In the shop at 2300 miles!

I have been happy with the new rig for the past 3 months but unexpectedly I got a check engine light and a bunch of alerts on the dash and misfiring / limp mode. I had been on Empty for about 10 miles when it first started sputtering and thought I was out of gas. But filled up with just over 16 gallons and still had the sputtering. Then saw the check light and many other warnings. Then the check light started flashing. It could barely get moving or rev, and a bunch of other warning came up like traction control and secondary braking system disabled, visit dealer.

It all seemed to happen out of nowhere I had been driving on the highway for an hour at that point, after doing some off-roading that morning and splashing around in the mud looking for a Christmas tree!

I drove it straight to my dealer and they were perfectly helpful, and pulled a code for a P0304 misfire cylinder 4. They gave me a loaner and said they suspected mice had eaten through a wire or something. They even had a “mouse guy” who came over and he actually sniffed out some feces rodenta on the valve cover! Service manager said they have an epidemic and almost all the 4th gen’s they get in the shop are for mice damage.

So… this all happened last weekend and I finally get to pick it up tomorrow and find out what the resolution Is. I wasn’t able to talk when they called earlier, all they said is it turned out to not be rodents… luckily? Sounds like it will be covered by warranty.

So I will get the full report tomorrow and update this thread for future reference. Any guesses on what the problem was in the meantime?

Edit: resolution

 

I’ll guess loose spark plug.

 

No rodent damage is a good thing. I'm guessing grille shutter or injector.

 

I've heard a few reports on injector failures but they seem to be fairly low numbers at this point. Glad they got you fixed up. Interested to see what the verdict is.

 

Outta be interesting to hear what they say

 

Rats.

Or not rats. Waiting for image of service order.

 

That stinks, sorry you’re dealing with that. I’ll be interested to hear the outcome.

 

Fridays are always full of surprises around here

 

nm
maybe just a bad coil or spark plug....

 

Hoping you still managed to get your tree! Good luck and hope its nothing major

 

My guess, you picked up Belsnickels in the Christmas tree.


On a serious note, hope its nothing and you get back in your truck soon.

 

I guess the soy wires carried over

 

Oh look, another 4th gen in the shop thread.

 

Thanks for stopping by and adding a lot to the conversation. I hope your post made you feel better about your truck buying decisions as you hoped it would

 

It made me laugh. You should try it sometime. lol

 

Oh look 8 years of 3rd gens in the shop for various issues….dumb post

 

Another non-fourth-gen troll comment.

 

…REPLACE CYLINDER 4 DIRECT INJECTOR BASED ON TEST RESULTS DUE TO POOR MACHINING OF INJECTOR TIP CAUSING INSUFFICIENT SPRAY; REMOVED DIRECT INJECTOR FUEL RAIL, REPLACED CYLINDER 4 DIRECT INJECTOR AND ALL OTHER INJECTOR SEALS; RE-INSTALLED AND TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION; TEST DROVE WITH LIVE DATA AND NO MISFIRES


so I guess a defective direct injector is what they are saying. I don’t really understand how it was running for 2k miles apparently fine then all of a sudden went out though. Oh well it’s back and running fine!

Maybe I’ll get better mileage now if there was a defective injector. It seemed like it was dropping off each tank was worse than the prior for all 8 fillups. I thought it was the armor I’ve added, then tires, but it really was always getting like .1-.5 mpg lower every tank. First tank over 20 last tank was 18.

oh they said it’s the first time they’ve seen this ever happen. First time they had ordered a new injector, and used the only one available in the state.

 

I speculated wrong again!!!
Wouldn't have thought an injector, coil & spark plugs are more delicate, problematic, common fault...
But in the ford world were doing injectors a lot.....

At least we dont have a "stock 2021 TRD OR Super White"
So life can always be worse....

 

At least it wasn’t a cracked valve like what happened to my 3rd gen at 42,000 miles.

oh and when it does come time to do spark plugs and coils this is a super easy engine to do, no cover and don’t have to remove manifolds or hoses and shit like some cramped 6 cylinders.