[peads10]

Hello all,

First post here and just need some advice - the dealership service dept. recommended my 2016 150 have the following services done since it's at around the 140,000 mile marker:

• alignment ($149)
• fuel induction service ($276)
• transmission fluid exchange ($400)

Are these things actually necessary and/or worth doing, and are the prices they quoted me actually reasonable?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Boatwaco]

Welcome to the forum.

Alignment is something you could tell by the way the truck is driving, or by wear of the tires.
Fuel Induction service - skip this unnecessary upsell / upcharge
Transmission fluid exchange - If it's never been done to the truck before, might be a good time for this service.

Are you the original owner? If not, do you know the service history?

 

[peads10]

Welcome to the forum.

Alignment is something you could tell by the way the truck is driving, or by wear of the tires.
Fuel Induction service - skip this unnecessary upsell / upcharge
Transmission fluid exchange - If it's never been done to the truck before, might be a good time for this service.

Are you the original owner? If not, do you know the service history?

Thanks for the reply!

The truck is driving fine...It drifts slightly, but I have always attributed this to the slight banking of the roads as they do that for rain runoff...it doesn't handle poorly at all from what I can tell or veer/drift unnecessarily anymore than what I think the slight slope in the road causes.

And I am not the original owner, but I am not sure whether the fluid exchange has been done before. Of course that one has to be the most expensive of them too.

I know for sure that I need the brake fluid changed soon and new brake pads, but I am having that serviced elsewhere...just not sure if it is worth doing any of these other things at the dealer even if I am paying a little premium on them. If they're a once in a lifetime change and are helpful for longevity's sake of the car, then I'd likely do them. But I am ignorant as a stump when it comes to cars, so hence the cry for advice.

 

[Justinjs]

Fuel induction service ranks right up there with changing your blinker fluid.

 

[butthead]

Hello there! Yeah the induction service is a rip-off and potential trouble maker.
Alignment as noted can be felt and visibly identified. Personally I overdo because I like the performance of good well tuned suspension so mine is checked yearly and I approve all adjustments first.
I also do 40k mile trans flushes and full fluid exchange. Transmission fluid is a wear item loosing its effective additives as it gets old. KM

 

[peads10]

So it sounds like the consensus is to have the transmission fluids done but skip the fuel induction.

I don't think it needs an alignment personally, but again, I know nothing about cars. I don't notice any issues with the wheel being out of line or major issues while driving, so..

 

[Boatwaco]

I know nothing about cars.

No worries. None of us knew anything about cars at one point in time.
Be sure to follow consistent maintenance. Oil changes every 5,000 miles. Air filters changed. And transmission fluid service. Once you get these done, they are your baselines.
Keep an eye on front tire wear. Wearing on the inside or outside edges means alignment is needing to be checked.

 

[peads10]

No worries. None of us knew anything about cars at one point in time.
Be sure to follow consistent maintenance. Oil changes every 5,000 miles. Air filters changed. And transmission fluid service. Once you get these done, they are your baselines.
Keep an eye on front tire wear. Wearing on the inside or outside edges means alignment is needing to be checked.

Thank you for all the help!

I do have the oil changed every 5k as I bought the dealer package which includes five oil changes per year...filters too, but every time I take it there for that, they try to get me to do other things, which I am not surprised by.

But was concerned about those in case they really needed to be done.

Thanks again!

 

[TOWMA8R]

Hello all,

First post here and just need some advice - the dealership service dept. recommended my 2016 150 have the following services done since it's at around the 140,000 mile marker:

• alignment ($149)
• fuel induction service ($276)
• transmission fluid exchange ($400)

Are these things actually necessary and/or worth doing, and are the prices they quoted me actually reasonable?

Thanks in advance.

Alignment, you will know. Cheaper at Les Schwab I bet - If you have one

Skip as mentioned on the fuel service -- Good additives out there to run through a tank or two with good benefits

Trans, I would say just a fluid change but others suggest the filter as well...... anyways, good to do

 

[butthead]

On "induction service". Most of it is simply spay clean the throttle body and sensors, a simple project to do at home. A throttle/idle relearn should be done but rarely is, another simple thing to DIY. After that a can of cleaning addative added to the gas tank, again DIY. Charging $276 for a spray can of MAP/MAF cleaner and a bottle of injector cleaner dumped into the fuel tank is a rip-off. KM

 

[peads10]

On "induction service". Most of it is simply spay clean the throttle body and sensors, a simple project to do at home. A throttle/idle relearn should be done but rarely is, another simple thing to DIY. After that a can of cleaning addative added to the gas tank, again DIY. Charging $276 for a spray can of MAP/MAF cleaner and a bottle of injector cleaner dumped into the fuel tank is a rip-off. KM

I usually put in those fuel additives from the gas stations every once in a while - should it be more often? I don't know how to do those other things - are they essential to where I should figure out how to do those, or just continue with the fuel additives?

 

[butthead]

I never use any aftermarket additives. The gas in station tank has additive packages in the fuel, overdoing such can cause problems.
All the rest can be found on Youtube. KM

 

[GearHead_1]

Ditto, bag both oil and fuel additives.

 

[Zogg]

My Ford dealer just charged me $229 for a transmission fluid flush. For $400 I’d look for another dealer. Yikes.
Agreed, induction service is a total waste. If your front tires are wearing even, you’re all good. I went to a shop last year and they wanted to do a 4 wheel alignment…..it’s a truck, only 2 wheel alignment is the real deal since they can’t adjust the rear….thiefs

 

[peads10]

Hey again y'all - so the mechanic that I have taken my cars to forever, who I trust immensely, told me that the transmission fluid thing is also a racket. He said that if I am not having any issues with it, then there's nothing that needs done. Thoughts?

 

[Boatwaco]

Maintenance of the transmission is a "scheduled" item; not routine like oil changes every 5,000 miles (or fill in your preferred mile range), but it is recommended service. When and if you do it is up to you.

My 2018 has a little over 62,500 miles and I will be doing service on the transmission, front and rear differentials and transfer case between now and the end of the year - just because I want to keep my truck running at its best for another 60-70K miles.

You will get yes and no opinions on doing your transmission service as long as you keep asking.

 

[butthead]

Transmission fluid is like engine oil, a lube that looses it's additive effectiveness over time. I choose to do full filter and flush on a machine to replace all the fluid every 40k miles. KM

 

[FanaticalKilla]

I would recommend getting the transmission service done and that's it. Transmission gets less contamination then other things like engines. I would also recommend servicing the rear diff if its never been done.

 

[snydmax]

I would recommend getting the transmission service done and that's it. Transmission gets less contamination then other things like engines. I would also recommend servicing the rear diff if its never been done.

Maybe add transfer case while we’re at it?

how much extra money do you have laying around? We can help you spend it!

 

[peads10]

I would recommend getting the transmission service done and that's it. Transmission gets less contamination then other things like engines. I would also recommend servicing the rear diff if its never been done.

Thanks for your input!

Another question for my completely car illiterate and ignorant self - what is the rear diff for? How do I actually use it? Mine has the knob for it, but does the car have to be in a certain gear before I can turn it on? What situation would I be in where it would be necessary to use it? I've never had to use it before so just wondering!