Another remote start gone wrong, GLOWING CAT

[OniZanza]

The burned maverick was an ecoboost. Not sure we ever found out if it was in a wreck or what actually caused the fire.

Burned Maverick - Link to thread

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[Chris_G]

The burned maverick was an ecoboost. Not sure we ever found out if it was in a wreck or what actually caused the fire.

Burned Maverick - Link to thread

Thanks!

 

[BlackXL]

I got in my Mav, which I had remote started about 10 min earlier, and noticed the sulfur smell, so I hopped out and looked at my catalytic converter. This is what I found:


Follow up video with engine off 20 min later:


Truck was started with climate control set to max defrost. I've only noticed the smell with heat turned up high. Normally I set it to 60 degrees, and I don't have the problem, although I do get the weird revving engine sound while it's running after being remote started.

What do I do next? Is Ford going to do a recall, or do people's homes need to burn down first?

I'm not sure what you do next, but after this occured on my truck, the fuel economy dropped from 40+ mpg to 28-30 mpg. Seems like the catalytic converter becomes restrictive after this event.

"The emissions defects warranty coverage period for passenger cars
and light duty trucks (applies to vehicles up to 8,500 pounds GVWR)
is as follows:
— 8 years or 80,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for catalytic
converters, electronic emissions control unit, and onboard
emissions diagnostic devices, including the Battery Energy Control
Module (BECM). "

https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...id-Warranty-version-2_frdwa_EN-US_12_2020.pdf

 

[PNWMaverick]

@Ford Motor Company

This is a well documented and long known issue. Any update possible on this?

 

[paneubert]

@Ford Motor Company

This is a well documented and long known issue. Any update possible on this?

They will say, and I quote...

" Hi there! Please send us a private message with your VIN and dealership name and location. I'd like to look into this concern on my end. "

Then they will open a ticket and claim someone will get back to the user within 2-3 days. Then nobody will get back to the user, and no method for following up will have been provided.

That has been the trend I have seen so far on this forum.

 

[KeinoDoggy]

Hybrid only. The EB engine doesn't have the cat attached to the engine for one, and should have no trouble heating the cab since it's not running in electric mode while parked.

There is a guy on one of the Maverick Facebook pages that says his EB is also doing it.

 

[Rob Cactus Gray]

I have seen this on EB F 150s for years. I doubt ford will do anything. Not sure how they get that hot that fast.

A red hot smoking cat with up to 650v electricity Running through those bright orange cables. Ford would be best to act quicker than not. Don’t want the Maverick to be like the Chevy Burnt Bolt

 

[rlhdweman]

I'm not sure what you do next, but after this occured on my truck, the fuel economy dropped from 40+ mpg to 28-30 mpg. Seems like the catalytic converter becomes restrictive after this event.

"The emissions defects warranty coverage period for passenger cars
and light duty trucks (applies to vehicles up to 8,500 pounds GVWR)
is as follows:
— 8 years or 80,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for catalytic
converters, electronic emissions control unit, and onboard
emissions diagnostic devices, including the Battery Energy Control
Module (BECM). "

https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...id-Warranty-version-2_frdwa_EN-US_12_2020.pdf

I would say that when the engine is idling, it is dumping too much fuel into it & this can cause a converter to get red hot, it could be something related to the remote start that is causing it. I am guessing your mpgs have dropped because the inside of the converter is damaged & has become restrictive &/or the O2 sensor(s) have been destroyed. Something I also have seen on this site when a member had picture of the fuel tank removal on a hybrid, there are 2 coolant connections to the exhaust after the converter. Has anyone experienced a glowing converter during a long idle without using the remote start.

 

[AnthonyMav]

I would say that when the engine is idling, it is dumping too much fuel into it & this can cause a converter to get red hot, it could be something related to the remote start that is causing it. I am guessing your mpgs have dropped because the inside of the converter is damaged & has become restrictive &/or the O2 sensor(s) have been destroyed. Something I also have seen on this site when a member had picture of the fuel tank removal on a hybrid, there are 2 coolant connections to the exhaust after the converter. Has anyone experienced a glowing converter during a long idle without using the remote start.

Yes, it happens with a key start too. Not just remote. Heat must be on midway or more and it’ll kick it. I can replicate it any day if I wanted to. I don’t do that, obviously. I’ve always stopped it even before the cat got red.

will it happen in warmer temps? I don’t know. But I think as long as the heat is on, it’ll happen.

 

[Vols44]

This Reddit crosspost is solved by expressing previous articles about the fuel build up when idling. Hybrid vehicles were not designed to idle for long periods of time with the intention of heating the cab. Once the battery runs down the engine kicks in and operates with a restricted exhaust flow to respond to an ECM calling for heat to the cab.

Other fixes are, engine block heaters, heated seats and parking vehicles in the garage at night.

I've never warmed up my 18' Edge with a 2.0L ICE and heated seats. I get 25.5 MPG and expect to store and operate my Maverick XLT hybrid in the same manner because hybrids were designed to optimize MPG and not expend it in the driveway.

 

[Vols44]

They can acknowledge the problem and tell people not to warm up their car so stuff doesnt get burnt down. Just like they did with the radio freezing issue. They put out a manufacturer communication of the issue before they had fix.

First step in solving a problem is admitting you have one. So we are not even at step one.

The radio freeze is solved by performing a Sync Master Reset. Cellphones and PC's need periodic restarts to correct hanging pages and/or apps. I've had screen hanging and freezing problems with a 13' Fusion and 18' Edge. They are only a minor annoyance.

 

[Bj517]

Thats

This Reddit crosspost is solved by expressing previous articles about the fuel build up when idling. Hybrid vehicles were not designed to idle for long periods of time with the intention of heating the cab. Once the battery runs down the engine kicks in and operates with a restricted exhaust flow to respond to an ECM calling for heat to the cab.

Other fixes are, engine block heaters, heated seats and parking vehicles in the garage at night.

I've never warmed up my 18' Edge with a 2.0L ICE and heated seats. I get 25.5 MPG and expect to store and operate my Maverick XLT hybrid in the same manner because hybrids were designed to optimize MPG and not expend it in the driveway.

That's not a solution. Ford is selling hybrids with remote start capabilities with zero mention in the manual of not using those capabilities when the weather is cold.

This is clearly an issue that they need to actually fix. Is Ford gonna come build me a garage? You're saying that this is normal behavior for every other hybrid made by every other manufacturer over the last few decades?

 

[OTACORB]

I've not been using the remote start from the app or my keyfob on my Larait out of concern aftre reading about this several times now.

 

[KevCuRaoi]

I've also been wondering if this is related to the intentional reclaiming of exhaust heat, by design, for warming the cabin.

I think it is. This problem is probably just a software glitch? Or a bad batch of sensors?

 

[999]

Wow. I am learning something here.

What is the cat "attached to" on the ecoboost, if not the engine? I was also unaware that the hybrid is "running in electric mode while parked". How does that work?

Good stuff.

Hybrid only. The EB engine doesn't have the cat attached to the engine for one, and should have no trouble heating the cab since it's not running in electric mode while parked.

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