Scheduled 30K DCT maintenance?

[jbird1955]

Well I just had my oil changed again along with the typical "Works" package (27K miles). While I was checking out my service writer mentions to me that for the next visit my DCT fluid will need to be changed as per warranty specs. Price is about $200.00 just for that!

Anyone else heard of this one? Joe

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[scott7278]

Originally Posted by jbird1955

Well I just had my oil changed again along with the typical "Works" package (27K miles). While I was checking out my service writer mentions to me that for the next visit my DCT fluid will need to be changed as per warranty specs. Price is $200.00 just for that!

Anyone else heard of this one? Joe

That's odd...I was going to play it safe and have it done at 50,000 miles. I never heard of the 30,000 mile interval before, and my maintenance schedule at owner.ford.com doesn't mention it.

[darkangelism]

I think it is a BS charge that they are trying to add for you

[jbird1955]

Yeah, I checked that too and cannot see it listed anywhere. I recall hearing or seeing something a while back about the first batch of DCT's being shipped from South America with the incorrect fluid in them? I wonder if it has something to do with that? Mine is a May 2011 build.

[xpartmgr]

The first fluid and filter change is @ 150K miles! It is right in the owners manual.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../12focog5e.pdf

See page 390 for the schedule.

[jbird1955]

Originally Posted by darkangelism

I think it is a BS charge that they are trying to add for you

I would have too but this isn't my original dealer. I trust these guys, they've done work to a few of my cars/light truck.

I mentioned to them that I had the 5 year/100K warranty package and they said it wasn't covered. I'm really confused on this one.

[suss6052]

Ford specified a 10 year 100 or 150k service interval on the powershift DCT afaik, but that won't stop the dealer from trying to make extra money by changing the fluid at 30 k intervals.

Its like a manual transmission internally so I'd follow either ford's recomendations or those commonly used with other manual transmissions which generally don't require fluid changes as frequently as a normal torque converter and planetary automatic gearbox.

[Tiger-Heli]

Well ...

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../12focog5e.pdf

Page 390 says it isn't REQUIRED until 150K miles, but it is supposed to be done every 30K if you PRIMARILY (not occasionally) either:

• Tow a trailer or use a car top carrier or camper
• Extensive Idling or commercial use
• Dusty Conditions or unpaved roads

It's a sealed unit, so it's similar to manual transmission fluid change intervals (which I think were around 75-125K miles for most cars, but most people ignored).

$200 seems reasonable, but I wouldn't really want anyone opening up the system. If it were my car, I might think about it at 100K or 125K rather than 150K, but there's a good chance I'd just run it to 150K miles.

The dealers like to sell fuel injector cleaning also ...

[Tiger-Heli]

Also - it's MAINTENANCE, not REPAIR, so it WON'T be covered by the Ford ESP extended warranty. Now if you have a maintenance agreement on the Focus and you trust the dealer, I think it would be covered by that and be free (or you can at least embarass the dealer a bit ...)

I've been known to do that with brake pads and such when I had a lifetime warranty on them - i.e. "I'd like these pads checked" "Oh these are terrible, you should replace them immediately" "Okay, great, they're lifetime warranty from you!!!"

[scott7278]

Originally Posted by xpartmgr

The first fluid and filter change is @ 150K miles! It is right in the owners manual.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../12focog5e.pdf

See page 390 for the schedule.

Yep...I headed right there, and it's pretty clear that it doesn't need to be changed for 150,000 miles.

It sounds like they're trying to make an extra buck.