I originally posted this in another thread about cooling fan failures, but to help others potentially going through this in the future, I think the more negative publicity Ford gets about this issue, the sooner they'll develop a system wide solution that does not necessitate each individual essentially starting over. A merged thread does not have nearly the same impact.

My 2006 FEH exhibited the same conditions as others reported...after warm-up ICE running continuously, not going into EV mode and the Fan 1 code. Dropped the vehicle off yesterday morning and briefed my service adviser on the information gleaned from the main thread on the topic. Received a phone call yesterday afternoon from my SA indicating their finding confirming a cooling fan failure, but indicating their belief these fans were external to the battery assembly. I even spoke with the tech who said he found nothing in his materials indicating these fans were internal....decidedly NOT reassuring. I immediately faxed over the picture and diagram of the assembly BillyK posted at the beginning of another thread (Thanks, Billy). As of this morning, my SA indicated they were ordering a new high voltage battery. He mentioned there was an external cooling fan that sat on top of the battery pack that had failed, but would not be covered by warranty. I told him that fan didn't exist and invited him to go visually inspect my truck.

As of this afternoon and after another conversation, I am currently in the "TSB 09-17-7 applies to your vehicle which calls for a cooling fan kit that is not covered by the Hybrid Component Warranty" group.

I just sent them additional photographs of the battery pack assembly and fans, the two case numbers listed earlier (thanks for those) and excerpts from the 2006 service manual. I gave them two options..replace the HVTB per the service manual or replace the cooling fans, either under warranty. I will update later, but this is a fairly frustrating experience. My SA knows I'm an attorney, so I'm cautiously hopeful this will be resolved quickly.

Later the same day: My initial cautious optimism was misplaced, my local dealer has adopted the position the fans are NOT covered by the hybrid component warranty, so Friday I start with Ford corporate. It is astonishing to me I need to do this, but I will do what I need to do as I'm not going accept their refusal to honor a warranty for components that are clearly an integral part of the High Voltage Traction Battery assembly. The official Ford service manual literally destroys their position.

More later...

 

Well, today I started with Ford corporate. Spoke with a very nice woman who was quite sorry I had encountered these difficulties. 48 minutes later: cooling fans are NOT covered by the hybrid component warranty. After they are installed the dealership will thoroughly test my vehicle and, IF there are any additional problems identified, Ford will re-evaluate their position.

Oh, well, at least she was sorry.

I was also politely invited to return the rental car.

Obviously not over yet, more to follow...

Interesting side note. I was told the cooling fan kit, 5m6z10c659A, is NOT a Ford manufactured part, but rather is supplied by an outside vendor. It was ordered on Thursday and not expected in before Tuesday at the earliest.

 

Look in the warranty book and see what it says as far as exclusions. If it not excluded under the hybrid warranty, it should be covered. As them to show you the exclusion in your warranty book.

 

Since their stance is it is a separate part, has anyone tried to order the part and install DIY?

 

Yes, here's a thread about that complete with instructions and photographs:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f16fe2e

 

Cooling fan kit came in today shortly before lunch and I'm expecting the vehicle will be ready tomorrow...3.1 hour labor estimate per the TSB. I dropped off a package of materials Sunday that included the entire chapter of the service manual dealing with the HVTB. I then highlighted and paper clipped every place the manual indicated the cooling fans were part of the HVTB as well as the direction to replace the HVTB in the event of a cooling fan failure. That package went up to the service manager who supposedly is again communicating with Ford corporate.

Tomorrow will be an interesting day and I'll update the thread.

 

Be sure and keep the fans that they remove. If/when Ford finally decides you are covered by the warranty they may ask for the fans back so they can return them to Ford. Call the Ford Customer Relationship Center (1-800-392-3673) and ask specifically for Mili (last name not provided to me). She is a Customer Advocacy Specialist and further up the chain than the people who answer the phones. She told me that her job is to research warranty issues and that it's because she researched my case that I ended up getting the work covered by the warranty. If it helps any, my case number was 1613570262 and my work was finally covered under warranty as recently as February of this year. The part number for my fans was 5M6Z-10C659-A.

 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I called the above Ford customer care number and asked for Milli. Of course it's never going to be that easy as the person who answers had to first review my case history. Absolutely amazing coincidence....the person who answered had actually recently helped research this issue with Milli and was completely familiar with it. I provided her with Alaska's case number and while she did not acknowledge it was that same case, judging from her tone and response, I'm pretty sure it was.

Here is apparently the deal to get this properly covered under the 8/100K (10/150K) unique hybrid component warranty...the part number for the cooling fan kit has to be coded differently.

IT HAS TO BE CODED:

5M6Z-10B759-A

(The 7th and 8th characters are different.)


She called my local dealership and left a message for my service adviser. I left a message for him as well. As soon as I confirm all is well I'll probably post the solution to this PIA in its own thread to make it easier for those who follow.

Thanks again for all the suggestions, valuable information and especially Alaska's post (combined with more than a little good luck) to get this resolved. (I sure hope I'm not being premature in my mini celebration here.)

 

While waiting for the answer, you should knock on wood. I'll do the same
How in the world would a dealer know how to change the coding to make it work? If you get a chance to ask someone, let us know. The better we fine tune the fix to this problem the easier it will be for the next person to get through.

 

Nostradamus follow-up. The problems continue. I have a telephonic appointment scheduled with a TBD Ford manager Monday morning (no one available today). I am beyond pissed and this WILL be resolved Monday.