Maintenance Schedules

[MarkX]

The Lincoln website says nothing about some aspects of vehicle maintenance and I am wondering if the Forum can give me better information.

The only things it mentions are the obvious: engine oil, air filters, etc. But what about more obscure areas? Such as PTU, transmission, brake, and differential fluids? Other moving parts lubrications? Lighting?

My dealer just recommended a brake fluid flush at 27.5 K miles. And transmission fluid! $100+ to replace the engine air filter ($12 to $20 part on Amazon and a 10-minute job at home). They must think I was born yesterday.

What do you guys think?

 

[bbf2530]

The Lincoln website says nothing about some aspects of vehicle maintenance and I am wondering if the Forum can give me better information.

The only things it mentions are the obvious: engine oil, air filters, etc. But what about more obscure areas? Such as PTU, transmission, brake, and differential fluids? Other moving parts lubrications? Lighting?

My dealer just recommended a brake fluid flush at 27.5 K miles. And transmission fluid! $100+ to replace the engine air filter ($12 to $20 part on Amazon and a 10-minute job at home). They must think I was born yesterday.

What do you guys think?

Hi MarkX. What model year? Some fluid maintenance is also time sensitive.

The below information is for more recent model year Lincoln vehicles. So everyone needs to check the Maintenance Schedule for their particular model and model year.

Also, my recommendations below are based on the fact that I keep my vehicles longer than the average. So for those who buy a new vehicle no later than every 4 years or so, you can save money and follow the Maintenance Schedule, if you don’t care what happens after you sell it.

So to start off, for recent model year Lincoln vehicles…There is a Maintenance Schedule located in our Owner Manuals.

That being said, here is some advice/personal opinions:
-You don’t need a brake fluid flush at 27,500 miles. I forget the Lincoln recommendation, so check the Owners Manual Maintenance Schedule and adjust shorter, as you may feel comfortable with.
- The Lincoln Trans fluid flush recommendation is 150,000 miles. I would recommend changing it no later than 50-75,000 miles. Or earlier.
- Lincoln lists the PTU/RDU fluids as “Lifetime”. I would recommend changing them around 50,000 miles or sooner.
- Spark plugs are listed as 100,000 miles. I would recommend changing them no later than 75,000 miles.
- I don’t recall the coolant flush and fill schedule (it is also time sensitive), so check the Maintenance Schedule in the Owners Manual.
- If your vehicle has a changeable fuel filter, it may be a 30,000 mile service item. So check the Maintenance Schedule.
- Yes, engine and cabin air filters are a do-it-yourself item for moderately capable shade tree mechanics. For those who can’t do it themselves, it can be expensive to pay others.

For comparison sake: I just had the transmission fluid and RDU/PTU fluids changed about a month ago on my 2018 MKZ, at just under 30,000 miles.

That’s all for starters. If you’re interested, there are at least several other existing threads discussing this information in more detail.

I’m sure others will jump in with more advice, so let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

[MarkX]

Thanks, BBF. It's a 2019 3-liter Conti.

The manual does not say much more and some of what it says contradicts the Lincoln.com requirements.

The only item that could possibly be legitimate is the cabin air filter where the manual says change at 20K. I am not quite sure what the benefit is. We don't have alergies and I've been driving cars for a long time without cabin air filters and I'm still here. In many of my early cars, the only cabin air filters were to crank the windows up. And there is no way a dealer tech could have visually inspected my filter given the huge hassle it is to access it. When it does come time for me to change that filter, I am going to go with a K&N filter which costs more but lasts longer. Engine air filters I can do myself and is probably more important. At least you can physically see coolant, so I will keep on eye on that although the dealer did not mention it.

I agree with you, BBF, not to buy that "Lifetime" business on trannies and PTUs but I would probably not think of doing it less than 50K unless there was an issue.

Nobody says anything about brake fluids. Although the fluid is in a near-sealed environment, it can deteriorate. If the brakes get hot enough to boil the fluid there is deterioration. If the fluid absorbs air, there is deterioration. In Formula One race cars, they change the brake fluid every day. Maybe not a perfect comparison.

This car has been the most maintenance-free car I have ever owned. In my five dealer-serviced years, there has been nothing more than the annual oil change.

 

[bbf2530]

Thanks, BBF. It's a 2019 3-liter Conti.

The manual does not say much more and some of what it says contradicts the Lincoln.com requirements.

The only item that could possibly be legitimate is the cabin air filter where the manual says change at 20K. I am not quite sure what the benefit is. We don't have alergies and I've been driving cars for a long time without cabin air filters and I'm still here. In many of my early cars, the only cabin air filters were to crank the windows up. And there is no way a dealer tech could have visually inspected my filter given the huge hassle it is to access it. When it does come time for me to change that filter, I am going to go with a K&N filter which costs more but lasts longer. Engine air filters I can do myself and is probably more important. At least you can physically see coolant, so I will keep on eye on that although the dealer did not mention it.

