5w20 in the 3.5 Ecoboost?

[dergrah]

Just noticed that paperwork the Ford dealer gave me with the purchase of our used 2015 sport showed they did an oil change. The problem is that it says they used 5W20. How big of a problem is that?

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

CORRECTION:

The proper oil is a full synthetic 5W30. I would want it corrected. Unless the paperwork is wrong.

 

[Rick369]

The recommended oil should be on the oil cap. My wife has a 2013 Escape with the 2.0L Ecoboost engine. The oil cap states 5W30. The oil cap on my 2015 Explorer 3.5L non Ecoboost engine states 5W20. I always use full synthetic (Mobil 1 Extended Performance).
If the dealer used 5W20 on your 3.5L Ecoboost engine, I would make them change the oil and filter to the correct oil.

 

[1995E]

It's a huge deal! 5W-20 doesn't lubricate as well at the higher temperatures than 5W-30. Since you have turbos, I'd be worried about that. They need to get it corrected right away as they could have potentially caused more wear and even damage. There's a reason why an Ecoboost uses 5W-30 rather than 5W-20.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/518/motor-oils

 

[peterk9]

Just noticed that paperwork the Ford dealer gave me with the purchase of our used 2015 sport showed they did an oil change. The problem is that it says they used 5W20. How big of a problem is that?

The dealer has been putting regular 5W-30 oil in mine for almost 2 years. No issues. Since it's a lease, I'm not too concerned about it because the vehicle isn't mine and the leasing dealer service department has done all the maintenance on it.

Peter

 

[Rick369]

Peter, is the servicing dealer a Ford dealership? If it is, they would be using Motorcraft synthetic blend.

 

[peterk9]

Peter, is the servicing dealer a Ford dealership? If it is, they would be using Motorcraft synthetic blend.

Yes, they are a Ford and Lincoln dealership.. I asked about it once and they said they always use the regular 5W-20 in the Ecoboost. I'll bring it up again when I go in at the end of March. My final year of the lease begins April 1.

Peter

 

[chicagoslick]

There is also lots of discussion on this in the F150 forums...Most have said that it is just the person changing the oil who does not change the sticker info when they input the information...Not sure how true that is. I asked one time when I was in getting my oil changed on the truck and they said the right oil was added and to not pay too much attention to the sticker...I was not happy with the response, but felt since they always service my vehicle I would not worry about it...

 

[chazglenn3]

This kind of B.S. is the exact reason that I change my own oil and filter in all of my vehicles.

 

[peterk9]

There is also lots of discussion on this in the F150 forums...Most have said that it is just the person changing the oil who does not change the sticker info when they input the information...Not sure how true that is. I asked one time when I was in getting my oil changed on the truck and they said the right oil was added and to not pay too much attention to the sticker...I was not happy with the response, but felt since they always service my vehicle I would not worry about it...

In my case it is not noted on the 'Reminder Sticker' but the oil type is noted on the invoice.

Peter

 

[bigdude2468]

My guess is 5W20 this time of the year in Alberta it is not going to hurt a thing.

 

[chicagoslick]

In my case it is not noted on the 'Reminder Sticker' but the oil type is noted on the invoice.

Peter

I would be a little bit worried about that if you drive the vehicle hard at all...

 

[peterk9]

I would be a little bit worried about that if you drive the vehicle hard at all...

I don't drive it hard. I got it April 1st 2014 and have just reached the 5600 mile mark. Change the oil/filter every 6 months.

Peter

 

[chicagoslick]

I don't drive it hard. I got it April 1st 2014 and have just reached the 5600 mile mark. Change the oil/filter every 6 months.

Peter

You will probably not face issues then...Thermal breakdown is the big issue with the lighter viscosity oil...And if it is full synthetic even less worry...

 

[1995E]

Just buy the oil and filter yourself and the dealer would change it for like 18 dollars if you are worried about them screwing up. They still top off fluids, etc. Mark all parts so you know they actually change it.

I personally have a personal mechanic change the oil for 10 dollars. I buy the oil and filter. Much better that way. I get the oil for 30 bucks average and I get a 12 pack of filters for around 30 - 40 bucks on ebay.

 

[Rick369]

I agree with 1995E. I buy my own oil (Mobil 1 Extended Performance) for both my 2015 Explorer and my wife's 2013 Escape. Every 6,000 miles take both vehicles to the local Ford Dealership we bought the vehicles from. I supply the oil and they supply the Motorcraft oil filter and rotate the tires. The dealer charges $21.00 for the labor to change the oil, the new oil filter and tire rotation. They top off fluids and perform the courtesy check on brakes, tires, battery charging, etc.

 

[2003vstrom]

I don`t trust dealers at all, I do my own service for everything, back in sept. I bought my 2014 limited with the NA 3.5, it was ford pre-own certified, had the check list that supposedly showed they checked everything , tranny fluid, air filter and etc., the next day after I brought it home and I checked the tranny fluid, the trans cap could see had never been touch. There was layer of grim on it, so I checked it and guess what the tranny was quart low, then I checked the air fliter had all kinds of debris and very black, like like the original filter on 23,000 mile vehicle, But I would take it back and have them change it out, then do the rest of the changes yourself.

 

[peterk9]

I don`t trust dealers at all, I do my own service for everything, back in sept. I bought my 2014 limited with the NA 3.5, it was ford pre-own certified, had the check list that supposedly showed they checked everything , tranny fluid, air filter and etc., the next day after I brought it home and I checked the tranny fluid, the trans cap could see had never been touch. There was layer of grim on it, so I checked it and guess what the tranny was quart low, then I checked the air fliter had all kinds of debris and very black, like like the original filter on 23,000 mile vehicle, But I would take it back and have them change it out, then do the rest of the changes yourself.

I don't think it is fair to throw all dealers into one category because of a bad experience. I have had no issues with the dealers I have used. The current dealer always follows up with a phone call after a service has been performed and from time to time I receive an online satisfaction survey which doesn't come from the dealer. BTW, I haven't had to pay for oil/filter service yet. I have one more free one to go in March.

Peter

 

[Junkmann2]

A friend purchased a certified pre owned Mercedes, and he found the same thing. Service that should have been performed, wasn't. After he told me about his experience, I decided to check my own Mercedes, to see if the services that I had paid for, were done. I found that the cabin air filter, hadn't ever been changed, even though I paid for it twice, and the same with the air filter. The nice thing about Mercedes parts, is that most of them are date coded, and don't require any expertise to decipher the date codes. Both of these cars came from different dealerships. What I don't know, if this is a systemic problem with Mercedes dealerships, or it is commonplace among all dealerships today. I also don't know if it is the person working on the car that is cheating, or it is management that is promoting this. In my case, I didn't go back to the dealership with my findings, but traded the car for a new Ford from a dealership that has a track record in the community of being honest. Most owners today, don't even open the hood of the cars to check anything, since the cars today are much more sophisticated and the average person wouldn't have any idea of what they are looking at. For years, I have used a marker to register the mileage of the last oil change on the filter itself. At least, I know that if they don't change the filter, I will know from the marking. They could just change the filter, and not the oil, and I hope that isn't the case. I now do all my own oil changes using a pump that pulls the oil out of the dipstick tube while it is hot. I wait till the engine is cold, and then remove and replace the oil filter.

 

[1995E]

Jiffy Lube used to do that all the time to people. Quote for stuff and never do it. I don't trust the dealership to do anything. That's why I mark all my parts.