Ford Bronco Sport Badlands How To Change The Oil Video

[Colt]

Bronco Sport How to oil change

I just posted this video on youtube.

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[Mark S.]

Good video. One correction:

You may confidently use any oil you like as long as it meets the spec called out in the Owner's Manual. For the 2.0L that's any 5W30 that conforms to the API SP standard. Ford cannot deny warranty coverage for not using Motorcraft oil--that's against the law. Which law? The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act.

 

[Colt]

I agree that when forced into a repair the manufacturer would have to honor a warranty. As a service manager for several decades, I can tell you it runs much deeper than that. A dealer is only allotted a certain amount of warranty dollars. Most service managers also want to get the district manager involved on large ticket warranties like internal engine problems. This in itself can take several weeks and then the district manager will want to take a look at the engine torn down. This process can take over a month plus getting an oil analysis. If there has been an oil change with different oil and that district manager sees any form of sludge or varnish he will deny the claim or only pay a portion of it. That puts the customer into the corner because once the DM says no there is no one else really to reach out to. This can be put into arbitration which takes months to sit down and argue the case. If the arbitrator rules against the customer which is the norm then the customer is only left with the courts which are expensive and time-consuming. The dealer's feet are held to a very hot flame to keep warranty costs down and so I am just recommending that a person keeps the gun unloaded to how they can deny a warranty. The service manager would prefer to warranty every complaint but that is not how the system works. I could literally write a book on this subject, I just scratched the surface here.

 

[MaxVelocity]

I agree in that I try to keep my potential battles to a minimum and use only Motorcraft oil and filters.

 

[Mark S.]

If there has been an oil change with different oil and that district manager sees any form of sludge or varnish he will deny the claim or only pay a portion of it. That puts the customer into the corner because once the DM says no there is no one else really to reach out to.

Fair point; you want to avoid getting into such a situation in the first place if possible. But I wouldn't allow caution to trump logic.

If you are using an oil that meets Ford's spec--a part of which specifies varnish and sludge production--and changing it per the recommended schedule, the likelihood of accumulating enough varnish or sludge in significant quantity to affect engine operation is vanishingly small, otherwise you'll get the same varnish and sludge no matter what kind of oil you use, including Motorcraft.

I'm not, nor have I ever been a service manager, so I can only go on what I read about online. The only cases I know where a manufacturer denied warranty coverage related to oil involved people running the engine without oil, using a grossly wrong grade or specification, not following the recommended service schedule, or simply never actually changing the oil (one case I recall the owner brought the car in for a warranty claim near the end of his warranty coverage and was still running on the factory oil!). Do you recall any cases where warranty was denied because the owner didn't use the recommended oil brand? This is specifically the kind of behavior the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act was meant to address.

Aside from the potential civil liabilities, the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act imposes significant fines on manufacturers that deny a warranty claim without a cause. In addition, the Act automatically awards attorney's fees to successful plaintiffs in civil cases. All this is to say there are strong incentives for manufacturers not to deny warranty coverage unless they have a good reason. I'm skeptical that a bit of varnish and sludge that might be present even if the recommended oil is used would pass muster.

 

[RSH]

I dont change my own oil anymore, I go to the dealer and avoid the overall hassle, if something goes wrong it's on them.

 

[Colt]

Fair point; you want to avoid getting into such a situation in the first place if possible. But I wouldn't allow caution to trump logic.

If you are using an oil that meets Ford's spec--a part of which specifies varnish and sludge production--and changing it per the recommended schedule, the likelihood of accumulating enough varnish or sludge in significant quantity to affect engine operation is vanishingly small, otherwise you'll get the same varnish and sludge no matter what kind of oil you use, including Motorcraft.

