Cracked flex plate on 2017 MKZ

[shamim]

Hi,

Someone sold me a bad car unfortunately and I didn't know the issue was so critical before buying. I have a used 2017 MKZ 2.0L Ecoboost with 85K miles on it. It make a rattling sound when the car starts and in idle or parked. Once it starts driving everything is quite and runs smoothly. The dealer said it's the flex plate that is cracked and needs to be replaced. Along with it the torque converter and transmission fluid pump also need to be replaced. As you all know its a very expensive repair. I am looking at around $3500 at least. They have a CSP (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10218899-0001.pdf) for 2019 and 2020 MKZ but not for 2017 with the exact problem. It doesn't make sense to me. I had a chat with Ford online but they said my car is not included in this program unfortunately. Currently I can't afford this much money to repair.

Recently I noticed the sound is not that much terrible or noticeable as it used to be a month ago. As the car runs for longer period of time, the sound gets less noticeable in park mode. I am asking for your suggestion. Can I keep driving with this condition? Do you think it will get worse eventually? If so, how much time do I have?

Thanks.

 

[11MarkX]

Can the dealer show you where the flex plate started to crack? If the weld studs are cracked, then your covered. If it was just the flex plate cracking and not the weld studs, why are they telling you the Torque converter needs to be replaced?

There was a recall for 2017 for bad welds where the torque converter and flex plate mate, so its covered (recall#17S16 (S2)). (see below). With this recall, the Torque Converter and Flex plate would be ruined and therefore both would need to be replaced.

Hopefully dealer will agree. If not, then I guess change the emblems on your Lincoln to Ford Edge and maybe they'll cover it. just kidding. See vid below, concerns whats your dealer told you. You really shouldn't drive it anymore. It's kind of dangerous, especially on the highway.

 

[shamim]

Can the dealer show you where the flex plate started to crack? If the weld studs are cracked, then your covered. If it was just the flex plate cracking and not the weld studs, why are they telling you the Torque converter needs to be replaced?

There was a recall for 2017 for bad welds where the torque converter and flex plate mate, so its covered (recall#17S16 (S2)). (see below). With this recall, the Torque Converter and Flex plate would be ruined and therefore both would need to be replaced.

Hopefully dealer will agree. If not, then I guess change the emblems on your Lincoln to Ford Edge and maybe they'll cover it. just kidding. See vid below, concerns whats your dealer told you. You really shouldn't drive it anymore. It's kind of dangerous, especially on the highway.
View attachment 21054

When I check with my VIN, my car is not eligible for this recall. It's mentioned for certain eligible vehicles only.
Instead they released a service bulletin - https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10225447-0001.pdf .
What other options do I have you think?

 

[11MarkX]

Sorry to hear that. So now it becomes more difficult since you have to prove your MKZ should be part of the eligible vehicles.

1) You'll have to find out when your transmission was made. There should be a mfr date or code on the side of your trans. Then find out the manufacturing dates for the faulty transmissions. I couldn't find it, but Lincoln should tell you. Hopefully, yours was manufactured during those dates.

2) Ford added an additional 25 vehicles after the original recall of 6,026. This recall doesn't list the 25 VIN's affected, its just marked "NR", so maybe Ford didn't put those VIN's online. Maybe Ford didn't add these 25 to the eligible VIN list, so maybe its one of yours?

There's 3 recall safety notices for this, but I think this was the latest one. This recall 18V390 covers a faulty weld shunt cable too. Read whole thing cause maybe you'll see something I don't.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCLRPT-18V390-4443.PDF

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[shamim]

Sorry to hear that. So now it becomes more difficult since you have to prove your MKZ should be part of the eligible vehicles.

1) You'll have to find out when your transmission was made. There should be a mfr date or code on the side of your trans. Then find out the manufacturing dates for the faulty transmissions. I couldn't find it, but Lincoln should tell you. Hopefully, yours was manufactured during those dates.

2) Ford added an additional 25 vehicles after the original recall of 6,026. This recall doesn't list the 25 VIN's affected, its just marked "NR", so maybe Ford didn't put those VIN's online. Maybe Ford didn't add these 25 to the eligible VIN list, so maybe its one of yours?

There's 3 recall safety notices for this, but I think this was the latest one. This recall 18V390 covers a faulty weld shunt cable too. Read whole thing cause maybe you'll see something I don't.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCLRPT-18V390-4443.PDF

I appreciate your response and time. I went to the dealer yesterday to check if there is any way I can get a coverage from them. They looked again but my car is not in their list. They gave me the Ford customer number. So I contacted them and they said its the NHTSA that can decide for a recall. It's not on them to decide. Thanks.

 

[Action]

It won't get better.
The flex plate is what connects the engine to the transmission. And the piece the starter engages to start the engine.
Waiting can be done for only so long. Then the starter will not engage correctly to the flex plate or there will be issues with the engine to transmission function.

Action