Need some help from TexAgs auto guru's ....

Bought the vehicle used (~70k miles) from Covert in Austin in March 2015, only issue corrected at purchase was a mass airflow sensor and computer update for transmission. This was my first used vehicle purchase, so I was hestitant but purchased a 'Preferred Protection Plan, High Mileage Program'.

We have put approximately 5k miles on the vehicle and have not had any issues until today. The vehicle is my wife's car so it mainly drives around town running errands. We drove the vehicle to Port A and back last week with no issues whatsoever.

This morning while coming home from church, the vehicle made a clunk noise at approximately 60mph and the wrench light came on. At this point the vehicle became unresponsive to throttle. This is when I learned what Ford's limp home mode was. I was able to pull off the roadway into nearby gas station and turn the vehicle off. After a few moments I restarted the vehicle and the wrench light was gone and I was able to drive home without any problems.

Any similar experiences out there? Any advice on how I should proceed?

Thanks in advance.

I'd take it over to one of the car part places and see if they can pull the error code.

What he said

Does the error code log somewhere? Since the light is off now, does it store the most recent code?

Typically it will.

Use that warranty.

I appreciate the responses. I fully intend to utilize the warranty and call the dealership in the a.m.

Sadly the way things way worked out today I was not able to check by an auto parts place to have the codes checked.

I'll keep this updated.

Welp, took it in to the Advance Auto Parts in my neighborhood and the code(s) are gone.

Still taking it to the dealership in the morning.

Possible misfire. Not sure if the 2011 has variable valve timing. My 05 has it, and it's a horrible design. I have 160k on it but I expect the timing chain to jump off at any time.

Can the parts house scanners pull the code when the wrench light kicks on? I thought that was a different light from the actual check engine light and required something more specialized than a regular scanner?

My wife's '07 Expedition kicked into Safe Mode a few years ago. The wiring harness that fed the passenger side of the engine grounded out on one of the A/C lines and killed the #4 coil. I would assume Ford fixed that flaw prior to '11, but might be worth checking.

Advance Auto Parts' scanner wasn't able to pull codes. The wrench (different than check engine light) disappeared after I cut the engine off and restarted a few minutes after it happened. Vehicle drove fine through neighborhood and on highway to the dealership yesterday morning.

I'm waiting to hear back. Possible throttle body issue...not sure.

Thanks for the responses.

Heard from the dealership service department..

I'm being told the throttle body needs to be replaced, mass airflow sensor needs to be cleaned (as part of replacing the TB), and the fuel injectors need to be flushed..

Best part: service lady told me the throttle body replacement and other items don't appear to be covered according to the verbiage of the service contract I purchased

So it appears I get to spend the morning on the phone with the service contract folks ..

Any sage advice from the auto board?

Fight like hell to make them cover it. If they won't for some reason, this is one of the easiest DIY jobs you can do on a vehicle. I would buy the parts myself and install them before I got rammed in the posterior by the dealer. If you are in the Dallas area I will do it for free if you buy the parts.

I appreciate the offer to help but I am in the Austin area.

I'll be on the phone in the morning trying to sort this out.

I'm glad to hear it's not an impossible thing to DIY because I have the feeling that's where it is headed.

First good luck! Second is be curious which ford dealer in Austin your working with. My experience with the dealers in this area has been so poor (and all ford reps won't do a thing about it) I've bought my last ford. Hopefully you're not at Mac haik or covert in hutto

Heard from the dealership service department..

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I'm being told the throttle body needs to be replaced

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Who is the warranty from? The TB should be covered by powertrain.

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, mass airflow sensor needs to be cleaned (as part of replacing the TB), and the fuel injectors need to be flushed..

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LOLno. Tell the dealer to get F'd.

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Best part: service lady told me the throttle body replacement and other items don't appear to be covered according to the verbiage of the service contract I purchased

So it appears I get to spend the morning on the phone with the service contract folks ..

Any sage advice from the auto board?

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Read the terms of your warranty.

I"m dealing with Covert in Austin off 183.

I don't like taking a vehicle to the dealer unless it's under warranty but since it was purchased in March and we purchased the high mileage service warranty (the company is Preferred and it's called their Protection Plan High Mileage Program) that is why I returned to them.

I already told them to get bent on the MAF, I just wanted to put down the full list in order to get input.

I read the terms of my service contract last night after getting home from work and my suspicions were correct. I called Preferred this morning and the throttle body is not covered.

1Ags, you have any suggestions on parts?

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I"m dealing with Covert in Austin off 183.

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Found your problem.

I'd try cleaning the throttle body, and pull the negative terminal for 20 minutes.