Ironpeddler

I'm having the same issue. I had the brake booster replaced last Friday (impossible to push the brake pedal to stop the car) by my local mechanic since the dealership couldn't get the car in for over two weeks. While they had it, I asked them to check why the ABS, anti-skid icon, and orange wrench were on (have been for 3 months) to see if they could fix it. They said they couldn't but didn't elaborate because I picked it up after hours. Is this a $2,000 job?

That is true. They need it to get the front passenger side axle out. I saw it a while back on a YouTube video, that's what lead me back to a Ford dealership to do the job. Good luck!

Welcome to the club. Hard to believe, huh? Never a recall because Ford has never admitted an issue with the PTU...publicly. Then you'd think they would do some sort of a redesign other than a drain plug...but no. Honestly, since I've had this car it's been a nightmare of major problems. Last week I just got done with a $2,500.00 tab to fix the AC...seats & dash had to come out. And I guess the front fascia was removed too as the clips that hold it in place around the marker lights all came out and now it looks terrible. It took them 10 days to fix the AC system, now it has to go back for cosmetics. The list just keeps on growing...never again will I buy a Ford. PS: check a few other dealers, I had my PTU done for just under $1,500.00 here in Southern NJ.

AWESOME! Thanks! Once the weather warms up I'll give it a go.

Great job! Did you happen to take any photos of the job? I'm curious where you drilled the hole on the PTU unit. Also, what size drill bit, depth drilled, tap size, plug used, etc. I'd do this in a heartbeat if I had a more clear understanding of the procedure. I had mine replaced about a year ago and it probably needs a fluid change by now and the dealer refuses to do it saying it's not necessary. So I asked them, if not necessary, why did it fail? They then said...'we just don't do that job'. Thanks! ~Gary

Mac, where are the front bump stops located on your old 2008 Edge? Do you remember? I have the same year and I'm experiencing some bottoming out issues. Thanks!!

See if one of the vendors on eBay will ship to you. There are quite a few that sell the newest version to use as a replacement. Good luck!

Never heard of that much gear oil being added before. The price quote to replace it seems high. I just had mine done here in NJ at $1,500 and that included 7% sales tax. Maybe try a Ford dealer, same vehicle, but they charge less.

Never heard of that much gear oil being added before. The price quote to replace it seems high. I just had mine done here in NJ at $1,500 and that included 7% sales tax. Maybe try a Ford dealer, same vehicle, but they charge less.

Bro....can you get your pictures back up? Thanks....getting ready to replace the rear rotors ASAP (once the rain stops!)

Thanks! Yeah, I'm doing brakes & rotors this time. Living near the ocean with the salt air rusts the rotors very quickly. When I had the PTU replaced, the Ford service tech said they were bad....but I thought it was a ploy for more business. Then I got a small vibration in the passenger's side front wheel, so I figured he was right and it was time for a full replacement. So I got all new rotors and brakes and waited for the weather to warm up to do the job. When I took the first one off (the side they pulled the axle on to put in the new PTU) it was easy and quite rusted....but they did the heavy lifting on that one during the job. BUT the other side that hadn't been touched in three years...man, that one was glued on with rust!....and it was flaking very badly on the backside. He wasn't kidding! Check it out.... A video I saw a few months back made a comment on how to spin the rotor to line up the service hole for the e-brake adjustment and how to back off of it. That's what I'm looking for now. Sorry for the thread jack!....and as always, thank you for the advice!

Thanks....now that I just had a new PTU installed, I want to make sure this one doesn't blow like the last one. I'm just trying to get a handle on the maintenance interval for it. As hard as it is to get plugs in it...and swap out the PTU....at least one thing is easy, I just did front brakes & rotors today and it took me all of an hour or so. Now I have to get a handle on the rears and how to loosen up the E-brake to get that rotor off.

This is engine oil or PTU oil change?

I just had mine replaced about a month and a half ago. I asked it they would use Amsoil and they said no...it had to be what Ford specified. I asked again saying it exceeded Fords spec and they still refused. I was told here on the forum to make sure it was properly filled after the new unit was installed. The dealer assured me that it was. That's as far as I was able to go with that issue. Keep us posted on your results. Good luck!

Nice job and great write up. Did you add more fluid to the PTU unit during your retrofit?

Did you add for fluid to the PTU unit as well?

