2.3L Owners: You might need a new engine

Sulley

Mar 06, 2023

Customer satisfaction program 23B08 will be in effect until March 31st, 2024, with no mileage limit for affected vehicles. The Ford Motor Company singles out the 2023 model year Ranger manufactured on December 8th last year, the December 3rd through December 5th Bronco, and the December 5th through January 24th Explorer.

Dealers have been instructed to repair any affected vehicle arriving at the dealership, whether or not the owner has received a Ford-branded letter. A damaged tool used during engine block machining may have allowed the main oil galley of the four-cylinder turbocharged engine to exceed expectations. In other words, an insufficient seal at the main oil galley plug results in an oil leak from the engine block, which increases the risk of engine failure and vehicle fire.

Replacing the 2.3L EcoBoost is the only remedy available, with Ford highlighting that engine replacements must be performed on all of the affected vehicles at no charge to the owners. Although a customer satisfaction program is better than sweeping this problem under the rub, a recall would have been more like it.

More at https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-didnt-build-the-23l-ecoboost-properly-in-certain-bronco-ranger-explorer-vehicles-211393.html

Riajk, Jakob1972

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 06, 2023

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Mar 07, 2023

#20

TitsLaRue
That position might be opening up again if Ford can't end these neverending fixes that are anything but cheap.

That last line nailed it. And everyone bitches about the price increases every year. It's not so much constraints, it's Ford trying to recoup the money they are losing with the total lack of quality in their builds.

2021 Broncos - BaseSquatch 4dr. Rapid Red V6 Soft Top
Big Bed 4dr. AMB V6 Soft Top Tow (BIL's)
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Mar 08, 2023

#21

Bronco V-8
They don't do that here.If they don't have a loaner they tell you to walk down the street to the rental car place.If you didn't buy the car from them they won't give you a loaner.

I can see a Chevy dealer from my desk, if the Silverrato wasn't so ugly I'd look at them.

Hey now, dim fightin’ werds, lol. I agree that the old Silverados looked like crap inside and out. I have driven Broncos and F150s for 35 years but Chevy finally got it right. Never been happier to get rid of my ‘19 F150 with the 5.0 and 10 spd that Ford ruined. Yes, I admit, had to remove the old man steps, some gaudy High country badging and mud flaps, but this thing has made a believer out of me so far.

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Mar 09, 2023

#22

EvlNvrDys
I just want to expand upon what @Speed Devil is saying....

For all the people (mostly from B6G) that were talking about how great these little turbo engines are, better performance than a V8 and so on.... I sure am noticing a lot of replacements/issues with these little engines. Started with the valves on that batch of 2.7's all the way down to the 2.3's now. Ford needs to stop turning these vehicles into rice burners (can I say that here?) and stick to the good old V8!

You can thank our government for the b.s we have to put up with. It’s not Ford . As much as I can’t stand Ford .🤬

Mar 09, 2023

#23

So how do I find my build date? I bought off the lot, so not sure how to check.

Mar 09, 2023

#24

B99
So how do I find my build date? I bought off the lot, so not sure how to check.

I was just playing with mine today, and there's a QR code on the windshield right next to the rear-view mirror. It seems to be a date code, which is suspiciously correlated with my build date...

YMMV

Riajk

Mar 09, 2023

#25

B99
So how do I find my build date? I bought off the lot, so not sure how to check.

The best thing you can do is call up your dealer's service department, provide them your VIN, and ask them to look up any pending recalls/programs in a system called OASIS. That queries Ford's database directly and takes all of the guess work out of it.

We as customers can't find out the exact build date without help from Ford or the dealers, but we can narrow it down:

The door jam sticker will give you the build month and year.
If you have a digital copy of your window sticker (the physical copies stuck to the vehicle don't have it)... along the top there will be a blend date code—something like 320221203 (December 3rd, 2022). This is the blend date not the build date—but often they are the same day (or at least within 48 hours of each other).

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Mar 10, 2023

#26

Ugh. So I have a December 2022 date. So possibly in the range. On my window sticker I see 12 01 22. So perhaps that means I skirted the broken machine by a couple days. I guess calling the dealer to confirm would be the next step.

