Timing belt recall

[jugeshm]

Hi
I have a 2017 Ford Transit Custom Crew Cab. I've just been made aware of this "wet belt" shambles. A customer has told me "get your belt changed before your engine blows, it's a common problem".

Just to be clear, I have no issue/breakdown (yet!). But I'm trying to be pro-active. The van has done 130K miles (all motorway miles). So it's only a matter of time I reckon.

What shall I do? Do I just ring Ford dealer and ask them to book me in. Will it likely be done for free, if it's a known issue? Or do I need to put my foot down and complain to get it free/goodwill discount?

I've tried looking if there's a recall on my reg, but it's coming up as no recall.

Had the van serviced every time it warns me to. First 2 services with Ford, rest with private garage (all invoiced).

Thanks, any advice would be appreciated.

[metalworker0]

someones done a transit 2.0L Vid belt change at last. uploaded 1 day ago

I'm half way through it ..he seems to know what he's on about, this one will put you in the picture for sure, or panic you into getting it changed ..or stop you sleeping at night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28kFY7HPVUI&t=24s

Some pointers not mentioned.......he uses a gun to take the crankshaft pulley off ...therefore only shows taking the starter motor off later in the video to lock the crank --- no gun ..you need to do this first.

Sealent - I'm sure this will be a special anaerobic sealant ...goes off when there is no air ...and dissolves away where there is air ...this is important , otherwise if you used silicone or what have you, you'd have bits of it floating around in the oil and ending up in the strainer.

do not use his method for final 90 degrees on the bolt ...use 3/4 breaker bar...or you'll damage the torque wrench


all the best.mark

[Craigcov]

The affected vehicle range

Does anyone have any official confirmation of the effected range? Have a build date of june 2019 and ford garage are saying it isn't covered:

"Unfortunately, the FSA does not recall all vehicles prior to July 2019. It only covers build dates between 02/05/2016 and 30/09/2017 and certain build plants. Your vehicle is, unfortunately, outwith those build dates and would not have had the FSA applied to it."

[Altransit]

If you read back through this thread all the info you should need has been posted and is copied from Ford, they know its not fit for purpose but try and wriggle out of it.

See also this thread........ viewtopic.php?f=65&t=222053


Direct link to the FSA 20B44 post
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=204983&start=105#p1750970

scroll down that page to find this bit.....
Consequential Damage

If the timing belt delamination is not identified early, it could result in timing belt failure. The timing belt can fail in two ways, teeth can start to shear off the belt allowing the timing to slip or the belt can snap, both will cause poor running and lead to valve and piston contact. At this point the engine will need to be replaced.

The FSA will cover the costs of replacing the engine if it has failed due to the failure of the timing belt as described above or oil starvation due to excessive debris cause by delamination of the timing belt.


If you have identified an engine that has failed and the cause is confirmed as timing belt failure, you can bill the engine replacement to the FSA as a bill of material claim. Please submit a bill of material claim including all parts, labour and replacement vehicle hire required to complete the repair. The FSA no. 20B44 must be entered into the program code field. The labour time that can be claimed will vary depending on vehicle variant and if the repair is completed in combination with a routine service.

[CazzaK91]

We had belt break on 3.5 year old van and Ford have fitted engine under warranty even though out of it.
Van less than 100000 miles.
They are surely admitting a problem.

Hello, I'm new here and looking for help. The same timing belt failure happened with my 3.5 year old van (made in Turkey so warranty only 2 years!!) at less than 58000 miles. I was hoping I could get some information to challenge Ford with as they refused to help me? I can't message you as I'm new. Thank you

[Dazza007]

Has anyone figured out why some vans have a recall and others dont? Ive just got a 67plate 2.0l and found out its a wet belt design. Ford are saying there is no recall for mine. The job looks like a b*stard to do, ive been quoted £1100 or £800 as a foreigner. Hard to believe this situation.

[metalworker0]

maybe after 2018 they started fitting a more durable wet belt...how durable i don't know ..i still say change at 80,000
All the best.mark

[motorhomer2018]

Morning.

Just took my transit based motorhome into my local ford dealer (who have serviced it from new) for its 6 year service (32,000 miles), and was told that the belt needs changing at 6 years and not 10.

I was charged £1200 for the full service (oil/filter new fuel filter) along with timing belt and water pump.