I agree with you, BBF, not to buy that "Lifetime" business on trannies and PTUs but I would probably not think of doing it less than 50K unless there was an issue.

Nobody says anything about brake fluids. Although the fluid is in a near-sealed environment, it can deteriorate. If the brakes get hot enough to boil the fluid there is deterioration. If the fluid absorbs air, there is deterioration. In Formula One race cars, they change the brake fluid every day. Maybe not a perfect comparison.

This car has been the most maintenance-free car I have ever owned. In my five dealer-serviced years, there has been nothing more than the annual oil change.

Hi MarkX. You are very welcome!

On the subject of the cabin air filter:
I understand what you stated. However, you’d be surprised how dirty your cabin air filter will be at 27,500 miles. If you don’t change it periodically (even if you choose to wait longer than scheduled), it will clog with dirt, dust, pollen and larger debris that make it to the filter housing. This will noticeably restrict airflow.
Mine was filthy, and changing it made a big difference in airflow.

Concerning the transmission fluid:
No need to change it earlier than 50,000 miles if you don’t wish to. I simply decided to change it (and the PTU/RDU fluids) at 30,000 miles for the heck of it. And while it may be the “placebo effect”, I have noticed an improvement in shift feel.
I just would not wait until the recommended 150,000 miles. On modern transmissions, by the time we notice an “issue”, the issue is often an irreversible one.

As far as the Owners Manual:
You will have the same service intervals with your 2019 3.0T Continental as I do with my 2018 3.0T MKZ. And there is a full Maintenance Schedule listed in the Owners Manual if you use the Index to find the correct pages.
Although I do realize maintenance schedules are available on “Lincoln.com”, my recommendation would be to follow the maintenance schedule in your Owners Manual, and shorten the scheduled intervals as you feel comfortable.

I’m sure others will jump in to help, so keep us updated and good luck.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[MarkX]

150,000 miles would take me to about the age of 130 so I would be inclined to join you with an earlier service.

I have looked at the owner's manual and the pages at the back, so I know of what you write. But even there, there are some omissions that I find surprising and I doubt are as detailed as the company's technical shop manuals.

In any event, I was a bit shocked by the recommendations to flush trannie and brake fluids @ this mileage without supporting evidence of a need to do so. A cynical person might think the dealer's revenues were a priority over the customer's real needs.

 

[bbf2530]

150,000 miles would take me to about the age of 130 so I would be inclined to join you with an earlier service.

I have looked at the owner's manual and the pages at the back, so I know of what you write. But even there, there are some omissions that I find surprising and I doubt are as detailed as the company's technical shop manuals.

In any event, I was a bit shocked by the recommendations to flush trannie and brake fluids @ this mileage without supporting evidence of a need to do so. A cynical person might think the dealer's revenues were a priority over the customer's real needs.

HI MarkX. I agree on the brake fluid flush/fill. It is definitely not needed at this time/mileage. Not even as early preventative maintenance. It was simply a superfluous profit packer.

The transmission flush and fill? Not necessary at this time/mileage, but also not necessarily an entirely bad idea, as an early preventative maintenance. 50,000-75,000 miles would be a good compromise (in my opinion)

However that is a personal decision, and I respect whatever you decide is best for you.

And I'm with you in the low annual miles club. 150,000 miles will also bring me far into my golden years.

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

[MarkX]

I agree 50K-75K is the right window particularly for my low-mileage use. Maybe even sooner but not today.

The dealer quotes $513 before tax. @BBF, when you had yours done, how does that compare? Does your invoice break out labor vs. parts/fluids? If so, how many hours? My guess is that they are booking it at 1.75-2.00 hours.

 

[bbf2530]

I agree 50K-75K is the right window particularly for my low-mileage use. Maybe even sooner but not today.

The dealer quotes $513 before tax. @BBF, when you had yours done, how does that compare? Does your invoice break out labor vs. parts/fluids? If so, how many hours? My guess is that they are booking it at 1.75-2.00 hours.

Hi MarkX. I paid a total of $790 for the transmission flush/fill, PTU drain/fill, RDU drain/fill.
That price also included “The Works” special, which is an oil/filter change, tire rotation, fluid check/top off, multipoint inspection etc.

If I recall correctly, the invoice did break down those individual services, Alrhough I can’t remember the hourly labor breakdown at the moment. I will check the invoice as soon as I can retrieve it from my files. Hopefully later today.

Keep us updated and good luck.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[Action]

Brake fluid is hydroscopic. Meaning it absorbs moisture from the air. The mileage isn't a factor. It is age and the environment.
Flush out every 5 to 10 years. Humid area? Go with shorter time frame. Arid area, go with longer time frame.

