We have a 2011 Ford F-150 with the turbo engine and 94k miles. It spits and sputters when trying to accelerate quickly (i.e passing). Bringing it to the shop yielded new spark plugs, boots and coils. This did not solve the problem. Mechanic was trying to avoid the costly timing chain replacement, but he is now convinced the dreaded p0016 code is due to the timing chain being stretched. The more I read on various threads, FMC knows this is an issue on the 2011-2012 turbo engines, but yet they refuse to do the right thing and put this under warranty.

I am just thoroughly frustrated over the things that have gone wrong on this engine and then to read threads indicating this is known! There are three TSB's out on this very issue. Get your act together, Ford, and do what is right for your customers, or you won't have any!

Two Ford dealerships recommend replacing the engine though the problem originally was the timing chain and phasers. The engine replacement is just under $12,000 dollars the value of the truck at this point is only about $16,000. This issue appears to be a fairly common complaint on the internet for this particular engine, 2011 Ecoboost v6. Neither Ford nor the dealership it was purchased form seem to want any responsibility for the problem even though the dealer was familiar with the /shuddering/stalling/lack of acceleration issue as soon as I drove the truck in to them for service. The car has stalled a number of times when I was trying to accelerate from a stop to cross into traffic. It is VERY dangerous. This was my 4th F-150, but sadly it will be my last Ford product.

As I was accelerating onto the highway, I lost all power to accelerate, my engine maxed out at 55mph, the engine started to shake rapidly and the engine light came on. I then was ran off the highway by a semi due to the fact that I could not merge at the right speed. I started to fishtail on the side of the road and almost crashed. The engine was shaking rapidly still for about a mile. I drove the truck straight to the Ford dealership in White bear lake. They told me they had no rental cars available and could not look at my truck today. After some talk, they got me a rental car and took my truck. At first they could not find the issue, I said keep looking, 4 days later they said it was the spark plug and #4 coil. They explained to me that Ford used the wrong spark plugs in the factory truck causing a lot of F150s to have issues like this. I ended up paying over $400.00 for the whole situation. The part that drives me nuts, is that I hear this has happened to a lot of ecoboost owners and ford keeps playing it off. I have had so many issues with this truck and yet ford has not come out and tried to recall or fix anything. If i am to invest $42,000 into a truck, I expect it to work for more than 3 years without issues. I will never buy a new truck ever again.

I have a 2011 F-150 EcoBoost. I had several problems with this truck. Fuel mileage went to hell after 20K miles. Engine Went Bad after 35K miles. A/C Control motor gear went bad after 41K Miles. Seat Track Motor went bad after 41K miles. Engine started stalling,shaking and Check engine light came on after 42,500 miles. Fuel Mileage is still very low compared to when I first bought truck. I did figure out how to fix the Stalling and Misfire. You MUST CHANGE THE SPARK PLUGS AND COIL BOOTS. USE FORD PARTS ONLY. I have over 76K Miles on truck now and no more stalling or shaking since I changed Plugs and Coil Boots.

I have a 2011 Ford F150 FX4 ECOBOOST 3.5L. It started cutting out, so I took it to a Ford dealership and they replaced the plugs at around 70,000 miles. Helped some for a while, but then it started jerking and losing power, mainly when you need to speed up, get out of the way, pass another vehicle. It goes in to limp mode and the check engine light starts flashing. Once you slow it down, the check engine light quits flashing, but stays on then the truck starts shaking. Then it goes back to normal, but it does this every single time. This is dangerous if you need to accelerate and get out of the way, because it just won't do it.

I Googled this and discovered that several other people have experienced this same exact problem and said it was the CAC. I think Ford should cover this, warranty or no warranty. They sure as hell want you to buy their product. It just pisses me off you know, I pay enough as it is with truck payment insurance gas tollway bill, why should I have to worry about this when they know its a problem. I haven't actually contacted Ford yet, but I am in the process. Has anybody had this problem and had any luck with Ford?

Thank you

I was attempting to accelerate onto interstate highway so pressed pedal hard and the engine slowed dramatically. Fortunately, I had time and space to stay on the shoulder of the road, let the vehicle slow a bit, then accelerated less hard and the problem went away. I had the same problem with a different Ford EcoBoost truck attempting to pass, and that time it nearly caused a bad accident, as I had nowhere to go. The dealer said he had never heard of such a thing. I immediately traded the first truck for the one I have now, and this has only occurred once. I intend to ask the dealer if there is a technical bulletin on this problem.

Attempted to pass another vehicle. Engine started shuddering, lost significant power and the check engine light flashed. Then the engine ran so rough that I could not accelerate at all for fear of complete stall. Barely made it around the car I was passing. Any attempt to accelerate at all caused the engine to shake violently. After 4-5 minutes the check engine light came on solid and I was able to at least run at a steady speed without fear of a stall. Any attempt to accelerate above a speed of approximately 60-65 would cause the engine to start shaking again and the check engine light to flash. As long as the check engine light flashed any acceleration caused violent shaking of the motor. I limped home (425 miles!) like this.

If you try to pass someone and this happens it is a real safety concern.

Update from Oct 27, 2014: This problem can be duplicated by attempting a sudden acceleration.

Update from Oct 30, 2014: Problem turned out to be defective ignition coil and resulting fouled plug on one cylinder. Repair of that and a new set of plugs and the truck runs like new!

At 50,000 miles it cracked a plug, so they told me I needed to replace all six, $400.00. Should have been good to 100,000, at least 75. But it also has been cutting out like you just dropped three gears. This has only happened when it's raining and you accelerate. If anyone would have been behind me, it would not have been good. This has happened three times now.

I just took it in again, everyone acted like they had never heard of it. But they had a TSB for it removing some air dam and reprogramming, which they charged me $100.00 for. They said it's not a defect because all computers need updating. I said I think my motor shaking and rapidly decelerating on the highway in the rain seems like a defect.

I have always owned F150s, but you sell me a truck that is broke and your going to charge me to fix it? I'm done with Ford. Oh yea, the gas mileage sucks!

Bought the truck used. After watching the torture test, I thought this engine will hold up. At around 89, 000 miles the truck keeps going into limp mode. It would lose power when you try to accelerate. After a couple weeks, it threw the code P0016. Took it to the dealership and was told the timing chain may have stretched. It would be about a $3400 fix. Ford is not willing to cover this repair or offer any assistance. There is no mention of replacing the timing chain in the manual. I thought that the timing chain should last longer than 89,000 miles. Buyers beware, stay away from high mileage Ecoboost F150's.

I experienced lack of acceleration, sputtering, shaking when trying to pass a slower moving vehicle on a two lane road. This is the 2nd experience of this nature and the first time after having repair work to correct the problem. After having the first " repair" work performed I Googled the technician report to see exactly what the diagnosis and repair was in terms I could understand. This is when I found out about the issues with the Ford V-6 Eco boost engine and consequences of the issue. The repair was covered under warranty but I have experienced the same problem with the "repaired engine". This is a major safety issue and it needs to be addressed by FORD! Both times the experienced occurred after some extensive driving on the interstate or highway, wet conditions, temps in 50's on first encounter. Temps in the 70's on the most recent event.

Ford Motor Company, please make this problem known to all owners of this engine so they might know the ramifications of expecting their vehicle to perform to normal expected standards but fail and potentially cause life threatening circumstances.