Well, it started out with a few black drip marks on my driveway, no other symptoms...and I noticed them because I have a concrete driveway. They were very small...and if I had an asphalt driveway I may not have noticed them. When I had my next oil change, I asked the guy to check to see where it was coming from. After the service, he asked me if the car was hard to turn? I said no, he asked because the power steering fluid was almost empty. He filled it and said to keep an eye on it. I then moved the car to different parts of my driveway to see if it was still leaking...and it slowed down and then stopped. So I figured it may have been the PS pump as the guy put in a sealer with the new fluid. Within a month or two I started to hear a low hum from the front. At first I thought it was a wheel bearing...and having already replaced the rear bearings, I figured it was the fronts now failing. I jacked the car up and grabbed it 12 o'clock & 6 o'clock and did the jiggle. Seemed tight. I then did the research here and found out it was the PTU failing. I did the suck-out-the-old-lube (none came out) and added the new synthetic lube and I think all that did was buy me a little more time, the damage was already done at that point. I then figured out that the reason the spotting stopped was the PTU ran out of lube. When I added the proper amount, it then dripped the new fluid on the driveway...when I got back under the car, the seals from the drive-shaft and axle were both dripping wet. As time went on, the hum turned into a low rumble that turned into a slight vibration (drive shaft, front PS axle I figured) as I took off and it would subside as I picked up speed (the speed centered the shafts within the lose bearing)....then after another month or so the vibration got worse. I was hardly using the vehicle at this point (my son was using it to commute to work, 4 miles round trip) and it finally got to the point to where it was making a noise like metal in a coffee can. This whole time frame was October 2014 to July 2015. I had it parked in my driveway until last week when I finally had it fixed...$1,500.63 was my final total. Now that the PTU noises are gone...I do in fact need front wheel bearings. The 'roar' of those spinning were muffled by the PTU noises. Ford quoted me $647.00 to change both fronts....no new hub w/new bearings, just pressing in new FoMoCo bearings into my existing hub. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the heads up I'll definitely mention that to them.

Well, my 2008 Edge SEL AWL goes in tomorrow for a new PTU. I was quoted $1,525.00+.....the Service Writer said 5 hours of labor plus the part. I dreaded this day....now all I have to do is make sure they install the latest version of this weak link!

Consider yourself lucky, at least your issues are covered under warranty. My Edge has been sitting in my driveway for 4 months because it's been rendered useless. I'll have to tow it to the dealer and who knows what else they'll find wrong with it other than the PTU unit...and quite frankly, I don't have the money to sink into it. But it sure looks pretty in my driveway! What a travesty that Ford knows all about these documented issue and still produces the same faulty product year after year.

Who knew?

Hard comment to make when you take into account that the part is billed as 'Lifetime Lubricated' and had no maintenance schedule as per FMC. What has been established here is that it in fact needs to be changed because of all the failures.

All good points. I just wonder if either would void the Ford warranty.

Thank bro...in some weird way that makes me feel better. Just didn't want to get porked on the job. I asked about the replacement part number and all quoted the same number...AT4Z 7251-D...so that represents the latest redesign of the unit. Thanks bro...so sucks. It really pisses me off that Ford has this issue for over 6 years and hasn't addressed it via recall. When they say it's all about the money, it's all about the money! But I will tell you guys this, there isn't ONE PERSON that I come across in a parking lot (mall, supermarket, parking garage, etc.) with an AWD Edge or Flex that I don't tell them about this failure...I have made it my mission to spread the word to present owners about this. I wish someone would have done this for me. To a person, everyone I've approached has been thankful and some have already started seeing the 'black dots' on their driveway or garage floor. About 115 - 120k I think...not really sure. But, I did see the black drip marks for about 1 1/2 years prior to learning about this issue. I had no tell tail sign of any problems with the PTU and was told by my mechanic that the drip marks were a slow leak in the power steering pump and not to worry about it...he said keep an eye on the level and change it out if it effected the steering. Oh well....just got to suck it up and move forward.

Well, even after cleaning out the PTU and putting in Royal Purple, it still gave out on me...I guess I was too late. The vibration shakes the car incredibly and it now leaks from every bearing, so I guess I'm as close to a catastrophic failure as one could get short of hearing an explosion. I haven't moved the car in weeks. I called around and so far I got prices of $1,450.00 and $1,387.00 (plus NJ tax) to replace it. Has anyone else gotten replacement quotes around the country in this range?...more?...less? I'm curious to know. Thanks guys.