I can now rest easy, as this has always bothered me since it became apparent, as if it was to go, it would be my fault and the mrs would be a tad upset with me

(I had no recall on for it)

[Read73236]

Hi All.
I bought a 2017 custom from a Ford dealership in 2021 and only now found out about the wetbelt issue. Apparently mine was recalled and inspected in 2021 and found to be ok. I've been told that now it's over 6yrs old I should have the belt changed at a cost of £1350.
It only has 63000 miles on it, I'm a bit pissed that when I bought it the interval change for the belt was 10yrs and 144000 miles now it's 6yrs and 100000 miles. It's been fully serviced by Ford including an early service due to the oil being contaminated by the diesel!!!!!

I will probably get it changed to be on the safe side but I did manage to get the oil filler pipe off and inspect it myself. I can't see any delamination, I've added a photo below.

Has anyone had any success in getting Ford to reduce the cost of the replacement?

It seems a hell of a cheek to change their suggested interval dates and mileage because of the risk of failure that their poor designing and engineering has caused and not offer a reduced cost to the customers who bought the vans in good faith with a major selling point of 2yr servicing and long intervals between belt changes to help reduce costs.

IMG_20240329_104115771~6.jpg

[metalworker0]

very hard to tell , really would need a picture of a brand new one that is soaked in oil , to be able to see the difference.

there is a grainy other pictures here ...of tiny squares that are missing .. but even that picture, which is from the ford bulletin really isn't good enough.

download/file.php?id=35730&mode=view

NOTE : you have to view the belt with a lettered bit to see the missing squares

yes i would still take their advice and change at 6 years ..no matter what the condition is
A s to the ethics of this ford move ..IN the usa would probably lead to a different outcome than here ...where we don't have much clout from the lawyers.

In the USA they have law suits against them for the gearboxes ..nearly all the
petrol ecoboosts, they are loosing money with the electric EV stuff ,so ford aint winning . and they may have told main dealers not to back down, and they allegedly told them not to do any warranty work on the belts until further notice recently

all the best///////mark

[gmac78]

Hi guys,

I've got 2019 Custom Sport 185 in an Auto
Date of registration is 28/11/2019
Currently on 61k
I purchased it around 12 months ago with 54k on the clock, van came with a receipt for an independant garage oil change at 23k and was told it had been done again before I purchased it but no proof so I changed the oil/filter at 54k.

I've just taken the oil filler pipe off to inspect and caught the belt where the writing is and it looks in very good condition.

Spun the engine over to take another pic and one small particle of delimitation can be seen.

It looks like the newer style belt was fitted to this van from factory, or it was changed and no receipt?

What's the verdict on replacing the belt in this condition, looks in pretty good to me so would say there is still some life left in it.

However I believe the timing belt interval has changed to 10 years or 60k miles now so going by that's due a change.

Are the newer style belts failing the way the earlier ones were?

Thanks

[metalworker0]

in the second picture you can see what looks like a strand of belt material ...lower right side, when the picture is opened up , if that is a long strand ..then yes, it's time to change.

all the best mark

[gmac78]

in the second picture you can see what looks like a strand of belt material ...lower right side, when the picture is opened up , if that is a long strand ..then yes, it's time to change.

all the best mark

Hi Marc,

Thanks for the quick reply

It's hard to make out isn't it, I was using the flash on my phone so just not sure I'm seeing a strand there myself. I'll maybe go back and take more pics to see I fi can get a better angle. Or use my wee borescope to see what that reveals.

I'm still educating myself on these belt failures.

Are the newer style belts failing the same as the previous design ones?

Cheers

[metalworker0]

The strands seem to end up at the other end of the head in the vacuum pump..perhaps take that off and have a look,, the vacuum pump failures have been reported before the belt failures due to getting gummed up with these strands /fibres.

as the question new belts and old ones, we don't have that info, with all that is going on ....not many are coming here and telling us .

you can count on your hands the amount reported here- so cant make up stats with that.

all the best.mark

[gmac78]

The strands seem to end up at the other end of the head in the vacuum pump..perhaps take that off and have a look,, the vacuum pump failures have been reported before the belt failures due to getting gummed up with these strands /fibres.

as the question new belts and old ones, we don't have that info, with all that is going on ....not many are coming here and telling us .

you can count on your hands the amount reported here- so cant make up stats with that.

all the best.mark

Ah right ok, oh well that's easy enough to do, I'll have a nosey some day to see what debris has collected there.

Cheers
Gordon