To buy extended warranty or not? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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To buy extended warranty or not?

Gride

Member
Joined
August 14, 2022
Messages
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City, State
North Dakota
Year, Model & Trim Level
2016 Explorer Platinum
I just purchased a 2016 Explorer Platinum with 127k miles from a Ford dealership. I have completed all the paperwork, including declining an extended warranty for about $2,900 for 48 months/48k miles of coverage. I’m waiting on picking up the vehicle while it gets some touch up paint done and the right rear D panel trim piece replaced.

While waiting for to pick up the vehicle I’ve been doing some research on some maintenance items (fluid changes etc.) I plan on doing to the vehicle since it has high mileage. I’ve run across accounts of the water pump issue with these engines and am having some concerns about my options.

My question is should I try to purchase the extended warranty (not even sure I can but it could be a possibility since I haven’t picked up the vehicle yet) and hold off on changing out the water pump, or should I save the $2,900 and just change the water pump, timing chain, and fluids?

I do most of the work on my vehicles and bought the Explorer mainly for winter driving and a backup to my Chevy Volt (Similar issue with when the battery goes on it the car will most likely be done for). I plan on keeping the newly purchased Explorer as long as possible.

Just looking for some opinions. Thanks!
 



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Nope don’t buy it. Doubt it’s even FORD OEM warranty. If it is what the deductible?

If it is OEM warranty and no deductible offer them 1500 and buy it.
 






Nope don’t buy it. Doubt it’s even FORD OEM warranty. If it is what the deductible?

If it is OEM warranty and no deductible offer them 1500 and buy it.
Thank you for the reply! It is not an OEM Ford warranty but a third party protection plan sold through the Ford dealer. Ordinarily I’d say no way, especially for the price. But with the cost of a water pump replacement approaching the price of the warranty I had second thoughts seeing how other things could also go wrong (PTU) that could make it worthwhile.
 






Thank you for the reply! It is not an OEM Ford warranty but a third party protection plan sold through the Ford dealer. Ordinarily I’d say no way, especially for the price. But with the cost of a water pump replacement approaching the price of the warranty I had second thoughts seeing how other things could also go wrong (PTU) that could make it worthwhile.
Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
I would not recommend a 3rd party warranty and many others here have posted the same advice. Have you checked out this thread? Ford ESP at dealer cost to forum members Many of the members here have taken advantage of this offer and have been very satisfied. One thing to keep in mind is that if you save the cost of an ESP and put it towards a possible water pump failure/replacement, you still have no warranty. Whereas if you purchase an ESP, it should cover the cost of that repair and any other things that may fail later on.

Peter
 






Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
I would not recommend a 3rd party warranty and many others here have posted the same advice. Have you checked out this thread? Ford ESP at dealer cost to forum members Many of the members here have taken advantage of this offer and have been very satisfied. One thing to keep in mind is that if you save the cost of an ESP and put it towards a possible water pump failure/replacement, you still have no warranty. Whereas if you purchase an ESP, it should cover the cost of that repair and any other things that may fail later on.

Peter
Thank you for pointing me to the Ford ESP. Just curious if this is even an option on a vehicle with 127k miles? I’m wondering if that’s why the Ford dealership had to offer the 3rd party warranty. If it’s an option I’d definitely consider it!
 






Thank you for pointing me to the Ford ESP. Just curious if this is even an option on a vehicle with 127k miles? I’m wondering if that’s why the Ford dealership had to offer the 3rd party warranty. If it’s an option I’d definitely consider it!
Sorry, I forgot about the mileage. I can't say for sure but it may affect that ESP. If it qualifies it would be a used car warranty and require an inspection from a Ford dealer. Perhaps someone else can verify.

Peter
 






I just checked on a site that offers Ford ESP and it stated "Not Available at Current Vehicle Mileage."

Not sure if that means you absolutely cannot get one, but might need someone to 'pull some strings' and might cost more.
 






Normally I would say you would be foolish to gamble without the warranty, however, based on the mileage alone, I would be proactive and replace the water pump before it goes bad, and forgo the 3rd party warranty. When I bought our 2 2016 Explorers, I did purchase the extended warranty to 8 years and 100,000 miles with a $100 deductible. Both of those cars have had the rear axle bearings replaced more than once. My 2016 Sport had both axle bearings done and when it was in the last time, it had one of them done again. The cars have approximately 61,000 miles on them. The cooling fans were also problematic, as well as the heated steering wheel was replaced last month on the Sport. Unfortunately, the car was totaled on the July 4th weekend, so it is going to the salvage yard with a lot of new parts, some of which were only a few weeks old, and they didn't survive the crash. Long story short, I am getting a refund on the balance of the warranty, and I just purchased a 2019 Explorer Platinum to replace the Sport and will be purchasing the warranty for that one also.
 






Normally I would say you would be foolish to gamble without the warranty, however, based on the mileage alone, I would be proactive and replace the water pump before it goes bad, and forgo the 3rd party warranty. When I bought our 2 2016 Explorers, I did purchase the extended warranty to 8 years and 100,000 miles with a $100 deductible. Both of those cars have had the rear axle bearings replaced more than once. My 2016 Sport had both axle bearings done and when it was in the last time, it had one of them done again. The cars have approximately 61,000 miles on them. The cooling fans were also problematic, as well as the heated steering wheel was replaced last month on the Sport. Unfortunately, the car was totaled on the July 4th weekend, so it is going to the salvage yard with a lot of new parts, some of which were only a few weeks old, and they didn't survive the crash. Long story short, I am getting a refund on the balance of the warranty, and I just purchased a 2019 Explorer Platinum to replace the Sport and will be purchasing the warranty for that one also.
Which side of the rear axle (differential or wheel) do the bearings tend to need replacement?
 






Which side of the rear axle (differential or wheel) do the bearings tend to need replacement?
I never asked, but it seems that they are a problem for most of the Explorers. Primarily the rears, but I have seen both front and rears all needing replacement, and one instance of all 4 being done at the same time.
 






First time posting, names Doug.

I resently purchased a 2016 with 80k. I wasn't going to purchase the extended warranty but they gave 4600 for my 2005 lexus gx470 with 200k. Glad I did cause the steering rack let go along with the cross traffic alert system.

It is all covered with out issue. Paid for its self with in a couple of months.
 






Welcome to the Forum Doug.

Peter
 






Just an update-I ended up going with passing up the extended warranty and just got done (last weekend) replacing the water pump, timing chains, guides and tensioners, oil pump, spark plugs, and coolant and oil. I also removed the intake manifold and walnut blasted the intake valves. The whole project took almost 3 weekends, but most of the delay was due to fighting the valve covers. They were by far the worst part of the job and I ended up breaking one of them during removal and the other while changing out the spark plug boot seals. Ford was stupid to use plastic valve covers!

Anyway, after adding the new Motorcraft Yellow coolant (vehicle still had the Orange coolant) and doing an oil change, the Explorer is running perfectly!
 






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