I’m new at the community. There is a lot of knowledgeable people who visit this site. My question is probably pretty simple for them. I’m skeptical of
the maintenance schedule in the owners manual. All warranties have expired. My vehicle is a 2009 Ford F-150 4WD with 23,000 miles on it. It has been
garaged the entire time, driven fairly gently, and has less than 50 miles in 4WD (all in snow). All I have ever done regarding maintenance is tire rotation
and frequent oil changes. It runs great with no problems. What should (must?) I do to bring it up to date? Thanks for the help.
Low miles in one good thing.
the caveat however is…TIME.
Being garaged is in your favor too but inspections should be the next action.
Things affected by time are belts, hoses, tires, …other rubber and plastic parts regardless of miles.
In the owner’s manual you’ll see the term X miles or X years ( time ).
Now, granted , that maintainence schedule is aimed at keeping your truck in showroom conditon so a visit to your regualar day to day tech…or a detailed inspection by you…might reveal an opinion otherwise.
Old tires is one of the biggest misleaders when little wear has resulted from mileage.
my truck has merely 71,000 miles yet is on its THIRD set of tires…it is not garaged and is a 1979 !
My 08 Expedition threw the belt last year. A belt that LOOKED ok at oil change visual inspection. Yet…TIME caused hardening of the rubber so the belt had little of its original flexability left.
Belts, antifreeze, transmission fluid, battery.
I would definitely replace the serpentine belt, inspect the tires, and check the undercarriage. I would change the engine coolant at 8 years or 40,000 miles, whichever comes first. I have a 2007 Toyota and it has yet to have a repair, but I’m changing out the belt because it is starting to show cracks.
Having kept the vehicle inside has probably prevented undue tire deterioration.
You have a lot of happy miles left on this vehicle. The only fly in the ointment is a rapid increase in world oil prices and the resulting increase in gas price. As luck would have it we are looking at 3-4 years of modest oil prices and hopefully relatively cheap gas.
I wouldn’t be worried about the belts and hoses at this time/mileage.
The belts and hoses in your vehicle are made of EPDM.
This material is resistant to ozone deterioration and lasts a lot longer.
At the 30,000 mile mark, you should consider having the transmission fluid/filter serviced, the transfer case/differential fluids serviced, and the brake fluid serviced.
Tester
That 5 year coolant needs to be changed.
Is there any service the owner’s manual recommends you haven’t done?
Of the comments above, all good ones, the one that seems to me to be the one I’d be concerned with is the coolant. The metal parts inside the engine are continually exposed to the coolant whether you are driving it or not, so it is important it maintain its anti-corrosive properties like it had when new. Whether it is time to change it or not, I’m not sure. But if you asked the folks at a Ford dealership they might have a suggestion. Coolant gets more acidic as it ages, so if you are the scientific type you could do a pH test on the coolant. Report the result back here if you like.
@huskergolfer, why are you skeptical about the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual? Who knows better what the truck needs than the manufacturer? Don’t you want to protect your investment? You do keep it garaged. Why not keep it maintained? The maintenance schedule is the minimum you should do, and many people recommend more frequent maintenance, especially the transmission fluid. Do you know something about the owner’s manual we don’t?
"The maintenance schedule is the minimum you should do, and many people recommend more frequent maintenance, especially the transmission fluid."
+++++ !
I don’t have the factory maintenance schedule. An '09 is now 5 years old so my 1st item would changing out just about every fluid in the truck, fluids degrade over time as well as miles. Coolant, tranny fluid, ps fluid, brake fluid, differentials, transfer case, and transmission are all fluids I’d change if the OEM fluids are still in the truck.
I’d look over all the hoses, clamps, and belts. I’d consider just changing the serpentine belt. It powers all the accessories including the AC so if it snaps you are looking at a tow.
A new battery might be worth replacing. At 5 years it is likely OK, but heading for the downside of its life cycle. A weak battery can take out an alternator by working it hard and while batteries aren’t cheap, a new alternator is a bunch more money.
I won’t mess with plugs, or special fuel system cleaners, or some of the other stuff dealers recommend. Much of it is padding to inflate the bill and generate profits. On the other hand the recommendations in the factory owner’s manual are usually very good and should be followed. So, check your owner’s manual and tell the service writer what you want and what you don’t want.
"An '09 is now 5 years old "
It could be 7 years old.