sRide

I have a 2013 F150 4x4 screw that just completed a TSB for timing chain rattle at 58K. Dealer noted "sludge in the engine" and accused me of improper maintenance. I have generally used the "Intelligent Oil Life Monitor" and change between 8 and 10K.

The vehicle was released by the dealership after the TSB and now 1200 miles later at 61K miles the Cam B cam timing code starts again with lower power output. I immediately take it to the dealer and they start with the same song and dance about improper maintenance. I am told "Your engine is blown and out of warrranty. $7K in parts alone, you are on your own". No specific diagnosis, condescending tone, telling me the timing chain has nothing to do with the failure. HUH? Call to Ford was much the same. "We understand your frustration, but your engine is out of warranty regardless".


Well what about the timing chain repair that was just a few weeks back???? I have never been treated like such an idiot in all my life, and have a string of 100-150K mile vehilcles to attest that I take excellent care of my cars.

RUN, DO NOT WALK, RUN AWAY FROM ANYONE TELLING YOU TO FOLLOW THAT BLASTED OIL LIFE MONITOR. IT IS A ONE WAY TICKET TO A BLOWN ENGINE AND A 60K mile, $55K PAPER WEIGHT.

So much for 30 damn years of Ford loyalty.

And now what? Oh, sorry, our trucks are $15K more expensive now.

Ford

"Your vehicle is equipped with the
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system, which
displays a message in the information
display at the proper oil change interval.
This interval may be up to one year or
10000 miles (16000 kilometers)."

then on page 521 it states the following:

"Your vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent
Oil-Life Monitor that determines when you
should change the engine oil based on how
your vehicle is used. By using several
important factors in its calculations, the
monitor helps reduce the cost of owning
your vehicle and reduces environmental
waste at the same time.
This means you do not have to remember
to change the oil on a mileage-based
schedule. Your vehicle lets you know when
an oil change is due by displaying ENGINE
OIL CHANGE DUE or OIL CHANGE
REQUIRED in the information display."

Daveleeander

Again, what kind and brand of oil are/were you using? I have a 2012 that has 170k on it right now, and the oil has been changed at 10k miles all it's life. That is what the oil monitor said. I had two oil tests done the first 30k miles, and saw nothing wrong with the oil.
So, what kind and brand are you using?
D

sRide

Right, I have heard this from a couple of mechanics today. They do changes all day long at 10K intervals no problem.


I can't get over the timing chain, it has to be related. It sounded horrible. Dealership actually refused repair on it once until I forced the service manager and mechanic to stand and listen why I was on the shop floor. Dealership will not support me and now they don't have to as I am passed 60K and they can lay all the blame on the customer.


They will not tear down the engine unless I pay for everything, and they refuse to call Ford because I have 1 missing oil change receipt from a change shop that I went to on a Sunday one time that is now out of business.


I can't imagine driving a Dodge pickup....pray for me.

Spiky

Who changed the oil?

sRide

Goodyear service. Have receipts. Generally a 4 star repair outfit. Dealer is a good haul away and can't always make Quicklane. Some of the changes are Quicklane with motorcraft synthetic and filter. Use top tier fuels, etc.


Truck ran perfect after timing chain TSB. I was told to return at 3K after that TSB and then after that at 5K intervals and ignore the computer.


Current dealer leaves notes out of case files all the time, including several of my complaints through the years of intercooler hesitation / limp.

thebreba

Yeah.. I don't buy into the whole "Oil life monitor"... I just change every 5-6k miles with Royal Purple or Mobile 1... It's really not that big of a deal for me to spend $60 or so on an oil change every 4-6 months.

Then again I'd rather be safe than sorry. To each their own.

sRide

Hit the nail on the head. Change it, and change it at 5K. If they complete the TSB and then something goes wrong after 60K you are screwed. No idea why I ever looked at that oil life monitor. I figured, well, we had finally arrived where they know what they are doing. Wrong.

vtoy1

For what it's worth, and that ain't probably a whole lot, I like that oil life monitor thingy. I listen to that just about the same way I listen to my wife, very carefully, dutifully, earnestly, and then I promptly forget everything she says and do what I was going to do anyways.
It is always easier to ask for forgiveness than to asking for permission...
Zo, Dis ist vhat I dho... I change my oil with some good ole fashioned Mobil onerinsky 5w20 every 5000 Killometers. That's Canadian for 3,100 Imperial, Americano miloslivitches.
I know what you're thinking. This bastard's plum damn crazy...shooting his Canadistany pesos away on premium lubricant (why be a pesimist?? Let's go lubrican!) waaay before the ole confuser says we needs to. Well, I don't know if you Americano's are familiar with Newfies, but ifn ya t'arnt, then ya best gets ta learnin.
Don't trust your goddamn Confuser!! Put the good stuff in the beast when she needs it. Spend more now to save a ****load later. Geterdone boys, specially if ya'll drivin in the city and the like.
You wanna listen to some ******* tellin ya you can get 10k per oil change that's your business, but really, you're better off shootin that bastard and plantin some corn in his ***.

sRide

Tell it to the mechanical engineers that made it. They will defend that POS oil monitor to the grave. I promise they will.


F the oil monitor, I'm back to 3K...and most likely in a Dodge no less because I won't be able to trade the paper weight plus the 60K price tag of the new.

DavidKR

the "intelligent" monitor does not actually monitor any real parameters within the engine. it doesn't check level or pressure or anything of that sort. all it does it count down based off of the miles driven and time elapsed. even if your engine were 4 quarts low, it wouldn't tell you. I don't watch the monitor at all, I just change my oil every 6 months or 4,000 miles.