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By Patrick Rall May 27 2015 - 2:47pm

2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Recalled for Extreme Underbody Temperatures

Ford Motor Company has issued a voluntary recall of the 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost over a concern that in the right situations, extreme underbody temperatures could cause damage to the fuel tank, the fuel system and the brake lines – leading to a myriad of possible problems and safety risks.
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The 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine is arguably the biggest deal with the 2015 Ford Mustang outside of the new generation styling itself. While some insisted that a 4-cylinder muscle car was doomed to fail, the output of 310 horsepower and 320lb-ft of torque combined with the best fuel economy in the segment have made the EcoBoost a very popular option for those prospective 2015 Mustang buyers who don’t feel the need to feed the 5.0L V8.

This early popularity has led to strong sales of the 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost package, but the Motor Company has discovered an unusual problem with these fuel-sipping 4-cylinder muscle cars, as extreme underbody temperatures could lead to a handful of different problems which could cause some very serious safety risks. The company hasn’t had any reports of this recall issue causing any sort of accidents or injuries in the hands of a private owner, but with so much potential for problems – Ford is making the quick decision to get the new turbocharged Mustangs back to dealerships for a few repairs.

The Mustang EcoBoost Underbody Heat Recall
This new 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost recall could be one of the most unusual I’ve covered in my years in the industry, perhaps second only to the Mazda models recalled for spiders building nests in the fuel tank vent tubes. This recall applies to 2015 Mustang fastbacks and convertibles with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine that were built between February 14th and February 10th 2015, with a total of 19,486 units affected (19.095 in the US, 391 in Canada).

The Problem
The 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder is a very impressive engine, delivering 310 horsepower and 320lb-ft of torque while still being the most efficient engine in the muscle car segment. One downfall to this new EcoBoost engine (and many turbocharged engines) is an excessive buildup of heat under the vehicle. The turbocharger itself technically obstructs exhaust flow, so the gas builds heat while the turbo itself gets very hot. From there, the hot air travels through the catalytic convertor, where more heat is generated before being sent through the exhaust system and out the back end of the car. As this super-heated air passes through the metal exhaust system, it passes various fuel lines, brake lines and the fuel tank.

Unfortunately, Ford Motor Company has found that the temperatures being created by the exhaust system of the 2015 EcoBoost Mustang are much higher than expected, and the automaker is concerned that this excessively high heat could cause the parking brake cable seals to fail or it could cause both the fuel vapor lines and the composite fuel tank to deteriorate. Should the parking brake cable seals fail, the parking brake could fail to operate as expected and in the case of a manual transmission model, the Mustang could roll away. Of course, should the fuel vapor lines or the fuel tank fail, a simple ignition source could cause a massive fire under the car.

As mentioned above, there have been no reports of accidents, fires or injuries in the 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost.

The Fix
The repair for this 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost recall is fairly simple, as the dealership will install a new fuel tank shield, new thermal wrapping in the fuel vapor lines and new thermal wrapping on the parking brake cable. There has been no exact timetable for this recall, but EcoBoost Mustang owners can expect to get notification from the company very soon if they have not already.

