Why can't Ford fix the cam phaser issue?

[Sherminiator]

MY biggest problem is why have they put all the eggs in the DOHC turbo engine basket when GM has proven it can still be done with pushrods in a narrower lighter NA package and still retain MPG.

But yet GM is offers similar turbo I4 and V6 applications just like Ford is on their products, so your argument really doesn't hold much weight.

As for cam phasers-I'm guessing that its one of those things that happens but not to the degree that redesign makes financal sense. I had cam phasor rattle on my SHO (when it was cold)for years and never worried about it.

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[retiredarmymp]

I have been waiting on a Bronco for 18 months. I now have a build week and vin #. The problem is, I am reading post after post of engine failure, leaking tops, oil leaks and complete engine stopping while driving. I have owned and currently drive a Wrangler and have never had issues like this. I am getting colder feet every day that passes

You only hear the bad. Owners that have great experiences wont create a post saying how great their experience has been. I have a 21 Badland Sasquatch Lux hardtop with 23K and I have only had minor warranty repairs, and none of them involve the hardtop. I understand I could have problems later, but thats why I bought the 8 year, 125,000 mile extended warranty.

 

[BigBendBW]

I have been waiting on a Bronco for 18 months. I now have a build week and vin #. The problem is, I am reading post after post of engine failure, leaking tops, oil leaks and complete engine stopping while driving. I have owned and currently drive a Wrangler and have never had issues like this. I am getting colder feet every day that passes

There are posts on every car forum about issues with a small percentage of folks, the Bronco is my favorite vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’ve been in one since May of ‘22. Are they 100% perfect, nope but there’s perfection in the imperfections sometimes. You will not regret picking up that rig when it comes in.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Serious question, not sure if it has been asked. Is there a reason Ford can't seem to fix the cam phasor issue. Reading on here it seems there are failures on 23 year models with low mileage. I know there has been an part update but it has not seemed to fix the issue. Ford is not the only manufacture to have cam phasors but I don't believe I have read of other manufacture failures as common. This is not a bash, I just don't get why it is so hard to solve the issue? What am I missing?

Also is it true the engine must be removed to make this repair? I know the F150's are completed in frame.

Hi John! I can look into your Bronco's cam phaser concern on my end. To get started, could you please send a private message over with the name/location of your local Ford dealer and your Bronco's VIN?

 

[Jms1]

There are posts on every car forum about issues with a small percentage of folks, the Bronco is my favorite vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’ve been in one since May of ‘22. Are they 100% perfect, nope but there’s perfection in the imperfections sometimes. You will not regret picking up that rig when it comes in.

I agree with you, the Bronco is one of the most enjoyable vehicles I have owned. I also agree there is also a small amount of failures in any manufacture. However, Ford has been using these cam phasors for many years now and can't seem to figure out how to fix them? I don't want to have my engine removed to fix them if needed. Do you actually believe that vehicle will ever be the same, no broken connectors or extra bolts?
My inquiry was of somewhat disbelief. These cam phasors must be (not by looks) incredibly complex to justify warranty repair vs improving the design to spare the expense. Ford is not lacking the expertise.

 

[da_jokker]

I have been waiting on a Bronco for 18 months. I now have a build week and vin #. The problem is, I am reading post after post of engine failure, leaking tops, oil leaks and complete engine stopping while driving. I have owned and currently drive a Wrangler and have never had issues like this. I am getting colder feet every day that passes

Unfortunately the quality of the Bronco is questionable, and sadly seems to boil down (for the most part) on assembly. If all thw connections are installed tight, bolts tight, etc...people have to chase gremlins.

There are folks that have had 0 issues, some with a couple minor ones, and others that flat out had lemons.

The biggest thing you can do to increase the odds in your favor, is the pickup checklist... Especially when it comes to seating all the fuses, and tightening the fuse box bolts along with all the grounding and positive connections on and around the battery.

