Ford 1.0L EcoBoost Fox Engine: Longevity, Problems, And Specs

Well, we've postponed this post as long as we could, but we have already reviewed pretty much all EcoBoost engines. And the 1-liter one has been the last for us to touch in this blog. We don't like small engines with less than 2.5 liters of displacement. They are usually not long-lasting and they just don't let you drive as you want. But this little guy surprised us with its abilities.

Today, we'll focus on the specs, durability, and problems of the Ford 1.0L EcoBoost Fox engine. We'll tell you more about this unit and will say if we love it or not. Also, we'll discuss some technical sides of this 3-cylinder engine and will tell you if we would consider buying a vehicle powered by this unit.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2012-now
• Average lifespan of 1.0L EcoBoost:150,000-200,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:84-153 hp
• Fuel efficiency:excellent
• Engine block material:cast-iron
• Engine reliability score:medium
• The most common problems:coolant leaks, oil leaks, carbon buildup on intake valves, turbocharger failure, no lifters.

Ford 1.0L EcoBoost Fox engine - what should you know about it?

The 1-liter EcoBoost was first introduced in the UK, in 2012. It was engineered in the UK department of Ford for European cars mainly, but over time, it was also presented in the Fiesta, the Focus, and the Ecosport in the American market. Now, it's the smallest turbo engine officially sold in America (but not in Europe, by the way).

And you can think that the engine is not durable, weak, and probably boring to drive. Here we should warn you that you shouldn't jump to conclusions from this point. We know a lot of guys who are satisfied with their experience of owning a vehicle with these engines under their hoods.

Here's what you should know about it:

• the actual displacement is 995cc, it's not even 1 liter, so this is the smallest Ford engine currently in production;
• the engine has plenty of versions with different power and torque ratios, it can have 99 to 140 horsepower and up to 155 lb-ft of torque;
• the engine has 3 cylinders which is natural for such displacement, it offers DOHC head construction;
• the block is made of cast iron which helps reduce natural vibrations and also ensures faster warm-up and better strength of the engine;
• special flywheel construction is aimed to reduce vibration, so any sapping balance shafts are needed (they would take off some power);
• if you think that the engine is not that popular, you should know that three huge production sites are making them and they are set to make at least 1 million engines a year;
• the engine is pretty cool when driving because it's powerful and offers an early maximum torque like a diesel engine.

Even though this is a tiny 3-cylinder engine, it's equipped with a very efficient turbocharger to compensate for small displacement. And this turbocharger makes magic. Even the 99-horsepower version which is mainly sold in Europe is cool. The US buyers enjoy the 123-horsepower version and also the more capable engine version of the Fox, so they even feel it better.

We would say that the Fox engine turned upside down what we had been thinking about the small-displacement units. Now we see that with a proper setting, even a small three-cylinder engine can provide you with a lot of fun driving. And we would love to have such a vehicle in our possession because of the numerous pros it has. Read on to find out more!

Where has the 1.0L EcoBoost been used?

So, in America, this engine has been used in the EcoSport model and it was also used in the Focus and the Fiesta until they were discontinued in the US. Overall, over 5% of all Focus and Fiesta cars in America were sold with the 1-liter turbo engine while most buyers still preferred the naturally aspirated 1.6 (for the Fiesta) and 2.0 EcoFlex (for the Focus) engines.

In Europe, this is still one of the most popular small turbo engines. The unit is offered for many models and it won the International Best Engine of the Year award 5 consequent years from 2012 to 2017 in the less-than-1-liter niche. This speaks for itself, we should say.

What's the durability of the Ford 1.0L EcoBoost?

The Fox engine has one problem - its longevity. The average durability of this engine, according to our estimation, should be around 130,000 miles. That's not a lot really, but you should care much about this because of two reasons: gas mileage and overall engine replacement cost.

In terms of the most durable 1-liter EcoBoost engines, we can tell you, they can break some records. We've seen people putting more than 200,000 miles on their Focuses and Fiestas powered by the 1.0L EcoBoost. How did they do it? We'll try to find out later in this article.

So, what are the problems and disadvantages of the 1-liter Fox engine?

We can't be only positive about any engine, and you know this if you have already read some of our other reviews. Of course, we've found a lot of problems with the 1.0L EcoBoost, so let's see what the common issues are.

1. Coolant leaks

Well, early engines were equipped with some defective pipe between the engine and the coolant tank, but this problem was presented in the earliest US engines only. Changing this pipe will not cost much.

But you should anyway watch for any coolant leaks. Due to the size of this engine, it has to rotate like crazy to provide you with certain power and torque. This may lead to overheating issues and bad problems with the whole construction in the end.

2. High-mileage problems

Starting with 80K miles, this engine will get on your nerves sometimes. Overhauling it doesn't make sense, replacement is a better choice, anyway.

If your small EcoBoost has started burning some oil or lost some power, these may be the signs of fatal problems with the block. Block or engine replacement is the only solution we can think of.

3. Direct injection problems

Of course, this small engine has a direct injection system to enhance its power. But this system has its own problems like carbon buildup and other issues.

Unfortunately, repairing and cleaning injectors in your Ford 1.0 EcoBoost Fox engine is not a very cheap task. And you should probably go to a Ford dealer for this.

4. Fuel pump problems

The fuel pump needs to work at the edge of its ability to ensure optimal fuel pressure. And sometimes it just fails to perform properly. That's why a fuel pump replacement is a normal thing for these engines.

But the question of cost will not be pleasant for you. Of course, this is not something you will need to do very often.

5. Engine vibration

After some time, you may notice that the 3-cylinder EcoBoost started to shiver a little. Over time, this shivering may grow into a really bad problem with vibration. You should check the flywheel. Then also check engine mounts. If they are OK, then the engine is probably going to die soon.

Replacement and repair cost for the 1.0 EcoBoost

Repairing this engine is only possible if it's not a high-mileage unit and the breakdown is not very serious. If the problem is fatal, you will need to think about replacement. We believe, a Ford dealer will charge you about $4K for the new engine including replacement while a remanufactured 1-liter EcoBoost can be found for $2K.

We don't think it's too expensive, and sometimes a proper repair of a different engine can cost you more money.

Of course, you shouldn't replace your EcoBoost engine after any problem with it. In most cases, you will just need to diagnose the engine and repair it at a much less cost.

So, is the 1.0 EcoBoost a good engine or not?

We know now about all the pros and cons of the engine, and we can say that we would buy a vehicle powered by it. Why? Here are some ideas:

• it's really powerful and with wonderful torque;
• it shows wonderful MPG which is important;
• it's coupled with a good automatic transmission, not a PowerShift;
• it's pretty durable if maintained properly;
• it's really fun to drive;
• it's more ecological than any alternative from Ford;
• it's cheaper, in the long run, thanks to good gas mileage;
• it's not that expensive to replace.

Yes, this engine still has some minuses and problems. And you have to know about them if you are going to buy a vehicle powered by it. But most of these problems are easy to solve.

Please bear in mind that only new vehicles with this engine are OK. You may try t find a low-mileage vehicle and try your luck buying it. But anything over 50K miles would be considered a bad and risky purchase.