Mar 11, 2023

#27

You would thing by now that all these kinks would be done and over with by now!!! So now It's another waiting game again for peeps. Safe Travels everyone.

May 23, 2023

#28

Good news. According to my dealership my 2.3 isn’t affected by the recall. Even with the build date on 12/3/22! Hope their records are accurate!!

4-DR Badlands MT MY23 Velocity Blue MIC Top High Trim beadlock rims KO2's Reservation 7/14/20 Ordered 10/03/22 Build Date 12/03/22 Arrived at Dealership 12/15/22 Home in garage 12/16/22

Deano Bronc, RagnarKon

May 24, 2023

#29

Speed Devil
Im wondering whats needed to swap in a Coyote and adapt a tremec to work with the 4wd systems lately, who needs a Turbski when you can have a V8

Answer: $$$$

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Rydfree, Speed Devil

May 24, 2023

#30

NT AUTOMOTIVE
Another one. Gee wiz. That's not good news for those with 2023 I4. The I4 is a great little engine so hopefully not too many affected.

Yes on V8s. Example. Our "new" 2019 Yukon build beat a Tesla off the line today until she backed off at around 50-60mph. *We didn't buy our yukon for speed but glad to know it's there when needed or desired. I really missed that when in our I4 MT bronco. You can launch the I4 MT out of the hole pretty fast with a few simple mods + driving style BUT your clutch won't last long if you do it daily and after 30-40mph it's like hitting a wall. Nevertheless the I4 does pull hard for a 4 cyl all the way to 100mph in the MT version even on 37s.

Many parts about the I4 that we really liked and we prefer it over the V6. However, Ford needs to stick a NA V8 under the hood. V8 MPG would be better, performance better, reliability better. My I4 had 20-21gal tank vs 25-26gal tank in yukon. If its an EPA thing...the I4 would go 170-260 miles depending on driving conditions vs yukon can go 400-650 miles per tank depending on driving conditions AND its not forced induction. All of this begs the question, which one is worse for the environment?

Wake up Ford

Chevy/government motors is ALWAYS worse for the environment AND tax payers.

Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

May 24, 2023

#31

TitsLaRue
The self inflicted wounds keep coming.

As a shareholder I am disappointed.
As a Bronco owner I am wondering what will be next.

Anybody here interested in putting their name in the hat for "Quality Czar"?

That position might be opening up again if Ford can't end these neverending fixes that are anything but cheap.

I'd take that gig but I'd want to also shake up prioritizing delivery to people waiting the longest. And I HAVE my Bronco.

Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

May 24, 2023

#32

87BroncoVB
Hey now, dim fightin’ werds, lol. I agree that the old Silverados looked like crap inside and out. I have driven Broncos and F150s for 35 years but Chevy finally got it right. Never been happier to get rid of my ‘19 F150 with the 5.0 and 10 spd that Ford ruined. Yes, I admit, had to remove the old man steps, some gaudy High country badging and mud flaps, but this thing has made a believer out of me so far.

Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

May 24, 2023

#33

B99
So how do I find my build date? I bought off the lot, so not sure how to check.

If you have your window sticker your blend date is in the top margin, just right of center…. This is the date the chassis should have met the body.

Riding OB1, 23 4- door Outer Banks, SAS, MOD, MIC, Lux, Ordered 10/20/22, delivered 1/13/23

May 24, 2023

#34

OrangecrushBronco
Answer: $$$$

Well BESIDES money🙃

2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
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May 24, 2023

#35

Speed Devil
Well BESIDES money🙃

There's the Bronco DR. I think it's offroad only sans VIN but it would probably be easier to get a DR and swap a body and VIN on it restomod style.

Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

Speed Devil

May 25, 2023

#36

pjchurchill
I was just playing with mine today, and there's a QR code on the windshield right next to the rear-view mirror. It seems to be a date code, which is suspiciously correlated with my build date...

YMMV

That is the manufacture date of the windshield.

May 25, 2023

#37

Ford has issues with 2.3 four cylinders.Even though a different 2.3 this problem reminds me of the Lima 2.3 rear main seal leak that plagued them and not to mention the cracked piston skirt issue, although that 2.3 was the only production engine with a bottom end good for 9000 rpm out of the factory.

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