 

[Mojave Norte]

I agree with you, the Bronco is one of the most enjoyable vehicles I have owned. I also agree there is also a small amount of failures in any manufacture. However, Ford has been using these cam phasors for many years now and can't seem to figure out how to fix them? I don't want to have my engine removed to fix them if needed. Do you actually believe that vehicle will ever be the same, no broken connectors or extra bolts?
My inquiry was of somewhat disbelief. These cam phasors must be (not by looks) incredibly complex to justify warranty repair vs improving the design to spare the expense. Ford is not lacking the expertise.

Right, the shocking fact that it's now 20-YEARS Ford is having these cam-phaser epidemics in pretty much all of their V6 engines, of many different sizes & types - as confirmed by @Ducati1098 , @Tricky Mike and several others. And NOT their Inline engines like I-4 and so forth. These longterm widespread cam-phaser epidemics only in the V6's are the tell-tale. These are not production/assembly problems. These are engineering/design problems. And the longterm nature indicates engineering/design departments and managers ignoring the problems, insisting they don't exist, or blaming them on production

Ford's longterm widespread V6 cam-phaser epidemics indicate dysfunctional engineering/design and management with "Head-in-Sand"

 

[CarbonSteel]

Having owned a number of Ford vehicles with cam phasers, the main question that comes to mind is why is this a "random" aka not predictable issue. One would think that if this was a true design issue, then why is the failure rate not 100%?

From my POV, this seems to be more of a manufacturing issue because there does not seem to be a common cause for the failures. Obviously, Ford has had a lot of practice on cam phaser design since the 5.4 3V engines debuted.

It just seems strange that failures tend to be hit or miss...

 

[Roger123]

I'd say it's because they don't want to admit there's an issue. If they did then they'd have people lined up to the end of the earth to get theirs fixed.

 

[Zulu7]

Lots of people already know from experience "Do Not Buy a V6 from Ford"

 

[KABQ]

You're asking the wrong question. It isn't "why can't Ford fix it?" it's "why won't Ford fix it?". As others have mentioned, I assume they've looked at the cost and determined that it's cheaper to fix a percentage of them under warranty than it is to truly solve the problem.

If you're not familiar with the Pinto debacle, check it out. It's a famous case where Ford basically determined it was cheaper to let people die and pay out lawsuits than it was to redesign the car. That's an oversimplification, but basically sums it up.

 

[da_jokker]

Jeeps famous 3.6 Pentastar engine has something like this. They are known for bad rockers that have bearings that wear out causing a tick (sounds exactly like my 2.7 Bronco when it's cold).

If it is not fixed right away, the rocker eats into the Cam.

Some people have a rocker fail early on (I had 2 go bad at 95k), others never have an issue...and yet Jeep still produces that engine without any design changes.

Ford is doing the same thing with their Cam Phasers...they are just playing the $ game.

 

[Area51BS]

People have the power to make manufacturers step it up. Don’t buy it. But it won’t happen.

 

[Mojave Norte]

Sad fact is it’s prob cheaper for ford to push out shitty engines and have the dealers fix them than to correct the issue. Phasers have been a problem since the 2004 5.4 3v. 20 years.

You're asking the wrong question. It isn't "why can't Ford fix it?" it's "why won't Ford fix it?". As others have mentioned, I assume they've looked at the cost and determined that it's cheaper to fix a percentage of them under warranty than it is to truly solve the problem.

If you're not familiar with the Pinto debacle, check it out. It's a famous case where Ford basically determined it was cheaper to let people die and pay out lawsuits than it was to redesign the car. That's an oversimplification, but basically sums it up.

This can explain why Ford keeps pushing out existing engines with the same cam phaser problems. Too lazy & too cheap to fix their existing engine designs

Another question is why do they keep designing new engines with the same cam phaser problems. The Bronco 2.7L V6 didn't exist till 2018. Almost 15-years after the problems started

20-years of V6 cam phaser epidemics. Ford hasn't fixed their new engine designs because their dysfunctional engineering & design teams are pretending the cam phaser problems don't exist

 

[ksdon]

I've read many posts and still have 2 questions.
Are all year models of 2.7 affected? And is there a mileage range that the failure usually occurs?

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