2012 3,5L Ecoboost manufactured 11/11. I bought used approx 7 months ago with 69k miles. Live near Seattle, never taken on a long trip until a week ago. Drove to Colorado and thats when the trouble began.

Not towing, couple hundred pounds in back, that's it. A couple hundred miles in, get the occasional shudder, and check engine flash. Get up into the mountains in Colorado, and it loses power, shudders, and I baby it. Eventually get the check engine, knock, shudder, and have to pull over. Wait a few minutes, seems to be running ok, baby it the rest of the way. Take it to Ford dealer and they say I have a bad plug and ignition coil on Cyl. 2. A couple hundred later, back on the road and it seems ok. About 100 miles into the return trip, the same thing. Get the check engine light trying to pass a semi, and have to pull over. Light does not stay on, baby it 1200 miles back. Doing the same thing on any highway driving or if I give it any pedal at all. Managed to avoid the light staying on, but can't go on like this much longer, and really lost confidence in this truck.

So, was there a recall that the previous owner might have missed? Do I have a bad CAT and plugs (and probably CAC too).

It has always been a little sluggish and never got great gas mileage, but this problem is outright frightening.

 

Last owner probably gave up on this truck, most folks get a catch can, clean intercooler, check all coils, then replace plugs and boots.

good luck.

 

Mine did the flashing CEL, shudder, and loss of power last week going 75 in the left lane. Pulled over to the right and towed it to the closest ford dealer. They replaced a coil pack, and did a intake manifold cleaning. I'll order a catch can and new plugs when I get home from Alaska. It was at 59,300 and I've owned it for a month and half.

 

I know the pain all of you guys are feeling. I read all these pages (took a LONG time). I don't have the complete shutdown when passing on expressway, but more when I'm taking off from a stop. I am going to first try the pedal fix, but think I'm going to have to go with a catch-can. Thanks to all of you guys for the help.

Now only if I could get the dealership to hear the vibrating noise out of the front right side when driving it in the cold. I think it's the IWE solenoid. Once winter gets here in MI, I'll be taking it over to them.

 

Guys - the catch can will not solve this ecoboost problem. You get the misfire because condensate is getting blown through and blowing out spark. You must fo two things to fix:
1. Drill the 1/16" weep hole in the intercooler. This gets the water (and any oil) out of the intercooler.
2. Install new sp534 plugs gapped to .030. Remember, these need changed every 20k miles or so.

 

Awesome, thank you. Was already planning on doing plugs, but didn't even think about the weep hole.

 

Sorry this is my first post. Not sure if Im doing it correctly. Just wanted to say my shutter issue was resolved after replacing bad O2 sensor. I got hard studder and loss of power around 3500 rpm. I had spark plugs done shortly after. Truck ran well.

 

What year?

 

BRAVO you are the first person I have heard say the catch can won't eliminate this problem. I was under the influence that the catch can was there to catch all of the stuff you would be drilling a "weep hole" to let drain out?? I have not had this problem with my truck as of yet but I was seriously considering a catch can, the new plugs and possibly changing the intercooler in hope to not ever get this problem. My truck only has 34k on it but it seems like most of the trucks with the problems are trucks with 45-50k and up?

 

You definitely have the condensate problem then. You would benefit from the weep hole. The reason your cat (and o2 sensor next i bet) failed was due to the misfire. You loaded up the cats with raw fuel and it melted the cat. Happens all too often on these because the misfire isn't addressed quick enough.


Actually, it very well documented that the catch can works to prevent oil and vapor from entering the intercooler. The intercooler builds moisture and the only way to remove it (prior to blowing out spark) is with the 1/16" weep hole.