GENERAL MAINTENANCE
INFORMATION
Why Maintain Your Vehicle?
Carefully following the maintenance
schedule helps protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance and may help to
increase the value of your vehicle when
you sell or trade it. Keep all receipts for
completed maintenance with your vehicle.
We have established regular maintenance
intervals for your vehicle based upon
rigorous testing. It is important that you
have your vehicle serviced at the correct
times. These intervals serve two purposes;
one is to maintain the reliability of your
vehicle and the second is to keep the cost
of owning your vehicle down.
It is your responsibility to have all
scheduled maintenance performed and to
make sure that the materials used meet
the specifications identified in this owner's
manual. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 265).
Failure to perform scheduled maintenance
invalidates warranty coverage on parts
affected by the lack of maintenance.
Why Maintain Your Vehicle at Your
Dealership?
Factory-trained Technicians
Service technicians participate in extensive
factory-sponsored certification training to
help them become experts on the
operation of your vehicle. Ask your
dealership about the training and
certification their technicians have
received. Genuine Ford and Motorcraft
Replacement Parts
Dealerships stock Ford, Motorcraft and
Ford-authorized branded re-manufactured
replacement parts. These parts meet or
exceed our specifications. Parts installed
at your dealership carry a nationwide
12-month or 12000 mi (20,000 km) parts
and labor limited warranty.
If you do not use Ford authorized parts they
may not meet our specifications and
depending on the part, it could affect
emissions compliance.
Convenience
Many dealerships have extended evening
and Saturday hours to make your service
visit more convenient and they offer one
stop shopping. They can perform any
services that are required on your vehicle,
from general maintenance to crash repairs.
Note:
Not all dealers have extended hours
or body shops. Please contact your dealer
for details.
Protecting Your Investment
Maintenance is an investment that pays
dividends in the form of improved
reliability, durability and resale value. To
maintain the correct performance of your
vehicle and its emission control systems,
make sure you have scheduled
maintenance performed at the designated
intervals.
Vehicles with a 3.2L, 3.5L or 3.7L Engine
Your vehicle is equipped with the
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system, which
displays a message in the information
display at the correct oil change interval.
This interval may be up to one year or
10000 mi (16,000 km).
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When the oil change message appears in
the information display, it is time for an oil
change. Make sure you perform the oil
change within two weeks or 500 miles
(800 kilometers) of the message
appearing. Make sure you reset the
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor after each oil
change. See Changing the Engine Oil
and Oil Filter (page 205).
If your information display resets
prematurely or becomes inoperative, you
should perform the oil change interval at
six months or
5000 mi (8,000 km) from
your last oil change. Never exceed one year
or
10000 mi (16,000 km) between oil
change intervals.
All Vehicles
Your vehicle is very sophisticated and built
with multiple, complex, performance
systems. Every manufacturer develops
these systems using different
specifications and performance features.
That is why it is important to rely upon your
dealership to correctly diagnose and repair
your vehicle.
Ford Motor Company has recommended
maintenance intervals for various parts
and component systems based upon
engineering testing. Ford Motor Company
relies upon this testing to determine the
most appropriate mileage for replacement
of oils and fluids to protect your vehicle at
the lowest overall cost to you and
recommends against maintenance
schedules that deviate from the scheduled
maintenance information.
We strongly recommend the use of only
genuine Ford, Motorcraft or
Ford-authorized re-manufactured
replacement parts engineered for your
vehicle. Additives and Chemicals
This owner's manual and the Ford
Workshop Manual list the recommended
additives and chemicals for your vehicle.
We do not recommend using chemicals or
additives not approved by us as part of
your vehicle
’s normal maintenance. Please
consult your warranty information.
Oils, Fluids and Flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a
normal operating characteristic and, by
itself, does not necessarily indicate a
concern or that the fluid needs to be
changed. However, a qualified expert, such
as the factory-trained technicians at your
dealership, should inspect discolored fluids
that also show signs of overheating or
foreign material contamination
immediately.
