Ford 150 V6 3.5L EcoBoost

[charszy]

Hello,

Does anyone tow with a 2012 or 2013 F150 V6 3.5L EcoBoost with a 3.55 rear end? Ford claims it has 365 hp and 420 lbs of torque which is more than my Chevy ¾ ton with a 6L. I will be towing a 30’ travel trailer that is 5,700lbs empty so I’m figuring it’s 7,700lbs loaded. I live in Illinois and we are just weekend campers and only tow it 70 miles one way on flat ground. Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Craig

[dockmasterdave]

Just came back from another trip with my 2014 ecoboost F150, towing 4500# loaded, Amerilite, with 3:15 axle in the hills of central FL.
Couldn't have asked for a better match.
Towed W/towhaul on at all times. It could pull some pretty good hills(not mountains) without shifting, at 1500 rpm.
Only have about 2000 miles towing on it so far, but I love it.
Got 11.5 to 12.5 towing in the hills of Buckhead ridge, the only decent hills near here, and about 11.5 average HWY at 65.
I would have no hesitation pulling a loaded TT of 6500 to 7000 with this combo. Beyond that I would probably want a lower ratio, but until I go over that, why buy extra gas?

[Merrykalia]

On one of our first trips with our 2012, we started getting some stuttering when we pulled out. We took it in and there was a service bulletin on it. They re-programmed something and we have not had a problem since then.

[buddyIam]

Tystevens

I am not denying that you are very happy with your truck and the links I listed above don't really give a number of affected vehicles.

But there are a lot of TSB's for the f150's in recent years. I have not checked to see how the numbers are with other similar vehicles.

But those links aren't to internet forums, they are not just blog talk. They are actual TSB's. It gives both the TSB number and the NHTSA reference number.

When I narrow down my search I most certainly will check those sites and confront the dealer with that information before I buy.

[Tystevens]

8iron wrote:
Are these engines really that problem prone? I don't drive one but it seems that Ford is building a ton of them and I haven't heard many complaints in my corner of the world. (Mostly mpg related). Are there really dangers in owning one? Is it like GM ignition dangerous? Or is it more of a specific series of events that has to happen before something may or may not occur?

I may be biased, but I don't think the vast majority of owners are having problems with the Ecoboost. I know I'm not, and on the F150 forum I frequent, there are not many problems, either. The internet tends to propagate things a little bit!

[MitchF150]

Wow.. Didn't know there was that many TSB's on these things... 😞

I've not experienced ANY of these things to date, so maybe it's just a fluke thing, but I've still got 2 years of warranty left, so lets see how it goes..

Mitch

[buddyIam]

This is a list from Edmunds.com for 2013 F150

Link

[buddyIam]

This link is supposed to include all of the 2013 tsb's up to at least Jan 1 2014 I didn't seem to see one that you described like the one above.

TSB

[buddyIam]

tragusa

I found this one: But it may be to old for your truck.

Date Reported MAY 10 2011
NHTSA Reference #10039120
TSB Reference #TSB-11-5-7­

Description: FORD: 2011 F150. WHEN STOPPING OR ACCELERATING THERE IS A CLUNK NOISE OR CHIRP/BUMP/SLIP FROM THE DRIVESHAFT. *RM
Repair Information for NHTSA #10039120

[tragusa3]

Any link on the TSB for the driveshaft bump?

I've had no intercooler problems, but only 14k miles. Towed 6k miles this summer and it did a phenomenal job. Couldn't have asked anything else of it.

[MitchF150]

I think a lot has to do with how the EB is run.. Meaning, if you don't get into the boost very often, and run it in humid/colder locations, the condensation could become a problem...

I like getting into the turbos on a daily basis! 🙂 Might as well take advantage of those freeway on ramp stop lights! I love getting up to 60 mph in however many seconds as it takes.. (it's not much!) to merge into traffic.. 🙂

Kinda like the old days of cleaning out the carbon! 🙂

Anyway, the jury is still out on these things of course, and I've only got 11k miles on my 13 with about 2k miles towing and it's been great.. 🙂

Mitch

[Shadow_Grey]

I have a 2011 and have never had a problem like that...now over 60,000 miles in ALL kinds of weather too.

[Steeljag]

No issues at all with mine! smooooooth as can be with plenty of power!

[mbopp]

wwest wrote:
Has Ford yet come up with a final fix for the Ecoboost limp mode condensation problem?

Now 4 years running....

After being in the shop twice mine's been OK since the last fix.

[8iron]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

wwest wrote:
Has Ford yet come up with a final fix for the Ecoboost limp mode condensation problem?

Now 4 years running....

Ya, to cover up almost half the intercooler with a piece of sheet metal. :R

Kind of like shooting yourself in the foot and then taking a pain killer to make the pain go away. :R

Are these engines really that problem prone? I don't drive one but it seems that Ford is building a ton of them and I haven't heard many complaints in my corner of the world. (Mostly mpg related). Are there really dangers in owning one? Is it like GM ignition dangerous? Or is it more of a specific series of events that has to happen before something may or may not occur?