ToppDog

I got lucky in that my 2012 F-150 had the problem with the timing chain getting all chewed up while still under warranty & I got a new engine for free.

But, I am having a different issue with the new engine that seems to be one you folks here may be familiar with - when accelerating to pass on the freeway, it sometimes loses power for a few seconds, which makes the "Stability Control" warning light blink, & then everything goes back to normal & the power returns.

From what I've gathered, this is a common problem that can be fixed by creating a weep hole. This has happened periodically ever since I got the new engine, & it's not increasing in how often it happens or anything, it's just annoying when it does, especially since this is the second F-150 I've gone through, & the 3rd engine between the two (my first F-150 died with the cam phaser issue with only 46,000 miles on a 7 yr old truck).

The engine is only a few months old, with a 3 year limited warranty. Should I bother with letting Ford try to get to the bottom of it, or should I just try to drill the hole & see if that does the trick? Am I missing anything else that I should be trying first?

Tothemax

I am curious why your stability control light blinks? I have only heard of guys (and myself) experience the flashing wrench. When it looses power, does it spit and sputter? Or just fall on its face?

The weep hole is a must on these engines. I would drill it. Ford will likely install a blocker plate on your intercooler and change the programming.

ToppDog

From what I have read, that is the light that comes on when the truck goes into "limp mode" which is why there is the sudden loss of power upon acceleration. They did install the blocker plate, & I'm assuming they also did the reprogramming.

It doesn't sputter or totally lose power. It feels the same as when a car has a top speed governor kicking in, but it's not at a top speed, just when you floor it from any speed. From what I understand, the computer is detecting moisture with the sudden acceleration & puts the truck in limp mode momentarily.

maplelakeduckslayer

Naw you got something else going on, that light doesn't come on when ingesting moisture. I'd be looking at all sensors in the abs system or transmission. Sounds like it is falsely sensing loss of traction and cutting power to the wheels, unless you actually are losing traction.

Tothemax

I agree. Something else is going on here.

I would still drill the hole and remove the blocker plate. Start researching which sensor would cause the traction light to pop up.