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Comments

JeffS wrote on May 28, 2015 - 2:11pm
Good day, Patrick. Is it possible? The big 3 seem to have acquired a, "Social conscience". Hopefully the Takata fiasco will be the last of its kind. In the long run, the seemingly, "new" attitude of find it fast, fix it fast, as opposed to sweep it under the rug and forget it, will serve both the Mfgs. and Public well. Definitely a step in the right direction, way to go Ford!
Patrick Comey wrote on May 29, 2015 - 2:27am
Hi Bob, When should I bring mine in to do the work? Let me know! Thanks, Pat
van m bond jr wrote on May 30, 2015 - 10:09pm
Best fix for the ecoboost issue = GET RID OF IT!!! 4 cylinders don't belong in Mustangs! Replace it with the 2.7L Ecoboost and replace the 3.7 with the 3.5L Ecoboost and then give a wider range of V8s beyond the 5.0L and the 5.2L. Best solution for that problem
Jessa wrote on May 31, 2015 - 3:38pm
Has anyone heard of an issue with spiders living in the 2015 Mustangs? I have a whole family in mine and can't seem to get rid of them.
Josh brown wrote on June 19, 2015 - 3:35pm
Has anyone had any problems with the 2015 ecoboost mustang smoking? I have had mine for 2 months put 2k miles on it and ever since I hit 600 miles it has started to smoke like a diesel truck that is cleaning itself out? dealership can't find anything wrong with it. I'm at a loss.
Ashley wrote on June 28, 2015 - 2:14pm
Mine smokes I have the 2015 ecoboost I'm taking it to the dealership this week. Usually when it's sitting on or I'm idling at a drive thru it smokes from the exhaust.
Jessica Ramirez wrote on March 1, 2016 - 10:13pm
What did the dealership say about your car smoking? We purchased a 2015 Ford Mustang Ecoboost for my son & when he hit 11,000 miles on it, his entire engine blew and had to be replaced. He is at 17,000 miles now and only 6,000 miles with the new engine and now his car has also started to let out an ungodly amount of smoke! I'm worried about this car and all the troubles we've had with it. A BRAND NEW car should not have to have the engine replaced at only 11,000 miles and now all this smoke crap! I'd love to hear of how yours is doing if you still own it. Thanks!
Michael Lyon wrote on March 2, 2016 - 1:21pm
It's funny you asked ! I bought a 2015 Eco boost and after I had it for 1 month my engine blew ! They wouldn't give me a new engine only a small block rebuilt engine ! Now I have had a winter to deal with n I don't ride or drive much in winter so I've only put maybe 200 miles on it . So I'll keep you up on it when I put 500 or so miles on it ! Honestly I'm worried !
Jessica Ramirez wrote on March 1, 2016 - 10:12pm
Anything beyond the smoke happen to your Mustang? We purchased a 2015 Ford Mustang Ecoboost for my son & when he hit 11,000 miles on it, his entire engine blew and had to be replaced. He is at 17,000 miles now and only 6,000 miles with the new engine and now his car has also started to let out an ungodly amount of smoke! I'm worried about this car and all the troubles we've had with it. A BRAND NEW car should not have to have the engine replaced at only 11,000 miles and now all this smoke crap! I'd love to hear of how yours is doing if you still own it. Thanks!
Sandra wrote on October 1, 2016 - 8:38am
Hey there I have a 2015 ego boost as well and it was smoking from the moment that I got it, I brought it in to Ford and they didn't fix it for about five months kept giving it back to me still smoking come to find out for did a recall on them and they fixed it for now, I've had my car in there again for more times now has an exhaust leak there's always something wrong I'm going to trade mine in for a 5.0 it's pointless . I have already done transmission work on it also because of the extreme heat. I'm also losing a lot of oil but they can't seem to figure out where it's going.
Kate Johnson wrote on July 22, 2015 - 10:20pm
I have had my 2015 mustang 4 cylinder for 2 days and the check engine light came on. They said to bring it back it's an easy fix. My husband put the code reader on &a it said something about the cylinder misfired. We are taking it back to the dealership & they can have the car. It's only been 2 days & Delaware law says I have 72 hours to take it back.
Anne wrote on February 28, 2018 - 12:34am
its awesome product and I used it.
CATHY wrote on July 27, 2015 - 12:42pm
Hi my 2015 mustang ecoboost is smelling like sulfar or a perm when trying to acceralate hard! Isnt this car made to race .I got rid of my 03 gt mustang !! Big mistake I guess it had probs too.but this 4 cylinder must be like the delorian , it must be a expirement car.got to take my car to dealership soon.does anyone know what this could be .it don't smoke!! Just smells like sulfar when acceleration around 80mph.and when I pass vehicles. . Any help is good
JeffS wrote on July 28, 2015 - 4:02am
Hi Cathy, sounds like you are cooking your catalytic converter. Usually the cause is unburnt fuel reaching it. There may be a few reasons for this, like a bad injector, oxygen sensor or fuel pump. This could be a result of the overheating problem this article speaks to. Just replacing the converter usually is only a temporary fix. An overheated converter is probably the culprit, but finding out why can be the tricky part. Good luck, new car problems are a pain in the arse.
Ted wrote on March 5, 2016 - 6:54pm
I have the same issues. I am on 87 octane and not 93. Will that cause an issue.
Ted wrote on March 5, 2016 - 6:53pm
I am having the EXACT! same issues!!!!! what heck is that!!!???
Mark wrote on May 5, 2018 - 10:40am
