Will Ford do anything about maverick axle issues?

[DeluxeStang]

Hello all,

 

So I've been seeing several cases of mavericks experiencing axle issues. I believe the specific component that's having issues is called a CV joint or CV boot. Feel free to correct me if that's not the proper term.  Does anyone working for Ford, or who's close to the matter know if this is a widespread issue, or more of a case of a small batch of defective parts? I'm curious to see if Ford is going to address this as it's starting to pop up on forums more frequently. Hopefully they perform a recall to swap these parts out for something higher quality.

 

We love our maverick, and ours has been pretty rock solid, but seeing this issues does make me concerned. I hope the maverick isn't another case of the focus and fiesta powershift all over again, a cheap and desirable model that had prominent quality issues emerge after a few years. 

Edited February 27 by DeluxeStang

[Captainp4]

I don't know of the specific issue you're referencing, but CV joints are located somewhere around the steering knuckle or rear knuckle (that's the thing everything before the wheel bolts on) and provide consistent moment when turning the wheels so you don't get that jerky motion you get trying to drive a 4wd truck on the street. The boots encapsulate the joint and keep the elements out. Could be the inners too but that's usually not a problem. I'd recommend youtubing any cv joint replacement and you'll be able to visualize where it is and inspect your own for any wear. 

[fuzzymoomoo]

A C/V joint is a pretty common point of failure on FWD vehicles, similar to a U-joint on a RWD powered vehicle. If you hear strange sounds when turning that’s an indication of a worn C/V joint. Haven’t heard of it being a widespread issue. I will say I went through 3 of them (all 3 being on the passenger side at that) on my Focus and there was never any indication of there ever being a widespread problem with them. 

Edited February 27 by fuzzymoomoo

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

A C/V joint is a pretty common point of failure on FWD vehicles, similar to a U-joint on a RWD powered vehicle. If you hear strange sounds when turning that’s an indication of a worn C/V joint. Haven’t heard of it being a widespread issue. I will say I went through 3 of them (all 3 being on the passenger side at that) on my Focus and there was never any indication of there ever being a widespread problem with them. 

Are there any maintenance tips or driving habits that could prolong the life of C/V joints? It seems to be happening at around 35k miles, and in some cases, requires the entire front axle to be replaced, which is quite concerning. 

[akirby]

2 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Are there any maintenance tips or driving habits that could prolong the life of C/V joints? It seems to be happening at around 35k miles, and in some cases, requires the entire front axle to be replaced, which is quite concerning. 

 Make sure the boots aren’t damaged.  Thats what usually causes failure - the boot leaks out the grease and allows contaminants in.  Other than that - nothing you can do.

[DeluxeStang]

3 hours ago, akirby said:

 Make sure the boots aren’t damaged.  Thats what usually causes failure - the boot leaks out the grease and allows contaminants in.  Other than that - nothing you can do.

So basically don't worry about it. If it's leaking grease, take it into the dealership as soon as possible. But otherwise, if it's not leaking, it's not going to fail, or at least it's highly unlikely to fail is what you're saying. 

[jpd80]

On 2/27/2024 at 1:10 PM, DeluxeStang said:

Hello all,

 

So I've been seeing several cases of mavericks experiencing axle issues. I believe the specific component that's having issues is called a CV joint or CV boot. Feel free to correct me if that's not the proper term.  Does anyone working for Ford, or who's close to the matter know if this is a widespread issue, or more of a case of a small batch of defective parts? I'm curious to see if Ford is going to address this as it's starting to pop up on forums more frequently. Hopefully they perform a recall to swap these parts out for something higher quality.

 

We love our maverick, and ours has been pretty rock solid, but seeing this issues does make me concerned. I hope the maverick isn't another case of the focus and fiesta powershift all over again, a cheap and desirable model that had prominent quality issues emerge after a few years. 

From what I’ve read on some forums, the Mavericks with failed CVs get a distinctive hop or shudder  

in the front end under power. If you’re not experiencing those issues, you’re probably still OK.

Maverick powertrain warranty is 5 years/60,000 miles, if you have any concern talk to your 

service department, they may have a TSB on this issue as it may never become a recall.

[70 Stang]

I read somewhere that the CV issue was mostly on Mavericks that had been lifted.

[fuzzymoomoo]

11 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Are there any maintenance tips or driving habits that could prolong the life of C/V joints? It seems to be happening at around 35k miles, and in some cases, requires the entire front axle to be replaced, which is quite concerning. 

How bad are the roads where you live? That’s going to be the main factor. One of mine failed after hitting a pothole. But then again, another failed just taking off from a traffic light. Like Akirby said, periodically take a look at the boot(s) and check for leaks/damage. A grease leak will be fairly obvious, you’ll see it splattered all over the undercarriage. If you have a needle fitting and a grease gun sometimes you can worm the needle behind the band holding the boot in place and inject grease into the joint if you squeeze the boot and suspect it needs fresh grease. Depends on the type of band they used on it. 

