FRAM Airfilter WARNING!!!!

[Explorer]

Fram put out a bad batch of airfilters for the Mach 1. Part #CA8039 may be defective!!! If you have a CA8039 with a "bullet" shaped end cap you're supposedly alright. The cap that is more dome shaped can FALL APART in the air box! That's what happened to mine. I went to change my filter yesterday after about 10,000 miles and the **** thing was WIDE OPEN inside the airbox.

The MAF screen was clogged with insects and other crap. I started the complaint process with Fram today. They said they are aware of the problems and that they will "take care of it". I would like to know how... To me the engine is now ruined, toast, garbage since it has ingested up to 10,000 miles worth of debris. I'm filing a claim with Fram and I am asking for a new engine.

[DSG2003Mach1]

scary stuff...id really be wanting somethin saying they buy a new motor should it go down due to accelerated wear

[04Auto25]

I'd request they pay me at least $6000 for a new engine and then I'd drop a 03-04 Cobra motor in.

[MA-MACH1]

I think one of the moderators should make this a sticky...

[G]

When you get them to buy a new engine, make sure they know it's called a Cammer and is about $15k installed. :LAUGH: They could be that dumb.

[JDraper]

Geez Rick, you're not having any luck with the Mach are ya? Sorry to hear about that. Hope you can get Fram to step up to the plate and do what's right.

[grodgers]

I hate to break this to ya, but FRAM's liability here is limited to replacement of the defective part (the air filter - *NOT* your engine). You'll get a new air filter no questions asked. You *won't* get any compensation for anything else. Yes, if your engine goes up, you can sue them, but *YOU* have the burden of proof that their bad air filter caused your failure. By the time you get done "proving" it, you'll have spent MULTIPLE times the cost of the new engine.

Take a deep breath - and don't buy anymore parts from FRAM if you're unhappy with their quality.

Originally Posted by Explorer

Fram put out a bad batch of airfilters for the Mach 1. Part #CA8039 may be defective!!! If you have a CA8039 with a "bullet" shaped end cap you're supposedly alright. The cap that is more dome shaped can FALL APART in the air box! That's what happened to mine. I went to change my filter yesterday after about 10,000 miles and the **** thing was WIDE OPEN inside the airbox.

The MAF screen was clogged with insects and other crap. I started the complaint process with Fram today. They said they are aware of the problems and that they will "take care of it". I would like to know how... To me the engine is now ruined, toast, garbage since it has ingested up to 10,000 miles worth of debris. I'm filing a claim with Fram and I am asking for a new engine.

[H-TownMachI]

Originally Posted by grodgers

I hate to break this to ya, but FRAM's liability here is limited to replacement of the defective part (the air filter - *NOT* your engine). You'll get a new air filter no questions asked. You *won't* get any compensation for anything else. Yes, if your engine goes up, you can sue them, but *YOU* have the burden of proof that their bad air filter caused your failure. By the time you get done "proving" it, you'll have spent MULTIPLE times the cost of the new engine.

Take a deep breath - and don't buy anymore parts from FRAM if you're unhappy with their quality.

[sutyak]

Sounds like a typical FRAM part.
I will not use ANY FRAM parts in my cars. They sell JUNK.
They are like the MAC of filters.

[Mach1Chris]

are these the stock replacement paper ones like this:



and NOT a reusable one like the K&N or cool blue?

Thanks,
Chris

[2k4mk1]

Originally Posted by grodgers
I hate to break this to ya, but FRAM's liability here is limited to replacement of the defective part (the air filter - *NOT* your engine). You'll get a new air filter no questions asked. You *won't* get any compensation for anything else. Yes, if your engine goes up, you can sue them, but *YOU* have the burden of proof that their bad air filter caused your failure. By the time you get done "proving" it, you'll have spent MULTIPLE times the cost of the new engine.

Take a deep breath - and don't buy anymore parts from FRAM if you're unhappy with their quality.