I'm not, nor have I ever been a service manager, so I can only go on what I read about online. The only cases I know where a manufacturer denied warranty coverage related to oil involved people running the engine without oil, using a grossly wrong grade or specification, not following the recommended service schedule, or simply never actually changing the oil (one case I recall the owner brought the car in for a warranty claim near the end of his warranty coverage and was still running on the factory oil!). Do you recall any cases where warranty was denied because the owner didn't use the recommended oil brand? This is specifically the kind of behavior the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act was meant to address.

Aside from the potential civil liabilities, the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act imposes significant fines on manufacturers that deny a warranty claim without a cause. In addition, the Act automatically awards attorney's fees to successful plaintiffs in civil cases. All this is to say there are strong incentives for manufacturers not to deny warranty coverage unless they have a good reason. I'm skeptical that a bit of varnish and sludge that might be present even if the recommended oil is used would pass muster.

I agree that any oil may leave the same sludge or varnish it just leaves the manufacturer an opening to deny a warranty. I went on a field trip with GM to a refinery in Casper Wyoming. That is where Goodwrench motor oil was bottled at the time. As the bottles came down a conveyor and were filled the GM bottles were replaced by another brand being filled immediately. I quietly asked the guy on the tour if there was a difference in the oil between the 2 different bottles. He said no that they bottled for several companies that used a different detergent recipe but most all got the same formula. Not only that but we bought in bulk that was pumped into a 500-gallon tank. It was authorized by GM as Goodwrench oil but that same delivery truck delivered to some quick lubes and it got changed to whatever brand they were selling. It all came out of the same spicket.

 

[sajohnson]

Bronco Sport How to oil change

I just posted this video on youtube.

Excellent video Colt/Dale. Very well done! That will reduce the number of times I have to slide out from under the Badlands.

I appreciate you showing all of the part numbers.

Because I'm feeling lazy, one additional bit of info that would be helpful is the torque specs -- if you know them without looking them up. I'm sure they are easy enough to find though.

Great job on the video, thank you.

 

[sajohnson]

Good video. One correction:

You may confidently use any oil you like as long as it meets the spec called out in the Owner's Manual. For the 2.0L that's any 5W30 that conforms to the API SP standard. Ford cannot deny warranty coverage for not using Motorcraft oil--that's against the law. Which law? The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act.

I'm with you on this -- in fact I've posted similar comments about Magnuson-Moss over the decades.

That said, Colt makes a good point, which is essentially, don't give them any ammo.

So here's where I do my best Reggie Watts impersonation (Late, Late Show band) -- "You're both absolutely correct!"

There is solid justification for either course of action -- exercise your rights under Magnuson-Moss and use any oil (and filter) you want (as long as they meet Ford's specs); or, try to preemptively reduce the chance of any hassles from the dealer/DM/Ford and use FoMoCo oil and filters.

Personally, I'm using the Motorcraft filter because a) it is said to be a quality filter and I have no solid preference anyway, b) they are reasonably priced, and c) in the extremely unlikely chance we have engine problems, it's one less thing they can use as an excuse to weasel out of honoring their warranty.

For oil, I'm living life on the edge and using Mobil 1. I've used it for years, it is not very expensive (esp when on sale at Costco), and it's cheap insurance. I have no doubt that Ford's synthetic blend is fine, but if it is like most 'blends' it is only around 20% synthetic. For the same amount of money it makes sense to go with 100% 5W30 synthetic.

Technically, it satisfies Ford's requirements, but if they really wanted to grasp at straws they could try to claim that Mobil 1 is not equivalent to their "special proprietary" blend. See EDIT below. VVV

Bottom line (just speaking for myself) I've used a variety of filters over the past 45+ years --even the dreaded Fram. I've used a variety of oils, starting with conventional oil (because synthetic was not readily available and/or too expensive) and for the past 30+ years, synthetic of various brands (mostly Mobil 1). I have never, not once, had any engine trouble related to the oil and/or filters -- that's over hundreds of thousands of miles, and often running the vehicles hard.

