Author Topic: *IMPORTANT YOU ALL READ THIS** OEM Oil Cooler Issues on the s550 GT (Read 18057 times)

Mark@stage3 · « **on:** November 03, 2016, 10:32:32 am »

Just had a rather disturbing conversation with one of the shops we supply over in the UK. Turns out that there have been issues with the oil coolers getting cooked due to its proximity to the passenger side catalytic converter. When the RHD Mustang was designed, some bright spark at Ford relocated the oil cooler moved it from the front of the engine, where it usually sits on the US Spec s550, where your steering box now sits, and mounted it to the passenger side of the engine very close to the cat. Because of this there have been reports of the coolers cracking and leaking oil, all the way up to completely failing and draining the engines dry!!! Ford UK have now reportedly replaced four 5.0 engines, and 1 poor soul was reportedly filmed going down the road with the front half of his car in flames!!

If you have an s550 GT please be aware of this!! It's not a scare tactic or a sales pitch, just want to make sure you are all safe!! There is a shop in the UK working on a relocation kit for this problem as we speak. When I have more info on it I will pass it along!!

mwizz · « **Reply #1 on:** November 03, 2016, 08:38:06 pm »

I would assume then there will be a recall and fix

Mark@stage3 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2016, 04:56:53 am »

You're probably right. But if it's anything like the intercooler "fix" they did on the 11-12 EcoBoost F150's...I would still be a bit worried.

Vinno · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2017, 10:06:19 pm »

Hi Guy's, my first post here and I was just reading about a S550 owner on the S550 Australia Facebook page who had his Oil and water mix a couple of weeks ago. Turns out it was the cooler mentioned in this topic but a different issue. An internal failure meant the oil and water mixed. He has just received the car back and this post was mentioned.

It seems odd that the aftermarket are working on a fix and Ford seem to be silent on it here. I've had mine for almost 4 weeks so it is something I will definately be looking at as apparently the loss of oil is not picked up by any sensors until the engine is dry.

JasonK · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2017, 08:36:51 am »

Quote from: Vinno on February 14, 2017, 10:06:19 pm

It seems odd that the aftermarket are working on a fix and Ford seem to be silent on it is dry.

Just a guess, but aftermarket have a sales or profit motivation. For Ford it is a cost control issue*.

And a ginormous one, if Ford issue a recall they and retrofit all non-US 5.0's, that's probably of millions in costs, at the very least.

Coogee245 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 08, 2017, 07:30:33 am »

Late response to this article but I was justcsearching mustang oil cooler issues and this chat came up.

We have had this exact issue. Oil cooler failed on Tuggeranong Parkway in Canberra, I became aware of the issue as the car was trailing smoke - oil was leaking (rapidly) out and hitting the exhaust, hence the smoke (got some nice video of this leak from under the car if anyone wants to see it). Ford in Canberra also found that the oil cooler had mixed water and oil including into the engine. This Required a new engine.

We have had a total of 4 breakdowns in 12 months. Main power cable shorted on exhaust, top radiator hose has blown off twice and dropped all the water, The last failure was on a 5km drive.

This is the most unreliable car i have ever known and its got 10,000 km on it.

Another Canberra mustang had the same issue.

Check Canberra Mustang Facebook page for discussions onbthis issue.

peter1950 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2017, 05:15:08 pm »

There seems to have been a similar problem in the US. I have found that on 26/10/16 Ford USA recalled 6582 S550 Mustangs about the oil cooler. Apparently, a hose may separate from the cooler causing an oil leak and having the sort of effect that happened to you in Canberra.

They recalled 2015-2017 Mustangs manufactured 24/2/15 to 30/8/16. They say in the recall that as a consequence of the hose separation "a sudden loss of engine oil may cause engine failure, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, an oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of fire". This seems to be what happened to the guy in the UK.

Therefore, in view of the US recall, a few experiences here and in the UK - has anybody actually raised the issue with Ford Australia and if so, what has been their response?

CDINOZ007 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2018, 04:00:41 pm »

Just for posterity.... adding my comments here.

Mine is January 2017 build (delivered May 2017) - and the oil cooler failed last week of Feb 2018, with less than 9,000kms on the clock.

External and internal failure, with oil and coolant mixing and spewing out from beneath the car. Currently getting a brand new engine fitted.

Sean piquet · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2018, 11:03:36 pm »

Clearly the Ford technical service bulletin issued NOV 16 indicating the problem is only with vehicles built to the end of JULY 2016 needs an update in respect of affected vehicles.

https://ford.oemdtc.com/2604/oil-leak-from-engine-oil-cooler-right-hand-drive-2016-2017-ford-mustang

" Some 2016-2017 Mustang GT right hand drive vehicles equipped with a 5.0L twin independent variable cam timing (Ti-VCT) engine and built on or before 26-Jul-2016 may exhibit an internally and/or externally leaking engine oil cooler that may result in an overheating engine, engine noise, base engine damage along with an external oil leak."

66 Stang · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2018, 11:13:31 am »

See two data sources below, one from Australian media (Jan 23rd 2018), the other from CJ Pony in the USA -

Motoring confirmed after speaking with Ford AU - "NO RECALL"

https://www.motoring.com.au/ford-mustang-springs-a-leak-110686/

https://www.cjponyparts.com/resources/2015-2017-mustang-recall-and-tsb-info#recall

https://www.cars.com/recalls/ford-mustang-2016/

mwizz · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2018, 10:26:42 pm »

Thanks for the post Keith

peter1950 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 28, 2018, 02:44:22 pm »

Since my last post on this topic nearly 12 months ago, I have spoken to my local Ford dealer (who by the way was well aware of the issue due to other customers raising it) and he tells me he even raised it at a Service Managers meeting and confirmed that whilst there has been some cases they were in the minority.
His strong suggestion was to take up the Ford offer to have you car inspected when you can (for free) or during normal service. In this way, if nothing is currently wrong and something happens in the future, at least it has been recorded that you were concerned about the issue.
Then if there is a problem outside warranty you may well have a better chance in negotiating a fix.

My Mustang was built in January 2016 and I had the dealer check the oil cooler out during the service and they told me it was OK. Here's hoping it stays that way.

Sharkierulz · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2018, 10:01:06 am »

Streetfighter has an option that will (so they claim) remove the risk of this completely.

https://www.kpmmotorsport.com.au/product/streetfighter-engine-oil-cooler-package-gt-v8/

I am looking into this at the moment.

Ozzieuk · « **Reply #13 on:** November 24, 2020, 11:39:19 pm »

We're suffering with the same issue here in the UK, even on newer MY18+ cars the coolers are failing, luckily caught mine in time and got it replaced at a local shop, they did a bit of a write up and a video on it if you're interested here: https://www.motorsportandperformance.com/blogs/s550-faq/mustang-gt-oil-cooler-failure

Luckily I believe Ford have changed the cooler design for the upcoming MY21 Mach 1 so time will tell if they have managed to fix it once an for all, its caused no end of issues here especially in the 15 - 17 cars

*IMPORTANT YOU ALL READ THIS** OEM Oil Cooler Issues on the s550 GT

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