What he said

I Agree
This about sums it up.

[Explorer]

I'm going to have an oil analysis done to prove that there is an excess of silica from no filtration. I'm sure the amount of various metals in the oil analysis will be high from abnormal wear as well. I have printed out a page on their website which shows that the style of filter that failed is their "new" style. http://www.fram.com/tech/CA8039.pdf

The guy who I spoke to at Fram gave me hope that I was going to be getting more than a filter. I have their complaint form and it specifically asks what the damages are and the cost to fix the problem. Of course I said the engine is ruined due to it being run for up to 10,000 miles with no air filtration thereby allowing dirt to enter the engines lubrication system through the pumping action of the pistons. Dirt in the top end of the motor will get run up and down the cylinder walls causing excessive wear to the cylinder bore, piston skirts, piston rings, and eventually bearings, camshaft and all internally lubricated components. I didn't see anywhere on Fram's site that says they limit their liability just to the replacement of their product.

[SGeorgiaMach]

I think you will get a new engine, all they will do is file on their insurance as a defective product, all corporations should have some kind of liability clause. Don't know how long it will take for the whole process, but I wish you luck. As for me, I've got a K&N drop in since I bought the car, I am leary of some aftermarket products, O.E. for me on filters or such....K&N an exception.

[grodgers]

But I'll say it again. Your motor hasn't failed. Legally, you don't have a problem. Can you prove the air filter failed 10,000 miles ago or did it fail last week. You don't know.

They'll also throw at you the fact that "you've got 10,000 miles with no filtration"... umm the interval for inspecting your air filter is way less than 10,000 miles. They'll claim negligence on your part, and they'll be right.

I'm sorry, but I think you're wasting energy. Your BEST bet would be to schedule a 30-minute sit-down with an attorney and ask his opinion. Also, if you think that FRAM will just "give" you a new engine without you paying beaucoup bucks for an attorney to represent you, ... well, again, best of luck.

Don't get me wrong, you engine certainly didn't benefit for the lack of filtration...I'm just saying you have a certain burden of proof to meet, and if you don't know when during the last 10,000 miles the filter failed, you really don't have much to stand on. No company is going to roll over and "give you" a new engine - it just sets a precedent that they can't afford to live with. They give YOU a new engine, they gotta give out 1,000,000 other FRAM users a new engine. It just won't happen.

Originally Posted by Explorer

I'm going to have an oil analysis done to prove that there is an excess of silica from no filtration. I'm sure the amount of various metals in the oil analysis will be high from abnormal wear as well. I have printed out a page on their website which shows that the style of filter that failed is their "new" style. http://www.fram.com/tech/CA8039.pdf

The guy who I spoke to at Fram gave me hope that I was going to be getting more than a filter. I have their complaint form and it specifically asks what the damages are and the cost to fix the problem. Of course I said the engine is ruined due to it being run for up to 10,000 miles with no air filtration thereby allowing dirt to enter the engines lubrication system through the pumping action of the pistons. Dirt in the top end of the motor will get run up and down the cylinder walls causing excessive wear to the cylinder bore, piston skirts, piston rings, and eventually bearings, camshaft and all internally lubricated components. I didn't see anywhere on Fram's site that says they limit their liability just to the replacement of their product.

[H-TownMachI]

Originally Posted by grodgers

But I'll say it again. Your motor hasn't failed. Legally, you don't have a problem. Can you prove the air filter failed 10,000 miles ago or did it fail last week. You don't know.

They'll also throw at you the fact that "you've got 10,000 miles with no filtration"... umm the interval for inspecting your air filter is way less than 10,000 miles. They'll claim negligence on your part, and they'll be right.

I'm sorry, but I think you're wasting energy. Your BEST bet would be to schedule a 30-minute sit-down with an attorney and ask his opinion. Also, if you think that FRAM will just "give" you a new engine without you paying beaucoup bucks for an attorney to represent you, ... well, again, best of luck.