Make sure to change your vehicle ’s oils and
fluids at the specified intervals or in
conjunction with a repair. Flushing is a
viable way to change fluid for many vehicle
sub-systems during scheduled
maintenance. It is critical that systems are
flushed only with new fluid that is the same
as that required to fill and operate the
system or using a Ford-approved flushing
chemical.
Owner Checks and Services
Make sure you perform the following basic
maintenance checks and inspections every
month or at six-month intervals. Check every month
Engine oil level.
Function of all interior and exterior lights.
Tires (including spare) for wear and
correct pressure.
Windshield washer fluid level.
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NORMAL SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor®
(Vehicles with a 3.2L, 3.5L and 3.7L
Engine)
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.
The following table provides examples of
vehicle use and its impact on oil change
intervals. It is a guideline only. Actual oil
change intervals depend on several factors
and generally decrease with severity of
use.When to expect the oil change message
Vehicle use and example
Interval
Normal
7500-10000 miles
(12000-16000 km) Normal commuting with highway driving.
No, or moderate, load or towing.
Flat to moderately hilly roads.
No extended idling.
Severe
5000-7499 miles
(8000-11999 km) Moderate to heavy load or towing.
Mountainous or off-road conditions.
Extended idling.
Extended hot or cold operation.
Extreme
3000-4999 miles
(4800-7999 km) Maximum load or towing.
Extreme hot or cold operation.
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Normal Maintenance Intervals
3.2L, 3.5L and 3.7L Engines
At every oil change interval as indicated by the information display
*
Change engine oil and filter. **
Rotate tires, inspect tire wear and measure tread depth.
Perform a multi-point inspection (recommended).
Inspect the automatic transmission fluid level (if equipped with dipstick). Consult your
dealer for requirements.
Inspect the brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, brake linings, hoses and parking brake.
Inspect the engine cooling system strength and hoses.
Inspect the exhaust system and heat shields.
Inspect front axle and U-joints. Lubricate if equipped with grease fittings.
Inspect the steering linkage, ball joints, suspension, tire-rod ends, driveshaft and U-
joints. Lubricate any areas with grease fittings.
Diesel engine fill diesel exhaust fluid.
Inspect the wheels and related components for abnormal noise, wear, looseness or
drag.
* Do not exceed one year or 10000 miles (16000 kilometers) between service intervals.
** Reset the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor after engine oil and filter changes. Other maintenance items
1
Torque rear axle U-bolts to specification.
Every 30000 miles (48000
km) Diesel engine replace fuel filter. 2
Replace engine air filter.
Change diesel foam air filter.
Every 45000 miles (70000
km)
Change engine coolant.3
At 100000 miles (160000
km)
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Other maintenance items
1
Replace spark plugs.
Every 100000 miles
(160000 km) Inspect accessory drive belt(s). 4
Change automatic transmission fluid and filter.
Every 150000 miles
(240000 km) Change rear axle fluid.
Replace accessory drive belt(s).
1 Perform these maintenance items within 3000 miles (4800 kilometers) of the last
engine oil and filter change. Do not exceed the designated distance for the interval.
2 Replace early if indicated by per Water In Fuel warning lamp. See Warning Lamps and
Indicators (page 75).
3 Initial replacement at six years or 100000 miles (160000 kilometers), then every three
years or 50000 miles (80000 kilometers).
4 After initial inspection, inspect every other oil change until replaced.
SPECIAL OPERATING
CONDITIONS SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE
3.2L, 3.5L and 3.7L Engines
If you operate your vehicle primarily in any
of the f
ollowing conditions, you need to
perform extra maintenance as indicated.
If you operate your vehicle
occasionally
under any of these conditions, it is not
necessary to perform the extra
maintenance. For specific
recommendations, see your dealership
service advisor or technician. Perform the services shown in the
following tables when specified or within
3000 miles (4800 kilometers) of the oil
change required message appearing in the
information display.
•
Example 1
: The message appears at
28750 mi (46,270 km). Perform the
30000 mi (48,000 km) automatic
transmission fluid replacement.
