1viking

I'm not too sure about this "oil and filter receipts equal proof of maintenance". If Ford, or any other machinery maker, wants to deny a warranty, they will. You can go to arbitration, or sue, but it will take time, and they have the money, and lawyers to drag it out for months, while you have no operable vehicle.

Case in point: I was a member of a diesel forum 20 years ago. A guy had an internal failure on a non modified Cummins engine. He had oil and filter receipts, Cummins refused warranty, saying "receipts didn't prove he did the maintenance on that engine". "He could have used the oil and filters on something else besides that engine". "We didn't do it, and have no way of knowing if you really did". Last I heard, the owner of the engine had the Massachusetts Commonwealth Attorney involved in the dispute. I do not know how the case turned out.

Only if you have a dealer perform maintenance, or a licensed independent shop that records all data, including the VIN on receipts, can you really prove fact of maintenance in arbitration, or court.

I once asked this of a dealer offering and extended warranty plan, citing the Cummins case, and I never really got an answer, no surprise there...

I wouldn't mind having a dealer do all maintenance. However, I don't really trust them, or anyone else that's close by. I've been working on various types of machinery for over 40 years. Also, all the dealers are in one of the cities in my area, non are out here in the boonies, by the time I take off work, or get someone to pick me up from leaving a vehicle there, and making 4 trips to the city each time, it gets expensive, and time consuming.

I'll do my own, I'll keep receipts, and records, maybe I'll have a warranty, maybe I won't, maybe I won't need one, maybe I'll have a big mess. Probably should have just sold my other truck, and quit driving (seriously considered that) or, bought an old junk just to get around in. While I'm still able to work, and drive, I wanted something I could enjoy driving up in the mountains again, maybe I made a big, expensive mistake? Time will tell...

cihmagnum

tma2020 mentioned having barrels of oil on a farm. The majority of farms have diesel powered engines which many of the engine manufacturers require different additives and weights with 15W-40 being very common. I am not doubting that tma2020 has barrels of oil for other engines as his farm may have a fleet of pickup trucks with gas engines, or older farm equipment with gas engines. I know farmers with old beater trucks on the farm that will throw whatever they have handy in their truck if it is on their last leg. Just clarifying that tma2020 is going to use proper oil in his new ride so he does not void his warranty.

In regards to my own personal vehicles, I have a small notebook in each of my vehicles to track service that the dealer does and what I do. I scan my Walmart and Amazon receipts into a folder for each of my two vehicles on my computer to show that I did purchase such and such supplies. Will it hold up in an argument with GM or Ford? Not sure and hope I don't have to test it. I work for a farm equipment dealer that also sell ATV's, UTV's, lawnmowers, etc. We have to collect oils from failures and send them into a lab for analysis. An oil analysis can tell the manufacturer a lot regarding oil additives, metal content, etc. We have had some engine failures on ATV's in which the manufacturer could tell that the lubricants was not theirs and was past its usefulness. GM has their Dexos requirement to make sure their Direct Injection motors receive top of the line oil, but it is a license fee money maker for somebody. If somebody had an engine failure with a good quality oil but it did not have the Dexos label, could GM get out of paying for an engine failure? They would probably try. On the Ford side, as long as a person has receipts of purchasing an approved oil and filter, he should be safe. Motorcraft would be safer, but I am planning on moving to a name brand full synthetic for the second oil change. Maybe the Ford turbos don't mind cold weather, but seen too many turbo failures in frigid weather on skid-loaders when full synthetic was not used.

cphilip

Well... one more reason to find yourself a good dependable oil change place. Receipt are generated and even kept on computer. Generates a third party confirmation of service. Can be retrieved and you get to read an old magazine and drink some awful coffee and leave with your hands and clothes clean. Plus... Im too old to be crawling under trucks anymore.

Georgia Terrapin

Maintaining a contemporaneous logbook of services can provide good evidence to support the claim or in court. It can be the maintenance log in the owner's manual or one of your own design, as long as it has sufficient information. Keeping maintenance notes in Fuelly.com should work just as well. Date, mileage, service, oil type, oil weight, number of quarts, filter change or not, filter make and model.

intofx

I take pics before, during and after. I show the new parts, old oil and milage when doing the reset of the monitor.

RL1990

Having maintenance done at the dealer during the warranty periods alleviates all of this concern. The mileage, date, time, what was done and what parts were used are uploaded to Ford's database and is available to every dealer in the nation. It's also included on Carfax reports so if you're looking to sell it and somebody runs the Carfax on it they know all maintenance was done and on time which can boost resale value.

kenv47

The one thing I`m missing is whose truck are we talking about that needs a new engine?

2014fiveoh

All I know is the next truck I buy, oil changes will be completed by the dealer/reputable shop while under warranty

RMK850

Great post, thank you.
I work on almost everything not only in my job, but also helping people in my family, friends, neighbors to.
I've seen some pretty weird things, and that is why I asked.
Cheers

1viking

Motorcraft has a fully synthetic oil, and that's what I'm going to be using. I've not read anything bad about it, and the price is similar to other brand name synthetics. I will use Motorcraft filters too.