Powerboost CEL P237C/Exhaust Heat Exchanger Leak Megathread

[SDtrout]

Advised that the leak is from two plugs in the hybrid battery. They ordered the parts last week and claim they will retest after installing the new parts. After reading the comments of others, I am skeptical of their diagnosis.

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[Nasto]

Advised that the leak is from two plugs in the hybrid battery. They ordered the parts last week and claim they will retest after installing the new parts. After reading the comments of others, I am skeptical of their diagnosis.

Leaks in the hybrid battery? Holy rupture, Batman. Haven't heard of that one yet.

 

[Snakebitten]

Well there is 2 coolant lines going to the battery pack. I guess the couplers could leak, but having them both leak is odd. Of course since they are near each other perhaps they are going to address them both regardless?

Calling them plugs is a bit strange since it's the electrical harness connections that I would call "plugs", although coolant and those plugs would NOT play nicely together.

 

[Nasto]

Well there is 2 coolant lines going to the battery pack. I guess the couplers could leak, but having them both leak is odd. Of course since they are near each other perhaps they are going to address them both regardless?

Calling them plugs is a bit strange since it's the electrical harness connections that I would call "plugs", although coolant and those plugs would NOT play nicely together.

Once in a while I hop in the 1997 Nissan King Cab XE (136,000 mi) and go for a spin to keep the battery charged. For some reason, I feel much more removed from the matrix.

 

[Snakebitten]

I think a leak there would be on the driver's side almost exactly opposite of the exhaust heat exchanger leak.

 

[SDtrout]

The leak definitely falls on the passenger side of the vehicle. "Plugs" (their term, not mine) supposed to be in tomorrow.

 

[Snakebitten]

I guess the battery housing might have something resembling plugs, but I haven't noticed. Keep us updated.

 

[Jloyd98]

I was told by my dealer a couple of weeks ago that the heat exchanger was not on backorder anymore, and they would expect the part soon. After not hearing anything for a week, I contacted Ford customer service to see if they could speed up the process in any way. The representative said she would put an emergency order in on the part to try to expedite the process. I checked back with her again yesterday after another week had passed. Now she tells me its on national backorder and there is no ETA on when one will be available, and attached buyback paperwork to the email. This is not the route I am wanting to go as I'm sure it wouldn't be beneficial with 20k miles on the truck.

Side not: I picked up my third different loaner truck yesterday. The 2019 Titan had a terrible engine knock and the 2020 Ram left me stranded with an alternator/battery issue on an out of town trip over the weekend. We'll see how it goes with the 2020 Silverado.

 

[Nasto]

I was told by my dealer a couple of weeks ago that the heat exchanger was not on backorder anymore, and they would expect the part soon. After not hearing anything for a week, I contacted Ford customer service to see if they could speed up the process in any way. The representative said she would put an emergency order in on the part to try to expedite the process. I checked back with her again yesterday after another week had passed. Now she tells me its on national backorder and there is no ETA on when one will be available, and attached buyback paperwork to the email. This is not the route I am wanting to go as I'm sure it wouldn't be beneficial with 20k miles on the truck.

Side not: I picked up my third different loaner truck yesterday. The 2019 Titan had a terrible engine knock and the 2020 Ram left me stranded with an alternator/battery issue on an out of town trip over the weekend. We'll see how it goes with the 2020 Silverado.

If they were caught up with the part a couple of weeks ago and now are not, either more trucks are affected or there's a supply issue again.

When my dealer gave me a loner because of this problem back in February, the Ranger I had was so bad that I just returned it after a couple of days and used my trusty 1997 Nissan King Cab XE.

Keep in touch with your dealer's parts dept. They can run an inventory check and see how many are backordered. Also ask if there's anyone ahead of you at your dealership. My guy felt sorry enough for me that I couldn't drive my brand new truck that he moved me up in front of someone else so I got it faster. Then I rewarded him with a bottle of his favorite booze! It sometimes pays off to make friends in the service and parts departments.

 

[SDtrout]

I guess the battery housing might have something resembling plugs, but I haven't noticed. Keep us updated.

I got my truck back from the dealer yesterday morning. Service invoice says "Checked and verified coolant leaking from heat exchanger. Found SSM 51103 for concern. Replaced both heat exchanger coolant spigots with updated parts per SSM and topped off coolant....".
They replaced two hoses=NL3Z*18663*A Tube-Heater Water.
I've driven it about 100 miles in eco mode-short trips and longer, stop and go traffic and highway miles at speed. No leaks have reoccurred, and coolant level is stable. Like everyone else, I'll be monitoring for a while. So far so good.

 

[Snakebitten]

I got my truck back from the dealer yesterday morning. Service invoice says "Checked and verified coolant leaking from heat exchanger. Found SSM 51103 for concern. Replaced both heat exchanger coolant spigots with updated parts per SSM and topped off coolant....".
They replaced two hoses=NL3Z*18663*A Tube-Heater Water.
I've driven it about 100 miles in eco mode-short trips and longer, stop and go traffic and highway miles at speed. No leaks have reoccurred, and coolant level is stable. Like everyone else, I'll be monitoring for a while. So far so good.

Well that sounds nothing like the Hybrid battery housing in any way. In fact it implies that there are now individual parts available regarding the exhaust heat exchanger that might be possible to change now rather than the whole exhaust heat exchanger assembly?

Just thinking out loud.

 

[MrFarly]

Sorry for the hiatus, never really got any feedback from Ford which is kind of disappointing. Some good news tho, im sitting at 23,489 miles now and third time seems to be the charm. no leaks and coolant hasn't dipped since. I wonder how long ill drive around with this extra gallon of coolant? haha

 

[Nasto]

Sorry for the hiatus, never really got any feedback from Ford which is kind of disappointing. Some good news tho, im sitting at 23,489 miles now and third time seems to be the charm. no leaks and coolant hasn't dipped since. I wonder how long ill drive around with this extra gallon of coolant? haha

I’m taking a gallon with me on long trips only probably forever. I hate needing and not having.

 

[Snakebitten]

I’m taking a gallon with me on long trips only probably forever. I hate needing and not having.

It IS a truck afterall.
Part of the toolkit and I wouldn't blame you.

 

[Nasto]

It IS a truck afterall.
Part of the toolkit and I wouldn't blame you.

I beg to differ. It’s a computer that happens to have 4 tires and a steering wheel.

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