In short, while I've always been pretty OCD about oil changes, and I'm not about to stop now, in my (admittedly anecdotal) experience cars and trucks fall apart long before the engine goes. Every car I've gotten rid of had high miles and multiple problems, but they all still ran great and burned very little oil.

So I'm not worried about the engine in the Badlands blowing up, but I would not do something like using an unapproved viscosity oil (e.g. 10W30) that would give Ford any leverage -- in the very rare chance that something might happen.

EDIT: I posted this before I realized that Mobil 1 5W30 API-SP DOES have Ford 961-A1 approval -- FWIW.

 

[FakeCowboy]

I'm with you on this -- in fact I've posted similar comments about Magnuson-Moss over the decades.

That said, Colt makes a good point, which is essentially, don't give them any ammo.

So here's where I do my best Reggie Watts impersonation (Late, Late Show band) -- "You're both absolutely correct!"

There is solid justification for either course of action -- exercise your rights under Magnuson-Moss and use any oil (and filter) you want (as long as they meet Ford's specs); or, try to preemptively reduce the chance of any hassles from the dealer/DM/Ford and use FoMoCo oil and filters.

Personally, I'm using the Motorcraft filter because a) it is said to be a quality filter and I have no solid preference anyway, b) they are reasonably priced, and c) in the extremely unlikely chance we have engine problems, it's one less thing they can use as an excuse to weasel out of honoring their warranty.

For oil, I'm living life on the edge and using Mobil 1. I've used it for years, it is not very expensive (esp when on sale at Costco), and it's cheap insurance. I have no doubt that Ford's synthetic blend is fine, but if it is like most 'blends' it is only around 20% synthetic. For the same amount of money it makes sense to go with 100% 5W30 synthetic.

Technically, it satisfies Ford's requirements, but if they really wanted to grasp at straws they could try to claim that Mobil 1 is not equivalent to their "special proprietary" blend.

Bottom line (just speaking for myself) I've used a variety of filters over the past 45+ years --even the dreaded Fram. I've used a variety of oils, starting with conventional oil (because synthetic was not readily available and/or too expensive) and for the past 30+ years, synthetic of various brands (mostly Mobil 1). I have never, not once, had any engine trouble related to the oil and/or filters -- that's over hundreds of thousands of miles, and often running the vehicles hard.

In short, while I've always been pretty OCD about oil changes, and I'm not about to stop now, in my (admittedly anecdotal) experience cars and trucks fall apart long before the engine goes. Every car I've gotten rid of had high miles and multiple problems, but they all still ran great and burned very little oil.

So I'm not worried about the engine in the Badlands blowing up, but I would not do something like using an unapproved viscosity oil (e.g. 10W30) that would give Ford any leverage -- in the very rare chance that something might happen.

Sorry to say but Mobil 1 does not technically satisfy Ford's requirements. If I were you I would double check the specs on your Mobil 1 if you purchased it from Costco but even Mobil's own website will not recommend Mobil 1 for anything other than the 1.5L engine. Ford updated their oil spec requirements to help abate low speed preignition issues as well as to help with timing chain guide wear and many oils out there currently do not meet these specs. This is something people should keep in mind when doing their own oil changes.

 

[sajohnson]

Sorry to say but Mobil 1 does not technically satisfy Ford's requirements. If I were you I would double check the specs on your Mobil 1 if you purchased it from Costco but even Mobil's own website will not recommend Mobil 1 for anything other than the 1.5L engine. Ford updated their oil spec requirements to help abate low speed preignition issues as well as to help with timing chain guide wear and many oils out there currently do not meet these specs. This is something people should keep in mind when doing their own oil changes.

Thanks for the heads up -- I'll check it out.

<Later> I'm confused because this 5W30 Mobil 1 meets API-SP but the Ford approval # does not match what is in my owner's manual:
https://www.mobil.com/en-pis/passenger-vehicle-lube/pds/ap-xx-mobil-1-5w30

I could understand if it was API-SN (say), but I've never heard of an auto mfr requiring not only a certain viscosity and API category, but also only certain *brands* of oil with that spec.

