Ford’s EcoBoost engine problems have caused a lawsuit that alleges previous investigations and recalls did not solve the intake valve problems in the 2.7-L and 3-L EcoBoost engines.
The Ford EcoBoost engine lawsuit includes the following vehicles:
- 2021–2022 Ford Bronco
- 2021–2022 Ford F-150
- 2021–2022 Ford Edge
- 2021–2022 Lincoln Nautilus
- 2021–2022 Ford Explorer
- 2021–2022 Lincoln Aviator
The lawsuit was filed by two 2021 Ford Bronco owners for more than $5 million. According to the Ford EcoBoost lawsuit, Ford did not warn the Bronco owners about the EcoBoost engine issues before they purchased the vehicles.
After three defect petitions were filed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency conducted a defect investigation into 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles with 2.7-L engines. The investigation was expanded to include vehicles now included in the class action lawsuit, and concluded with a recall of these vehicles and a customer satisfaction program that offered a 10-year warranty extension. The recall remedy was not yet available at the time the recall was issued.
The Ford EcoBoost engine lawsuit alleges that “Ford has yet to provide an adequate remedy, such as a replacement of their defective valves, or compensate consumers for the amount they overpaid for these defective vehicles.”1
If your 2021–2022 Ford or Lincoln vehicle has a 2.7-L or 3-L EcoBoost engine with issues your dealership cannot seem to fix, the existing recalls, warranties and class action lawsuit may affect your legal rights. Under California law, an individual who suspects that their vehicle is defective may sue the vehicle manufacturer and recover a settlement amount roughly equal to the initial vehicle purchase price. Learn more about the Ford EcoBoost engine defects, the class action lawsuit, and your rights under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (which is California’s Lemon Law).
Table of Contents
- What vehicles have the Ford EcoBoost 2.7-L and 3-L engine?
- What are the Ford EcoBoost engine issues?
- What was the Ford EcoBoost engine investigation?
- Ford EcoBoost engine recall and remedy
- What are my legal rights under Ford Lemon Law?
- Consult a Ford Lemon Law Attorney Near Me
What vehicles have the Ford EcoBoost 2.7-L and 3-L engine?
Not all Ford vehicle models listed in the lawsuit come with the 2.7-L or 3-L EcoBoost engine.
These vehicles come with the optional 2.7-L EcoBoost engine:
- 2021–2022 Ford Bronco
- 2021–2022 Ford F-150
- 2021–2022 Ford Edge
- 2021–2022 Lincoln Nautilus
These vehicles come with the optional 3-L EcoBoost engine:
- 2021–2022 Ford Explorer
- 2021–2022 Lincoln Aviator
If you are not sure which engine is in your Ford or Lincoln vehicle, use NHTSA’s VIN decoder or contact your manufacturer for further information.
What are the Ford EcoBoost engine issues?
Ford’s 2.7-L and 3-L EcoBoost engines have intake valve issues that can crack and break, causing a loss of motive power and catastrophic engine failure. According to investigation and recall documents, the intake valves become hard and brittle due to issues with the manufacturing process.
The Ford EcoBoost recall states that “the engine intake valves may have grinding burn and over-specification hardness as the third keeper groove location in the valve.”2
Ford and Lincoln engine complaints submitted to NHTSA reveal further issues with the EcoBoost engine, such as:
- The engine’s Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is on
- Engine knocking or clicking
- Ticking or grinding noises
- The vehicle shows engine sputtering
- The vehicle is running rough
- Vehicle experiences cranking and non-starting
Some Ford/Lincoln owners report engine failure with no prior warning, often at very low mileages.
What was the Ford EcoBoost engine investigation?
The Ford EcoBoost engine investigation was a probe into reports of loss of motive power. NHTSA launched the probe after three defect petitions reported sudden engine failure in 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles with 2.7-L EcoBoost engines.
