or you need to not have use of the vehicle for 30 days or more, but that all has to happen in the first year of ownership. My dealer has had 8 tries, and counting, and I am well over the 30 days, but my problem first started 11 months into ownership, so I do not qualify for Lemon law in WI. At least that is what Ford has told me, as they denied the buyback. They go strictly by the law in your state, they really don't care about you as the customer, at least that is what I am experiencing.

For the first time ever, I got an engine knock at startup today. Ran into town (25 miles) to get groceries, when I was leaving the store, i started the truck and it was definitely making a knocking sound I have not heard before. I thought the engine was going to let go right there, but by the time I got out of the parking lot, it had stopped. Cavitation, maybe? My oil level has to be at least 1-1/2 over max?

With used vehicle prices what they have been, have you thought about selling your truck and trying something else? How much do you stand to lose?

 

[cb4017]

With used vehicle prices what they have been, have you thought about selling your truck and trying something else? How much do you stand to lose?

This. I like my Ranger well enough but it if started causing me the level of aggravation some of you are seeing it would be gone pretty quick.

 

[MotoWojo]

I think someone is giving you the runaround. True, in Wisconsin the dealer gets 4 tries but I would argue problem only has to be reported within the first year - to an arbitrator if necessary. All of the service attempts should not need to occur in the first year. Who is telling you otherwise? The dealer? You can demand a face-to-face appointment with a Ford field service rep Or go to arbitration. I did that with a car many years ago and the dealer suddenly changed his tune about everything. It’s a huge black mark on the dealership for the customer to meet with someone from Ford so they’ll try to avoid it at nearly all costs. Do you have it in writing from Ford that they have denied the buyback?

I put the request in with the Ford Customer Rep that I was working with and they said they submitted it and about a week later they told me it was denied. I never got any paperwork. When I look up the WI lemon law it does say:

• One of the following happened during the vehicle’s first year and before the warranty expired:
  • The dealer failed 4 times to fix the same nonconformity
  • The vehicle was unable to be operated (“out of service”) for 30 days or more due to defects

Am I reading that wrong?

 

[MotoWojo]

With used vehicle prices what they have been, have you thought about selling your truck and trying something else? How much do you stand to lose?

No, I have not considered that. Other than this issue, I love the truck and it is a good fit for me. I am a ford guy and have only bought Fords. My last six vehicles, over the past 22 years, were all purchased brand new, all Fords, 3 F150's, a Mustang, a Ford Focus, and now the Ranger. I still own the Mustang, which I have no plans of getting rid of. This is the first major problem I have had with any of my Fords. Unfortunately, Ford is not treating me well. If this sort of treatment would of happened years ago, I probably would not be in a Ford today. Ironically, this Ranger was the most expensive vehicle I have ever purchased. I guess I just got a Lemon. In my opinion, Ford needs to start treating their customers better, if there's a problem, they need to to make it right. There's still time, hopefully they will step up.

 

[jinja]

No, I have not considered that. Other than this issue, I love the truck and it is a good fit for me. I am a ford guy and have only bought Fords. My last six vehicles, over the past 22 years, were all purchased brand new, all Fords, 3 F150's, a Mustang, a Ford Focus, and now the Ranger. I still own the Mustang, which I have no plans of getting rid of. This is the first major problem I have had with any of my Fords. Unfortunately, Ford is not treating me well. If this sort of treatment would of happened years ago, I probably would not be in a Ford today. Ironically, this Ranger was the most expensive vehicle I have ever purchased. I guess I just got a Lemon. In my opinion, Ford needs to start treating their customers better, if there's a problem, they need to to make it right. There's still time, hopefully they will step up.

How much longer until you can take it back to them again?

 

[MotoWojo]

How much longer until you can take it back to them again?

I am a little over half way to the 5000 miles they want on this oil change. It will probably be late January or February before I get to that point.

 

[Justlooking]

I put the request in with the Ford Customer Rep that I was working with and they said they submitted it and about a week later they told me it was denied. I never got any paperwork. When I look up the WI lemon law it does say:

• One of the following happened during the vehicle’s first year and before the warranty expired:
  • The dealer failed 4 times to fix the same nonconformity
  • The vehicle was unable to be operated (“out of service”) for 30 days or more due to defects

Am I reading that wrong?

Definitely looks like a weak lemon law! Still worth arbitration arguing that it’s unreasonable to expect 4 oil changes in the first 12 months. Otherwise it sounds like you may become an ex-Ford customer!

I did a little digging and found out that Ford’s warranty costs have become a point of discussion with stock analysts. Currently their warranty is hovering around 4% of sales, double what it was 10 yrs ago and about double the competition’s. I imagine the pressure inside the company to deny warranty is extreme. Good luck and sorry you’re having problems.

 

[Tra1969]

What would be a long trip? My daily commute is 50 miles round trip and I believe my fuel dilution is worse than most. I am about halfway to the 5000 miles that the Ford wants me to drive on this oil change and the level has been hovering around the top of the twist for a couple weeks now, Last time it was at that level, when the oil was changed, ~7.8qts was drained, so 1.6qts of fuel? On the bright side, the truck pretty much still runs like it did when it was new, although, I am worried for how long? That much fuel dilution must be slowly killing my engine?

I have only seen it go down when my trips were over 90 miles one way. And the two trips I took and seen it, the weather was above 70 deg out. I was doing weekend trip to a local racetrack was 44 miles one way and didn't seem to help but stayed stable. When it first started before the HPFP change it was going up no matter what. Only since the last oil change has it been kinda stable. Got it schedualed for a oil change tomorrow. So I will get to see if it goes back up or stays stable.

 

[jinja]

Does anyone have a metal oil pan? There's plenty of oil pan heaters that could be an easy test. First one on Amazon I found says it keeps oil at 194 farenheight and takes only 15 minutes to get up to that temperature.

There's also the dipstick style

 

[u wish u could ride]

Do most of you guys have Extended warrentee for peace of mind and drive it until I breaks ? I don’t have the oil / problem but would it be worth it to press ford on this? Even at a reduced price?

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