Well here is another customer screwed by Ford Motor Company. As usual, we find out after the fact that the PLASTIC intake manifold is subject to failure by cracking. You think Ford would make it right for their owners, guess again. Took it to the dealer and the service manager said "if it makes you feel any better, it happened to me too". You can buy the part from an auto parts dealer for $209, but Ford wants $500 from their own parts facility. The cost of the basic repair is $1100.00. And people wonder why the major auto companies are going out of business!! They could care less about the consumer. All I can say is "good riddance". You can imagine how I feel about bailing them out. After being screwed by them, I don't care if they have to close shop forever. They have defective window regulators also, and they rob you on that repair also. They deserve to be run out of business. At least foreign auto manufacturers acknowledge that they need people to buy their products and care about customer satisfaction after the sale. GOOD RIDDANCE TO FORD !!!!!!!!

My car started running hot on the way to my sister's house. My brother-in-law looked at it and said it was a cracked manifold. I left it there and he took it to the mechanic this morning. Mechanic told him he's lost count of how many of these he has fixed. Said Ford recalled limos, taxis, and police cars, but too bad for the rest of the people who have them. After reading here, I see it probably won't do any good to complain to Ford, but I will anyway. My late father was a firm believer in the Ford product, but I will never buy another one.

The well documented design fault in the all plastic intake manifold on the 4.6 Liter engine is recognized by Ford but they will do nothing for you after 10 years. Mine lasted 12 yr.. The fault has to do with the fact Ford also ran a primary coolant tube through the manifold. They all fail. Coolant blows into your alternator, clouds of steam result, keep going and you overheat the engine and kill it.

The Ford dealer told m 4.5 hours of labor was involved but then retracted and said another hour was required because a new bracket had to be installed. I did the repair myself, am an accomplished amateur with decent tools. The bracket took 10 minutes. Bought the manifold locally for $245. It is less on the internet. Total savings in labor were $500 minimum. Site that shows you a good step by step is still current (4/08) http://www.autoclinix.com/Manifold9.htm . Not for the faint of heart but a confident amateur can do this, some special tools needed.