During the first phase of the investigation, NHTSA determined that intake valve fracture caused loss of motive power and engine failure in all 2021-2022 Ford and Lincoln vehicles with 2.7-L and 3-L engines in the “Nano” EcoBoost family. The investigation revealed that when the intake valves fracture, they may drop into the cylinder and contact the piston, causing the engines to fail.
During the second phase of the investigation, NHTSA uncovered the cause of the intake valve fractures: a manufacturing issue in which the specific metal alloy used for the intake valves experienced grinding burn or out-of-specification hardness that made the intake valves hard, brittle and prone to fracture. The metal alloy is called “Silchrome Lite.” After a spike of engine issues, the manufacturing process changed the metal alloy from “Silchrome Lite” to “Silchrome 1.”
The NHTSA investigation revealed 396 customer complaints, 825 warranty claims and 936 engine exchanges related to the Ford EcoBoost engine issues.3
The investigation closed with the announcement of a Ford EcoBoost engine recall and accompanying remedies.
Ford EcoBoost engine recall and remedy
The Ford EcoBoost engine recall was issued for an estimated 90,000 model year 2021-2022 Ford and Lincoln vehicles with 2.7-L or 3-L EcoBoost engines. As part of the Ford engine recall remedy, Ford or Lincoln owners could get their engines tested to determine if their intake valves were faulty.
Ford and Lincoln dealerships were instructed to perform an engine cycle test and, if needed, replace the engine. Interim notices were mailed in October 2024. At the time of the publication to NHTSA, the remedy was not yet available. Once the recall remedy is available to owners, a second notice will be issued.4
In addition to the recall, Ford created a customer satisfaction campaign that included an extended EcoBoost engine warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first).5
What are my legal rights under Ford Lemon Law?
If your Ford or Lincoln vehicle has a manufacturing defect that your dealership or repair facility could not remedy within the warranty period, you may be eligible for the following under the lemon law: cash compensation, a substantially identical replacement vehicle, or a refund of your vehicle’s purchase price (also known as a “lemon law buyback” – learn how much your lemon law payout might be).
However, if your Ford or Lincoln vehicle is included in the Ford EcoBoost class action lawsuit, you will have to opt out before a specific deadline in order to retain your right to pursue an individual lemon law claim. Members of class action lawsuits usually will receive a mailed notice informing them of their status as class members and the deadlines for opting out.
What you may be eligible to receive from an individual claim differs from what you may receive under a class action settlement. Members of class action lawsuits receive a portion of a larger settlement; how large of a portion will depend on their eligibility and lawsuit requirements.
Those who pursue an individual claim under the lemon law in California are often eligible for much higher settlement amounts than those under a class action would receive. In cases where the manufacturer willfully violated your rights, you may be eligible to receive up to three times your vehicle’s approximate purchase price due to the manufacturer incurring civil penalties.
A plaintiff in an individual lemon law claim will not have to pay for the attorneys’ fees and costs out of pocket. A contingency fee basis allows attorneys to recover their fees and costs from the auto manufacturer as part of the lemon law settlement.
If you are not sure whether your Ford or Lincoln qualifies for a lemon law claim, contact a lemon law firm for a free consultation.
Consult a Ford Lemon Law Attorney Near Me
Our Ford lemon law attorneys have handled hundreds of Ford and Lincoln lemon law claims in California. If your Ford or Lincoln cannot be fixed despite multiple repair attempts, our lemon lawyers can help you recover all that you are owed under the California Lemon Law.
Call our lemon law firm at 833-208-8181 or fill out our consultation form below to get a free consultation.
References
- Wood, D. A. (2025, January 3). Ford EcoBoost Engine Problems Cause Class Action Lawsuit. CarComplaints.com. https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2025/ford-ecoboost-engine-problems-class-action-lawsuit.shtml
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-635. (2024). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V635-5852.PDF
- ODI RESUME OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION. (n.d.). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INOA-EA23002-10790.pdf
- (2024, August 23). Engine Intake Valves May Break. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=24V635000
- ODI RESUME OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INCLA-EA23002-10828.pdf
Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California, with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Orange County. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2020–Present vehicle models only.
However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.
To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.