Help - 14 Expo Sport drives fine then feels like a brake(s) lock? Terrible smell, no CEL - help?

[CalifLove]

Hey everyone,

Hoping someone can shed some light on an issue that presented itself today a few hours ago.

So I am driving down the a normal city street doing 30mph or so. I go to make a right turn, make it and start to accelerate and then I feel a drag on the car. Sort of felt like the car downshifted into 1st from 3rd. I immediately check to make sure the drive select lever is still in D and it is. I didnt hit the shift paddles so no change on cluster to indicate shift change - split second later, things are fine. Continue on down the way probably back up to 30 now and then major drag on car almost as if I slammed on the brakes but not quite. I had to push the pedal down quite a bit to get the car to go a few more feet to get out of traffic. After doing so, we noticed one of the worst sort smells ever Didn't smell like burned oil, burned out brake pads or any other tell tell smell. I've never smelled this before. No CEL, no nothing on dash. Engine sounds normal at idle etc. So after pulling over I get out, check around the car. Nothing obvious to me. Where I pulled over, I was still not in a good place to get ont he ground and look under the car as this was a really busy street so we sat there...thought about what to do and figured we'd try to get home - which was about 2 miles away on surface streets.

Anyway, that same ordeal repeated itself 2 more times. We would pull over, turn the car of, sit for a few minutes and start her back up and go like normal until issue would present itself again.

Basic troubleshooting I did -

Checked "feeling" of shifts from P to D, P to R. transmission would shift and sound normal in all situations. It did feel like when going to D, the car wouldnt "creep ahead like normal but we may have been on a bit of an incline - not 100% sure now that I think about it. II started to think maybe ABS system was faulted and causing one of the wheels to lock up but never observed what sounded or felt like tire skid while this happened so I am not sure. I am pretty certain this terrible smell was coming from the front of the car but appeared to be strong at both wheels which to me pointed back to a brake system issue. It's dark out now so I have the car parked on the street but tomorrow I am planning on attempting to move into the garage so I can get the wheels off and take a look at the pads/rotors. Until then, wondering if anyone can point to any other things to check before I spend a fortune getting this thing towed to a repair shop...

Any ideas?

 

[blwnsmoke]

Never heard of such an issue. Have it towed to the dealer for warranty. My originally thought was a sticking caliper but it coming and going on its own kills that theory.

Only other thought was ptu issues. Can't see it being any other thing.

 

[CalifLove]

Never heard of such an issue. Have it towed to the dealer for warranty. My originally thought was a sticking caliper but it coming and going on its own kills that theory.

Only other thought was ptu issues. Can't see it being any other thing.

Your mention of the PTU being a possibility got me to do some searching. Seems other owners have had somewhat similar issues that a PTU replacement solved... oh boy. I'm out of bumper to bumper, wonder if power train warranty would kick in for this... guess I'll find out on Monday...sigh

 

[blwnsmoke]

I believe it is 5yr/60k on the ptu since it is part of the powertrain.

 

[Sixonemale]

Never heard of such an issue. Have it towed to the dealer for warranty. My originally thought was a sticking caliper but it coming and going on its own kills that theory.

Only other thought was ptu issues. Can't see it being any other thing.

My first thought was also a loose or missing caliper bolt because when you turned it caused a drag. I once lost a caliper bolt and that is exactly what happened, it initially traveled in a straight line without problem, but locked up when going into a turn and then progressively became worse no matter if your turning or traveling straight. If not that, then perhaps the PTU.

 

[jktheandies]

I believe it is 5yr/60k on the ptu since it is part of the powertrain.

I believe any component splashed with oil is covered in the 60/60.

 

[peterk9]

I believe any component splashed with oil is covered in the 60/60.

60/60 ??

 

[blwnsmoke]

60/60 ??

60 months/60,000 miles. Odd, I know lol

 

[jktheandies]

60/12=5
Not that odd........

 

[CalifLove]

So I called local dealer to find out when they could take a look at the car....earliest is Thursday.

After doing more research this weekend, seems to be pretty likely I have run into a power transfer unit issue. So in keeping with my diy-ness, I planned to flush out the fluid today in hopes that in the least that would allow me to drive to the dealer instead of getting towed.

Now with car in the air in my garage I read a post stating baking the seal may void my warrenty and further it's probrably better to take the car to the weaker completly broken rather than half broken sooooooo now I have all this crap I bought I no longer need.... Lol.... Sorta . So I'll park her out on the street and get her to the dealer on Thurs and see what turns up.

Oh, I did smell the new ptu fluid... It compares to the smell I have when the car first exhibited this trouble.. I took some and burn it with a torch.... Bingo, exact smell. Hopefully Ford will cover new ptu under warranty... I'm at bears 50k Miles... Don't want roll dice on burnt up ptu...

 

[CalifLove]

Update, got word back from dealer today. They got the car on a rack, and apparently observed significant shutter and grinding from the ptu. It was enough to say the unit should be replaced. They went through the process and Ford will be covering it's replacment under power train warrenty. That is great and all and I'm feeling pretty juiced that I don't have to come out of pocket to get this drama fixed. Then she drops the bomb... "the part is on a nationwide backorder". GREAT, Ford is flying through these things eh? Sooooooo long and short of it is it will get fixes but when is anyone's guess.

I asked if it's safe to drive while waiting. She says it's in the early stage of going out and should be fine for a while.... When asked how long that is... She could not say. So seeing as Ford doesn't provide a rental in this circumstance I guess I'm going to try my luck driving this thing that "should be safe for a while" as I don't have a lot of other options... Sigh

 

[CalifLove]

Update -
Parts arrived on Wednesday. Took the Ex in on Thursday AM. Earlier today, I called for an update as to when car would be available only to have been told they just got it up on the rack this morning as opposed to yesterday and that it should be ready by end of the day. Fast forward to now, at 3:30p, they called back stating somehow they managed to damage coolant lines/hoses either while taking out the bad PTU or installing the new one. Either way, the repair is hosed (no pun intended) and they have to order parts to replace the ones they have broke. Long holiday weekend so now looking at end of next week to get the car back... The dealer is offering a loaner car, even before he gave me a chance to ***** about getting one but I have to wait until one is available to pick it up today...which could be anytime between now and 10P. Good times I tell ya, good times.