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2021 Explorer ST Total Engine Replacement

BDP'sST

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Virginia
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2021 Explorer ST
#1
I've been lurking on this forum a while, but finally joined to share my experience. Last month out of the blue, my 2021 Ford Explorer ST with 15,500 miles would not start. Attempts to jump it were futile.

I then had it towed in to the local Ford dealer. At first, they were thinking the starter. A few days later, I got a call saying they could not hand crank the motor as it seized up. In addition to that, they found pieces of metal from the piston in the oil pan. The dealer took apart the intake manifold and found that the valve keeper failed thus dropping the intake valve into the #5 cylinder.

This necessitated replacement of the engine, both turbos and even the flywheel and torque converter. Ford covered this with zero cost to me. I was also given a loaner, but I was without my Explorer for a month. Shoutout to Jerry's Ford in Leesburg, VA for doing a very good and thorough job on my truck.

This is a known issue with the 2021 Broncos and is even being investigated by the NHTSA. Though frustrating, this did in the end work out. I just wanted to bring awareness that this can happen to the 2021 Explorer with the 3.0 Ecoboost as it was built in the same factory as the Bronco 2.7 and is a similar engine.
 

UNBROKEN

4000 Post Club
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Houston, TX, USA
#2
I've been lurking on this forum a while, but finally joined to share my experience. Last month out of the blue, my 2021 Ford Explorer ST with 15,500 miles would not start. Attempts to jump it were futile.

I then had it towed in to the local Ford dealer. At first, they were thinking the starter. A few days later, I got a call saying they could not hand crank the motor as it seized up. In addition to that, they found pieces of metal from the piston in the oil pan. The dealer took apart the intake manifold and found that the valve keeper failed thus dropping the intake valve into the #5 cylinder.

This necessitated replacement of the engine, both turbos and even the flywheel and torque converter. Ford covered this with zero cost to me. I was also given a loaner, but I was without my Explorer for a month. Shoutout to Jerry's Ford in Leesburg, VA for doing a very good and thorough job on my truck.

This is a known issue with the 2021 Broncos and is even being investigated by the NHTSA. Though frustrating, this did in the end work out. I just wanted to bring awareness that this can happen to the 2021 Explorer with the 3.0 Ecoboost as it was built in the same factory as the Bronco 2.7 and is a similar engine.
It can happen to anything…file it under “shit happens” and hope it’s taken care of to your satisfaction.
My brother kicked a rod out the block on his drive home from the dealer in a brand new Power Stroke.
 

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Location
Cincinnati, OH, USA
#3
Good thing Ford is taking care of this. Yes, valve drop can happen to any engine......look up LS and LT engines and specifically the LS7. Class Action lawsuit was denied on this and GM got away without having to recall any.
 

OP
B

BDP'sST

New Member
Messages
5
Reactions
3
Points
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Location
Virginia
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #4
Yep, anything can fail an any time. When I poured over the internet to see if there was anything similar to what I was experiencing with the Explorer, the Bronco got most of the attention with the same issue.

BTW, my replacement engine is a "Ford Remanufactured Long Block". I asked service manager about it. The block itself is from another vehicle, but they build it with all new parts from the bottom up. New pistons, camshafts, moving parts, etc. They told me Ford wont put a 2023 engine into a 2021 truck.
 



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