I have the same exact problem with my Ecoboost Mustang. Worried about Carbon Monoxide levels too. Have to put my windows down whenever I accelerate hard getting onto the interstate. Mine is a lease that ends soon. Looks like I will be turning the car in rather than purchasing it. Sort of sad about it though; Other than this issue and AC problems, the car has been pretty good.
Josh wrote on July 29, 2015 - 7:44am
My mustang ecoboost is going all to pieces lol. It smokes, the turbo will not push bast 5 lb of boost when the normal is 20lb, the inside lights dim and brighten when they plz. The front right break has been replaced 2 times. I call ford they tell me to take it to the dealership to get looked at and fixed but when I show up they say ford tells them to sit tight and wait for a fix to come out. Oh and it's losing oil. Mine also smells funny when started and when on a good run. I'm beginning to think this car is some kinda cruel joke.
Frank L wrote on August 9, 2015 - 12:00am
I need to empty my 2015 Mustang Ecoboost feul tank, does anyone know how to do it? Thanks!
shan wrote on August 26, 2015 - 10:37am
I'm having so many problems out of my 2015 ford mustang ecoboost it smoked like crazy when it wants to...I keep taking it back and forward to down and country Ford and they keep saying nothing is wrong with it....maybe a week later on drove out of town and the water pump went out car ran extremely hot....been smoking every since then now making a ticking noise Ford says if they can't duplicate the problem then it's nothing they can do about it.....I wouldn't recommend the 2015 Ford mustang to anyone.....
Jay wrote on August 31, 2015 - 1:59pm
Just off the topic. Is anyone experiencing a noise in their driver seat while driving or slightly leaning back? I have a 6 month old premium boost, and it's making a noise.
mike lyon wrote on September 8, 2015 - 7:49pm
my car a 2015 Ecoboost mustang kinda went crazy today. I was riding along and I thought my muffler or something broke off so when I come to a stop I smelled smoke and my panel said low oil and low oil pressure. I got out and all kinda oil was under my car. I have it at Dealership and waiting on diagnois. Any thoughts ?
Jessica Ramirez wrote on March 1, 2016 - 10:20pm
What was the diagnosis on your Mustang? We purchased a 2015 Ford Mustang Ecoboost for my son & when he hit 11,000 miles on it, his entire engine blew and had to be replaced. Something similar happened to him as it did to you. He was driving down the street and his car just died. When we got it to turn back on and drove it home, it sounded like the car was going to fall apart. Sounded like we had tied 30 aluminum cans to the back of his car and dragged them all the way home. He is now at 17,000 miles and only 6,000 miles with the new engine and now his car has started to let out an ungodly amount of smoke! I'm worried about this car and all the troubles we've had with it. A BRAND NEW car should not have to have the engine replaced at only 11,000 miles and now all this smoke crap! I'd love to hear of how yours is doing if you still own it. Thanks!
Marjorie Adams wrote on February 26, 2021 - 9:44pm
My twin ecoboost mustang did all that and caught on fire.
Lani Bartlett wrote on September 18, 2015 - 12:25am
I smelled burnt oil as soon as I bought my 2105 Ecoboost Mustang. Turned out it had an oil leak in the Turbo. I've been getting only 14 mpg in the city from the beginning. Now I have 5200 miles on it. Still as bad. They keep telling me it gets 20 something on average, but I'm not talking about average. I'm talking about city only. !4 MPG when sticker says it gets between 22 and 28. What a joke. They keep telling me there's nothing wrong with it. Anybody else getting this terrible mileage in the city?
Jay wrote on September 18, 2015 - 2:19pm
Hey Lani - Your's is about 2 miles less than mine. My boost is 6 months old and has about 3k miles. It used to be 19 miles per gallon in the city for me and did do 30 on an highway until 2000 miles. I put in a CAI, a offroad downpipe , a y pipe and axle back exhaust and without a tune, it is now down to 16-17. I believe that if you give too much throttle, the mpg just goes down. But then, you don't buy mustangs for better mpg's I guess.
mike wrote on December 3, 2015 - 5:23pm
Turbos should be banned. They were always junk and still are.
Joseph wrote on March 30, 2016 - 11:12pm
And the millions of diesels around the world running them without issue.
Kate Johnson wrote on March 2, 2016 - 12:59pm
My 2015 mustang only has 7000 miles on but I bought mine brand new. Really have had no issues with mine except the Check engine light came on after 200 miles had me a little worried but thank god my husband has a code reader & took it right back to the dealer & sat with the head mechanics. I take it back to the dealership when it's time for all the regular stuff to be checked. But I love my mustang only drive it when it's nice out...
David Russell wrote on August 20, 2020 - 12:18pm
My 2016 EB Mushtang has just started blowing smoke out the exhaust for the second time. The original motor blew at 61,000. A problem in cylinder 3. The second motor is doing the same thing at 35,000 miles. 96,000 and two engines. No crazy tune, its got a bigger Mishimoto intercooler, a catch can, and Ford Performance CAI. DISI, stands for Direct Injection Spark Ignition. The direct injection means that fuel does not hit the valves in the same way as other methods of injection. Thus carbon builds up on the valves. I'm told that if the carbon goes into the cylinder it can create a hotspot, Next thing ya now, boom. I love my 2.3, It's time to move on.