Don't get me wrong, you engine certainly didn't benefit for the lack of filtration...I'm just saying you have a certain burden of proof to meet, and if you don't know when during the last 10,000 miles the filter failed, you really don't have much to stand on. No company is going to roll over and "give you" a new engine - it just sets a precedent that they can't afford to live with. They give YOU a new engine, they gotta give out 1,000,000 other FRAM users a new engine. It just won't happen.

[Explorer]

I'm going to have an oil analysis done to prove that there is an excess of silica from no filtration. I'm sure the amount of various metals in the oil analysis will be high from abnormal wear as well.

That will be my evidence of contamination and damage. The photos of tons of insects in my MAF screen will be evidence as well as the photo of the plastic dome sitting in the airbox seperated from the filter.

Don't be so sure Fram won't come through. I've been through similar situations with large corporations and they were resolved in my favor. Fram's warranty doesn't just cover the air filter itself. There are no exclusions in their warranty for damage caused by failure of their product. Fram is STILL advertising the faulty product on their website's tech sheet as their "new design". I have printed the pages as evidence. The person I spoke to on the phone was well aware of the faulty Mustang filters and he said Fram is making restitution. He just wouldn't say what that would be. Oh, BTW I'll get to speak to some Fram big wigs at the SEMA show in a few weeks. I checked the exhibitor list and they're on there

[04VAMach1]

All I can say is good luck.

[H-TownMachI]

Originally Posted by 04VAMach1

All I can say is good luck.

[H-TownMachI]

Originally Posted by Explorer

That will be my evidence of contamination and damage. The photos of tons of insects in my MAF screen will be evidence as well as the photo of the plastic dome sitting in the airbox seperated from the filter.

Don't be so sure Fram won't come through. I've been through similar situations with large corporations and they were resolved in my favor. Fram's warranty doesn't just cover the air filter itself. There are no exclusions in their warranty for damage caused by failure of their product. Fram is STILL advertising the faulty product on their website's tech sheet as their "new design". I have printed the pages as evidence. The person I spoke to on the phone was well aware of the faulty Mustang filters and he said Fram is making restitution. He just wouldn't say what that would be. Oh, BTW I'll get to speak to some Fram big wigs at the SEMA show in a few weeks. I checked the exhibitor list and they're on there

They may give you an all expenses paid vacation to the 9th ward in New Orleans.

[Mach1Madman]

I won't buy FRAM anything after I bought two different oil filters on two different occasions that had metal shavings in them. They dumped right out in my hand. WTF??? They were a few years apart and from different stores. Nice job FRAM !!!!

[HAWAIIMACH]

Fram filters suck. But, I don't think they are going to give you a new engine unless yours blows first...but good luck.

[mach1girl]

I doubt they are going to give you a new engine. If it happened quickly...not 10,000 miles later you might have a chance. But you have to prove the burden of proof...they can come up with a million reasons why your engine went to the craper after 10,000 miles of the air filter in. Thats not to say it wasnt the reason, but you have to prove with a propanderance of evidence that they are at fault. Plus...they are going to say...arent you the irresponsible one to notice the problem after 10,000 miles?

[Explorer]

Originally Posted by mach1girl

Plus...they are going to say...arent you the irresponsible one to notice the problem after 10,000 miles?

The actual mileage between air filter changes was 7380. 10k was an estimate. I went through my reciepts which I have marked with the mileage of the install.

Fram advertises their filters as being good for 12,000 miles.

[mach1girl]

Originally Posted by Explorer

The actual mileage between air filter changes was 7380. 10k was an estimate. I went through my reciepts which I have marked with the mileage of the install.

Fram advertises their filters as being good for 12,000 miles.

Not to be rude on this...but 7,380 miles is not noticing it right off the bad. Under 1,000 would be.

[DSG2003Mach1]

id be interested to know who in the world actually looks at their filter when they arent changing it every couple thousand miles...I bet not many