I’ve got a 2017 Explorer Platinum with 61,700 miles, bought brand new in 2017. I’ve kept up with regular maintenance (oil changes every 5,000 miles/6 months, tire rotations at every oil change). Only one oil change wasn’t done at the dealership.
Yesterday, I took it in for an oil change, and they told me it needs:
A coolant flush ($316)
A rear differential fluid flush ($358)
A $190 diagnostic for oil “seepage” they can’t pinpoint
There’s no oil leaking onto the ground, so this seepage is new.
Questions:
Ford recommends coolant flushes at 100,000 miles, but my dealership says they do it at 60,000 miles and offer a lifetime warranty (up to $2,000) on components like the water pump if you get the flush every 30,000 miles after the first one. Should I pay for the flush now or wait?
I’ve never done a rear differential fluid flush on my cars before. My Explorer is 4WD, but I live in Southern California and don’t tow. Should I go ahead with the flush, or skip it?
Should I pay for the diagnostic on the oil seepage now, or wait to see if the oil level drops in the next few weeks?
For context, this Explorer has had some issues despite being babied its whole life:
Electrical issues, charging system problems, and 3 new batteries over 3 years
but also give a lifetime warranty (up to $2,000) if certain components fail (ie. water pump) so long as the coolant flush is done every 30,000 miles after the initial flush
Does that warranty cover labor or just parts? The real issue with the water pump is the labor cost to replace it since it’s buried in the engine. I’d get that promise in writing because water pumps are usually considered wear items.
I’d start changing your fluids every 30k. I did all mine at 60k, and they were in rough shape, especially the PTU fluid. I’ve flushed the PTU twice within 10k miles just to get it clean. Now I stick to 5k oil changes and 30k for everything else.