Is that the situation? We can't buy any 5W30 API-SP, it has to be specific mfrs?

You wrote:

"Ford updated their oil spec requirements to help abate low speed preignition issues as well as to help with timing chain guide wear and many oils out there currently do not meet these specs."

That's definitely true, but my understanding is that any API-SP oil does what you listed -- "...help abate low speed preignition issues as well as to help with timing chain guide wear...".

EDIT: I re-checked the page I linked to above and realize the reason for the confusion -- that oil is NOT API-SP, it is API-SN+. I have no idea why I thought it was SP.

So IOW, 'Never mind'.

 

[sajohnson]

There are 5 flavors of Mobil1 5W30 listed at the "Product Guide" link on this page that have the correct Ford service fill approval (xxx 961-A1):
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-personal-vehicles/our-products/products/mobil-1-5w-30

 

[FakeCowboy]

There are 5 flavors of Mobil1 5W30 listed at the "Product Guide" link on this page that have the correct Ford service fill approval (xxx 961-A1):
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-personal-vehicles/our-products/products/mobil-1-5w-30

I believe only the extended performance meets Ford's spec for the 2.0 in your badlands. The normal Mobil 1 (the only type sold at Costco) does not meet that spec. I highlighted the specific spec straight out of your owner's manual. You need to look at the data sheet for whatever oil you choose or the bottle to make sure it meets that specific WSS requirement

 

[Mark S.]

Sorry to say but Mobil 1 does not technically satisfy Ford's requirements. If I were you I would double check the specs on your Mobil 1 if you purchased it from Costco but even Mobil's own website will not recommend Mobil 1 for anything other than the 1.5L engine. Ford updated their oil spec requirements to help abate low speed preignition issues as well as to help with timing chain guide wear and many oils out there currently do not meet these specs. This is something people should keep in mind when doing their own oil changes.

It's precisely this kind of (intentional?) confusion that prompted passage of the Magnuson-Moss Act. Manufacturers are expressly forbidden from "tie-in" sales provisions that state or imply that a consumer must buy or use an item or service from a particular company to keep their warranty intact. The "specification" listed in the manual is a Ford specification, not an industry specification, and under the act Ford cannot require you to use it. This is why your owner's manual contains the following statement under the section titled, "Oil Capacity and Specication."

We recommend Motorcraft motor oil for your vehicle. If Motorcraft oil is not available, use motor oils of the recommended viscosity grade that meet API SP requirements and display the API Certification Mark for gasoline engines.

The highlighted section in the above quote defines the oil requirement for warranty purposes. If it's an API-certified 5W20 oil that meets API's SP standard then Ford cannot deny warranty coverage. Any attempt to do so by Ford would be a violation of Federal law.

 

[sajohnson]

I believe only the extended performance meets Ford's spec for the 2.0 in your badlands. The normal Mobil 1 (the only type sold at Costco) does not meet that spec. I highlighted the specific spec straight out of your owner's manual. You need to look at the data sheet for whatever oil you choose or the bottle to make sure it meets that specific WSS requirement

That's exactly what I did -- looked at the Mobil 1 data sheet, and found five types that meet the WSS requirement.

The Mobil PDF I linked to above lists 5 types of Mobil 1 5W30 that meet the Ford "spec" (xxx 961-A1) listed in the owner's manual: Truck & SUV; Mobil 1; Mobil 1 High Mileage; Extended Performance; and Extended Performance High Mileage.

As for whether any of those are currently sold at Costco, I have no idea. I mentioned Costco in my previous post because I have purchased Mobil 1 there over the years, and their sale price is an example of how inexpensive it can be (compared to other oils, even conventional).

If Costco has it, great. If not, it doesn't matter to me where I buy it (locally or online). It's nice to know there are 5 options within the Mobil 1 line.

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