• Example 2
: The message does not
appear, but the odometer reads
30000 mi (48,000 km)
(for example,
the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor was
reset at
25000 mi (40,000 km)).
Perform the engine air filter
replacement. Towing a trailer or using a car-top carrier
Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the information
display and perform services listed in the Normal Scheduled
Maintenance chart.
As required
Inspect and lubricate U-joints.
Inspect frequently,
service as required
See axle maintenance items under Exceptions.
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Extensive idling or low-speed driving for long distances, as in heavy commercial use
(such as delivery, taxi, patrol car or livery)
Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the information
display and perform services listed in the Normal Scheduled
Maintenance chart.
As required
Replace engine air filter.
Inspect frequently,
service as required
Replace spark plugs.
Every 60000 miles
(96000 km) Operating in dusty or sandy conditions (such as unpaved or dusty roads)
Replace engine air filter.
Inspect frequently,
service as required
Inspect the wheels and related components for abnormal
noise, wear, looseness or drag.
Every 5000 miles (8000
km)
Rotate tires, inspect tires for wear and measure tread depth.
Change engine oil and filter. *
Every 5000 miles (8000
km) or six months
* Reset your Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor after each engine oil and filter change. Off-road operation
Inspect steering linkage, ball joints and U-joints, Lubricate if
equipped with grease fittings.
Inspect frequently,
service as required
Replace engine air filter.
Change engine oil and filter. *
Every 5000 miles (8000
km) or six months
Inspect the wheels and related components for abnormal
noise, wear, looseness or drag.
Rotate tires, inspect tires for wear and measure tread depth.
* Reset your Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor after each engine oil and filter change.
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Exclusive use of E85 (Flex fuel vehicles only)
If ran exclusively on E85, fill the fuel tank full with regular
unleaded fuel.
Every oil change interval
Exceptions
There are several exceptions to the Normal
Schedule:
Normal vehicle axle maintenance: Rear
a
xles and power take-off units with
synthetic fluid and light-duty trucks
equipped with Ford-design axles are
lubricated for life; do not check or change
fluid unless a leak is suspected, service is
required or the assembly has been
submerged in water. During long periods
of trailer towing with outside temperatures
above
70°F (21°C) and at wide-open
throttle for long periods above 45 mph
(72 km/h), change non-synthetic rear axle
fluid every 3000 mi (4,800 km) or three
months, whichever comes first. This
interval can be waived if the axle is filled
with 75W140 synthetic gear fluid meeting
Ford specification WSL-M2C192-A; GL-5
or equivalent. Add friction modifier XL-3
EST-M2C118-A or equivalent for complete
refill of Traction-Lok rear axles. See
Capacities and Specifications
(page
265).
Police, Taxi and Livery vehicle axle
maintenance: Change rear axle fluid every
100000 mi (160,000 km). Rear axle fluid
change may be waived if the axle was filled
with 75W140 synthetic gear fluid meeting
Ford specification WSL-M2C192-A; GL-5 or equivalent. Add four ounces (118
milliliters) of additive friction modifier XL-3
EST-M2C118-A, or equivalent, for complete
refill of Traction-Lok rear axles. Change
the axle fluid anytime the axle submerges
in water.
California fuel filter replacement: If you
register your vehicle in California, the
California Air Resources Board has
determined that the failure to perform this
maintenance item does not nullify the
emission warranty or limit recall liability
before the completion of your vehicle's
useful life. Ford Motor Company, however,
urges you to have all recommended
maintenance services performed at the
specified intervals and to record all vehicle
service.
Hot climate oil change intervals:
Vehicles operating in the Middle East,
North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa or
locations with similar climates using an
American Petroleum Institute (API)
Certified for Gasoline Engines (Certification
mark) oil of SM or SN quality, the normal
oil change interval is 5000 mi (8,000 km).
If the available API SM or SN oils are not
available, then the oil change interval is
3000 mi (4,800 km).
Engine air filter replacement: The life of
the engine air fil
ter is dependent on
exposure to dusty and dirty conditions.
Vehicles operated in these conditions
require frequent inspection and
replacement of the engine air filter.
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