[fuzzymoomoo]

28 minutes ago, 70 Stang said:

I read somewhere that the CV issue was mostly on Mavericks that had been lifted.

That makes sense. The suspension geometry is completely different. C/V joints have a much shorter range they can operate compared to u-joints if they’re not designed for it. 

[LSchicago]

5 hours ago, 70 Stang said:

I read somewhere that the CV issue was mostly on Mavericks that had been lifted.

Plenty of stock trucks had failures too, usually between 20-30K miles. Bad design, or just bad quality. 

[Flying68]

CV axles are easy to replace and not terribly expensive.  They are also covered under the 5/60 powertrain warranty.  A CV failure is not catastrophic and is detectable from the distinct clicking noise when turning.  It sounds like the Maverick may have some specific issues related to the carrier bearings.  I wouldn't expect a recall as most failures should just be covered under warranty.  Almost universally, due to labor rates, it is cheaper to replace a CV shaft assembly in almost all cases.  I wouldn't worry about any issue with the CV axles.

[DeluxeStang]

6 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

How bad are the roads where you live? That’s going to be the main factor. One of mine failed after hitting a pothole. But then again, another failed just taking off from a traffic light. Like Akirby said, periodically take a look at the boot(s) and check for leaks/damage. A grease leak will be fairly obvious, you’ll see it splattered all over the undercarriage. If you have a needle fitting and a grease gun sometimes you can worm the needle behind the band holding the boot in place and inject grease into the joint if you squeeze the boot and suspect it needs fresh grease. Depends on the type of band they used on it. 

Nothing horrific, but they're not particularly great either. Some mild potholes, asphalt fill lines, that sort of thing. We are planning to move to Phoenix in the coming months, and I've heard the road quality out there is generally pretty good, so that should help. 

[LSchicago]

52 minutes ago, Flying68 said:

CV axles are easy to replace and not terribly expensive.  They are also covered under the 5/60 powertrain warranty.  A CV failure is not catastrophic and is detectable from the distinct clicking noise when turning.  It sounds like the Maverick may have some specific issues related to the carrier bearings.  I wouldn't expect a recall as most failures should just be covered under warranty.  Almost universally, due to labor rates, it is cheaper to replace a CV shaft assembly in almost all cases.  I wouldn't worry about any issue with the CV axles.

But they shouldn't be failing at 20-30K miles. They should be recalled, because if it fails in traffic, it can be a safety hazard. Needs a stronger replacement. 

[fuzzymoomoo]

13 minutes ago, LSchicago said:

But they shouldn't be failing at 20-30K miles

i had one fail with only 15k on it. It happens. 

[LSchicago]

14 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

i had one fail with only 15k on it. It happens. 

 

It shouldn't, unless it was badly beaten on. 

[fuzzymoomoo]

3 hours ago, LSchicago said:

 

It shouldn't, unless it was badly beaten on. 

Shit happens man, I don’t know what to tell you.
 

I’m not saying there’s not a problem here but I’m also not willing to jump to conclusions and say there is either. 

[DeluxeStang]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I truly appreciate it. I suppose we just have to enjoy our trucks as much as we can, and if something happens, it happens. As long as our maverick doesn't turn out to be a total maintenance nightmare, I'm not overly worried about it. 

[LSchicago]

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I truly appreciate it. I suppose we just have to enjoy our trucks as much as we can, and if something happens, it happens. As long as our maverick doesn't turn out to be a total maintenance nightmare, I'm not overly worried about it. 

And if it does, out it goes. 

[Vols44]

On 2/26/2024 at 9:10 PM, DeluxeStang said:

Hello all,

 

So I've been seeing several cases of mavericks experiencing axle issues. I believe the specific component that's having issues is called a CV joint or CV boot. Feel free to correct me if that's not the proper term.  Does anyone working for Ford, or who's close to the matter know if this is a widespread issue, or more of a case of a small batch of defective parts? I'm curious to see if Ford is going to address this as it's starting to pop up on forums more frequently. Hopefully they perform a recall to swap these parts out for something higher quality.

 

We love our maverick, and ours has been pretty rock solid, but seeing this issues does make me concerned. I hope the maverick isn't another case of the focus and fiesta powershift all over again, a cheap and desirable model that had prominent quality issues emerge after a few years. 

The several cases you've seen must be an anomaly. I've read, seen, and work around many Mavericks in and around work. I've seen CV boot and axle issues on various vehicles and the Maverick isn't one of them. Part numbers NZ6Z3B436B and NZ6Z3B436C have been used on all three years of production. If a certain percentage of failures occur Ford must be taking note and informing the same supplier that distributes the same parts for Hyundai since the CV boot clamps have a Hyundai logo. 

 

Since the boots are separate from half shafts and both have weather or lubrication wear and tear factors I'm interested to know why your area is affected more than (midwest US) mine.