Action

 

[C Krohn]

I check my owner’s manual for recommended maintenance schedule and reduce the mileage interval by 25 to 30 percent. I have my coolant changed at the recommended time.
I have never done a brake fluid flush outside of a complete brake job and though I keep cars until they have 80000 miles or more on them, I haven’t had a brake job done in many years.
I change my own air and cabin air filters. The dealer price is outrageous.

 

[bbf2530]

I agree 50K-75K is the right window particularly for my low-mileage use. Maybe even sooner but not today.

The dealer quotes $513 before tax. @BBF, when you had yours done, how does that compare? Does your invoice break out labor vs. parts/fluids? If so, how many hours? My guess is that they are booking it at 1.75-2.00 hours.

Hi MarkX. Sorry, my memory was off a bit. I had a chance to pull up the invoice, and the total for the work was $720.71 (before tax). Not $790.

Also, “The Works” oil change/tire rotation was not included in that total, because I still have an active, complimentary maintenance package (covering oil changes only). So it was free, which I forgot.
Another aging brain cloud.

Unfortunately, the invoice does not individually break down the transmission/RDU/PTU labor charges.

So my best interpretation of the breakdown was:
- $435.15 labor.
- $58.88 “trans flush”.
- $42.24 “Oil-Automatic Transmission”.
- $40.98 “Oil-Rear Axle”.
- $121.72 “Oil-Rear Axle”.
- $21.76 for “miscellaneous charges”, which includes shop supplies etc.

That all totaled $720.71.

If it helps, I did get quotes from 5 different shops for the work. 4 Lincoln/Ford Dealerships, and my local independent shop which I trust to do work on my older MKZ.
The quotes were all over the place. I recall one of my local Lincoln/Ford Dealerships quoted over $1,000.
A local Ford-only dealership was in the $850 range.
I went with the $698 quote from the Dealership I purchased my MKZ from.
My local independent shop was about $40 less than my Lincoln Dealership (~$650). However, since my 2018 is still covered by a LincolnProtect ESP, I went with my Dealership for the warranty peace of mind.

I can post the part numbers listed on the invoice for the flush and individual lubricants if you like.

Hope this information helps

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

[batchman]

If I can add a couple of seemingly cogent points...

If Ford/Lincoln service sounds expensive, you can shop around and there will likely be differences. Independent shops will surely be competitive as well. I also have some German, Japanese and even Korean car service stories for you.

As noted, street car brake fluid ages in years, not miles. That said, in my autocross racing endeavors I standardized on Ford Heavy Duty as it has the highest "wet" boiling point and was dirt cheap (case=cost of a can). Apart from running Tail of the Dragon "hard" or a track day, you will never boil your brake fluid, which is the safety concern. The other thing that moisture does is degrade seals. FWIW my '14 Focus ST has not quite original fluid and a clutch master cylinder leak, ~1floz per month (same reservoir). Had I changed it more recently? Who knows.

As to geartrain lube, wife had a torque converter automatic A6 Quattro. At 100k I wanted driveline fluids done. "No can do." More reasons but as much as I hated to get rid of a car that ran well enough, wasn't rusty, and didn't rattle I was glad to see it go. There will no doubt be metal filings from break-in, when you want them out of yours is your decision. OTOH I have great faith in FOMOCO's reliability testing.

Hoping to join the 3.0 owners soon
- Jeff

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[MarkX]

Many thanks, BBF. Your info fleshes-out my understanding of what I can look forward to when it comes time to tackle these things. But I have concluded I am not there yet and will not be until probably 2026 or 27. So, I'll start saving up, LOL. I am inclined to let a dealer do the cabin air filter but not for a while. I am inclined to the engine air filter myself and put a K&N filter in there, but first I would pull out the current filter for a visual inspection and maybe a reverse air blowout. I am sure I don't need dealer service to do engine/transmission/RDU/PTU oil changes so I'll have to find an independent.

@batchman, I managed to boil some brake fluid in the early '90s spending a weekend driving my M-B 500E around the Swiss Alps. I knew I had cooked the brakes so I took it into the dealer in Vevey and the service manager said something like this in German: "What the hell have you been doing to this car?"

@C Krohn, I don't know how easy your cars are to change cabin air filters but it looks a real bitch on the Conti if I am reading the W/S manual correctly. Too much learning curve and physical contortions for me, thank you.

 

[batchman]

Hey MKX hope you get to a good place with your maintenance choices. FWIW, K&Ns are great but make sure your resource (if not you) are prepared for cleaning vs replace. I've found marque dealers to not want to acknowledge aftermarket anything, and independent shops not willing to deal with the like.

Enjoy,
- Jeff