Ford Transit Custom - suspected wet belt failure

Tucosalamanca

Yesterday, one of my company vans broke down.

Driving as usual, the brakes appeared to be malfunctioning, moments later 'low oil pressure' warning notification, quickly followed by engine cutting out.

RAC called, operative diagnoses suspected wet belt failure within minutes of arriving, apparently it's a common fault (I would tend to agree after some quick research).

On RAC advice, the vehicle has been taken to the nearest Ford dealership.
At this moment it's waiting for diagnosis, suggested 3-4 weeks as dealership is so busy.
When booking in, I was told that the vehicle is subject to a recall, although I have not been previously contacted, there are no details on .gov and Ford's own online checking tool shows no recalls.

The vehicle is a 2018 model, currently less than five years old.
Mileage is 80k with full and up-to-date history (not carried out by Ford, which I appreciate complicates things slightly).

The recommended belt change interval is ten years or 150,000, so it's not something that I would have considered, although looking about, it appears that some 'in the know' are suggesting that at 80k it needs doing.

If the fault is shown to be wet belt failure (unknown at this point) it's almost certain that a new engine will be required.
I will be pushing Ford UK for a contribution (at the minimum) as this seems to be a known issue and recommended service intervals appear to be too long.

I'm posting this thread for my own benefit and to possibly ask for advice as things develop.....

Grey_Critic

First thing you need to do is contact Ford.

https://www.ford.co.uk/help/general/contact-us

They will then contact the dealer and ask for a report. Makes things more complicated if you delay and if there is a Service Action/Recall outstanding they will investigate why you have not been notified.

Goudy

Yes, it's common.
The timing belt runs in the engine oil to reduce friction, which saves on fuel and lowers emissions.
Failed DPF regens cause fuel that is injected post combustion to pass into the engine oil which then weaken the belt.

I believe Ford announced a service inspection of the belt, if it was suspect it was replaced free of charge.

I seem to remember they wrote to owners, as already stated you might want to investage why you didn't get the letter.

Grey_Critic

Goudy said:

Yes, it's common.
The timing belt runs in the engine oil to reduce friction, which saves on fuel and lowers emissions.
Failed DPF regens cause fuel that is injected post combustion to pass into the engine oil which then weaken the belt.

I believe Ford announced a service inspection of the belt, if it was suspect it was replaced free of charge.

I seem to remember they wrote to owners, as already stated you might want to investage why you didn't get the letter.

That makes sense and the OPs comment

Mileage is 80k with full and up-to-date history (not carried out by Ford,

and answers the question how was it missed.

Ford issue **Technical Service Bulletins** on a regular basis advising of such as this and other actions and instruct **Dealers** to carry out chacks. They ARE NOT product recalls.

Vehicles may be serviced to Ford (or othe manufacturers) but unless the garage doing the service subscribes to these TSBs then the checks will be missed or not done.

My prior posting advised contacting Ford and the OP needs to do this withoiut delay - waiting for the dealer to get around to doing any work just creates further problems. Speak to Ford and they may pick up the costs, waiting a month before asking does not help

Tucosalamanca

To update the thread.

Ford UK were contacted on 02nd March, auto-responder says expect response within three working days. To date, I've heard nothing from them....

Today the local dealership has contacted me to confirm the diagnosis. 'Replacement engine required due to cambelt partials contaminating the engine'
They have asked me to authorise works approaching £7.5k.
I have declined and asked them to speak with Ford UK as I expect a significant contribution towards the replacement costs.

I've just sent a second email to Ford UK, advising them of what's happening and asking them to liaise with my local dealership.
Again, auto-responder suggests a reply within three working days.

As a note, the service advisor has told me 'There is a recall on earlier transits (built up to September 2017), but yours is a 2018 vehicle, so not covered by the recall.'
This contradicts what I was initially told at the point of booking the vehicle in.
On further research by myself, it turns out that ETIS Ford does indeed show a recall '19B10 – Transit 2.0 eco blue facelift Oil Dilution'
This has been widely discussed online and appears (at least from my layman perspective) to be directly related to the belt failure.

I will update as things progress...

Grey_Critic

Question is when the engine was built not the vehicle.I have known recalls for vehicles that actually fall outside the dates. You are doing the right thing waitiong for Ford to respond.

Tucosalamanca

Today's update.
The local dealership have repeated that vehicle is outside of cambelt recall but are willing to request goodwill from Ford UK.

Dealership have requested full service history including copies of the invoices showing parts & oil grades used.

I have send stamped service book, along with two itemised invoices during the time of our ownership.
I don't have the first service invoice as it wasn't supplied with the vehicle.

Now waiting for response from dealership as well as a reply from Ford UK who are yet to contact me... 

Ganga

Who would have thought that a rubber belt would run in oil ,no wonder they have engine failures. Do any other manufacturers use this system of timing belt ?

daveyjp

Peugeot group.  Ford also use a wet belt for the oil pump drive belt on Ecoboost engines.

  The problem with that is it isn't a service item, so over time the oil strainer can get blocked with belt debris, starving the engine of oil and it siezes.

Tucosalamanca

Today's update.

'Unfortunately, Ford Customer Relations have currently declined any assistance on the repair of your vehicle, due to not being able to confirm the 1st service details.

If you are able to obtain a copy of the service invoice carried out on ******, they will review their decision.'

I've since managed to contact and have a lengthy conversation with the garage who carried out the 1st service.
It turns out that the vehicle was previously owned by a Ford Parts distributor.
The garage has kindly emailed me the missing service invoice, as well as an additional invoice for oil & filter change in between services.
I'm now very confident that the vehicle has been maintained far in excess of Ford recommendations. 

These invoices have now been sent to the local dealership and I await to hear from them.

Ford Customer Services (UKCVSC1@ford.com) still haven't acknowledged my emails, despite the auto-responder saying that they would be in touch....

Tucosalamanca

Just a small update.

Ford Customer Services have finally made contact! I now have a case handler and reference number.

I've pointed them in the direction of my local dealership, hopefully they will now talk to each other and we can make some progress...