[DeluxeStang]

17 hours ago, Vols44 said:

The several cases you've seen must be an anomaly. I've read, seen, and work around many Mavericks in and around work. I've seen CV boot and axle issues on various vehicles and the Maverick isn't one of them. Part numbers NZ6Z3B436B and NZ6Z3B436C have been used on all three years of production. If a certain percentage of failures occur Ford must be taking note and informing the same supplier that distributes the same parts for Hyundai since the CV boot clamps have a Hyundai logo. 

 

Since the boots are separate from half shafts and both have weather or lubrication wear and tear factors I'm interested to know why your area is affected more than (midwest US) mine.

Thanks for your feedback. Just to clarify, I haven't experienced this issue, nor have I encountered anyone personally who's experienced this issue. It's just one of those things that's seemed to pop up on the forums more often than I would like. 

 

You know how it is. You see something bad happening to someone else with the same product as you, and your mind starts racing about how it's gonna happen to you next. If it is this isolated thing caused by a bad batch of parts, that's a relief. I feel bad for the people impacted by it, but at least it's not a wider design flaw. 

[SoonerLS]

On 2/27/2024 at 5:03 PM, DeluxeStang said:

requires the entire front axle to be replaced

Replacing the axle assemblies with failed/failing CV joints is normal; the CV joint itself is usually not field-replaceable. FWIW, the only CV joint-related reason you'd replace both front axle assemblies is if you had bad CV joints on both; they're independent parts. 

[Grateful4J]

I just brought my 2023 Hybrid XLT (no mods)  in for shuddering during acceleration and it has been confirmed that the "axles" need replacing.  Parts are on backorder !!!!  Once I get the advisor to give me some specific details I will update.  

 

[Joe771476]

On 2/27/2024 at 5:03 PM, DeluxeStang said:

Are there any maintenance tips or driving habits that could prolong the life of C/V joints? It seems to be happening at around 35k miles, and in some cases, requires the entire front axle to be replaced, which is quite concerning. 

Yes, don't floor the accelerator from a dead stop! The CV joint wants to rotate but the tire on the asphalt doesn't want to move as quickly due to vehicle weight/friction. Learn how to predict when traffic signals in your circle of travel will turn green and red. Most PROPERLY operating signals either using below asphalt loop sensors or high mounted cameras detect the presence and absence of traffic. When there is a significant absence on the main artery and/or a presence on the side street, the main drag light will turn red. The side street will get a green light for about 7 seconds if there are no cars, or will turn red about 7 seconds after the last car from the side street has passed through the intersection. This wont't work on a busy Main St. where there's signals at every block. But I can drive 50 miles on a secondary state road with 8 or 10 traffic signals spaced out and very rarely have to come to a DEAD stop!  Do you know how much more brake wear is incurred bringing a 2 ton vehicle to a dead stop? Likewise, do you know how much more fuel you use bringing that vehicle up to speed from a dead stop? Don't rush up to red lights. Try to maintain a slow roll. My car is supposed to get 25 MPG. I get 31 MPH! I get 150,000 plus miles on a set of brakes. I keep my cars for 12 to 18 years and get 280,000 to 450,000 miles out of them. I also pay very little for property tax and insurance!  Keep the oil and coolant full and don't beat your vehicles! Don't be in such a hurry!  Go ahead and laugh. I laugh all the way to the bank!

[Joe771476]

1 hour ago, Joe771476 said:

Yes, don't floor the accelerator from a dead stop! The CV joint wants to rotate but the tire on the asphalt doesn't want to move as quickly due to vehicle weight/friction. Learn how to predict when traffic signals in your circle of travel will turn green and red. Most PROPERLY operating signals either using below asphalt loop sensors or high mounted cameras detect the presence and absence of traffic. When there is a significant absence on the main artery and/or a presence on the side street, the main drag light will turn red. The side street will get a green light for about 7 seconds if there are no cars, or will turn red about 7 seconds after the last car from the side street has passed through the intersection. This wont't work on a busy Main St. where there's signals at every block. But I can drive 50 miles on a secondary state road with 8 or 10 traffic signals spaced out and very rarely have to come to a DEAD stop!  Do you know how much more brake wear is incurred bringing a 2 ton vehicle to a dead stop? Likewise, do you know how much more fuel you use bringing that vehicle up to speed from a dead stop? Don't rush up to red lights. Try to maintain a slow roll. My car is supposed to get 25 MPG. I get 31 MPH! I get 150,000 plus miles on a set of brakes. I keep my cars for 12 to 18 years and get 280,000 to 450,000 miles out of them. I also pay very little for property tax and insurance!  Keep the oil and coolant full and don't beat your vehicles! Don't be in such a hurry!  Go ahead and laugh. I laugh all the way to the bank!

Oh I forgot. Most of my cars have been Fords.