2009 Ford Flex Tranny Fluid change

[mva]

I am planning to help my brother do a 90,000 KM service this weekend. The ford stealer quoted $1,200 and one item was a transmission service for $300.

I think he has a 6F50 transmission. What fluid is required? Mercon V? From my google search it looks like there is a drain plug on the tranny; I am planning to just do a drain and fill.

Is the filter even servicable on this tranny?

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: mva
I am planning to help my brother do a 90,000 KM service this weekend. The ford stealer quoted $1,200 and one item was a transmission service for $300.

I think he has a 6F50 transmission. What fluid is required? Mercon V? From my google search it looks like there is a drain plug on the tranny; I am planning to just do a drain and fill.

Is the filter even servicable on this tranny?


I'm going to be doing the same thing soon on the 6F50 in my 08 Taurus X. I'm planning to use Maxlife ATF. My research indicates that a drain can result in 4.5 to 5.5 quarts coming out, so actually measuring the amount drained and refilling with that amount is a must.

 

[Jay1981]

I would HIGHLY recommend not using maxlife as it is a DexronIII/Mercon. The newer fords require Mercon V or Mercon LV and the older DexIII/mercon is not compatable. With as much as a transmission costs, use what the owners manual says.

 

[AITG]

Originally Posted By: T4R
With as much as a transmission costs, use what the owners manual says.


This one sentence should be a sticky and required reading to open the ATF, Diff section.

Unfortunately, specs change over the years. Dex III for example.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Merc V won't work in an LV trans IIRC.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: T4R
I would HIGHLY recommend not using maxlife as it is a DexronIII/Mercon. The newer fords require Mercon V or Mercon LV and the older DexIII/mercon is not compatable. With as much as a transmission costs, use what the owners manual says.

 

[KrisZ]

$1200?

That's one heck of a glorified motor and tranny oil change! I would hope that there is more than this and a bunch of inspections.

But I presume that your brother has the owner's manual, if not download it. It's a good start as far as type of fluids and capacities go. I wouldn't trust google alone.

 

[mva]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
$1200?

That's one heck of a glorified motor and tranny oil change! I would hope that there is more than this and a bunch of inspections.


Yes it is just fluids (not including coolant), filters and new spark plugs.

Here is the actual quote for the service:

 

[Jay1981]

I stand corrected then. I dont recall seeing those specs on the bottle. I also thought it was a syn blend, like the maxlife motor oil, apparently it is synthetic though. At my local autozone, the maxlife atf gallon jug was about a dollar less than their brand, right around $16 i think.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Looks like they're doing a lot of visual checks, and a lot of it is redundant.

 

[RF Overlord]

Wow...that's a really sweet plan if the intended result is to inspect and clean your wallet.

- Replace engine oil and filter - $54.53
- Perform Premium oil service - $12.42

So $66.95 for an oil change...are they installing SynLube-4-Life?

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
Wow...that's a really sweet plan if the intended result is to inspect and clean your wallet.



Yep, this is why they get the deserved name of
STEALERSHIPS.

80 bucks to change a cabin filter?

300 bucks to replace the trans fluid/

You do NOT need the fuel system cleaning service.
Especially when it means all they do is dump a bottle of techron into the gas tank most likely.

The only thing I see that looks legit is the brake fluid replacement, and that is expensive too.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: mva
I am planning to help my brother do a 90,000 KM service this weekend. The ford stealer quoted $1,200 and one item was a transmission service for $300.

I think he has a 6F50 transmission. What fluid is required? Mercon V? From my google search it looks like there is a drain plug on the tranny; I am planning to just do a drain and fill.

Is the filter even servicable on this tranny?


Sadly this is typical stealership practice.

DO NOT TRUST THEM. Read the manual, it has the exact mileages recommended for service as specified by Ford. Follow that only and exactly!

I just had this happen to a friend with a new Nissan. She called me from the waiting room and outlined the HUGE list of services the stealer was recommending for her new Altima with only 8k miles on it. It was like 500 bucks!!!

Typical and so sad in these hard financial times to take advantage of your clients...

 

[tnt31]

Clean Battery Terminals and Install Anti-Corrosion Pads - $39.95

I understand overhead and making some profit but holy cow

 

[mva]

Ok, my brother and I did all the work today. From what I can tell much of the list was bogus - maybe a ford mechanic can set me straight if I am wrong.

Tranny - filter is not servicable without removing the tranny. This tranny has no pan. We did a drain and fill (4.75 litres) which was very easy since it has a drain plug. The manual does not call for any tranny fluid changes at all.

Power steering - sucked out the resevior and refilled with about a cup of tranny fluid.

A 5 litre jug of Maxlife ATF (Mercon V compatible) was the perfect amount for both the tranny and power steering fluid change.

Dumped 2 bottles of fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank. Fuel filter is lifetime and not serviceble or called for to change in the manual.

Changed the air filter - the 2009 Flex has no cabin filter.

Removed and cleaned the battery terminals and added anti-corrosion pads.

Spark Plugs - this job was pretty major and worth having done at the dealer since we had to pull the intake manifold off to access the back 3 plugs. Gapped and installed new Motorcraft plugs. The old plugs looked fine but the gaps were pretty big.

We changed the PCV valve since we had good access to it with the intake manifold off.

Changed oil with VWB 5W20.

Lubed the door locks, hinges and latches.

His coolant was changed a year ago due to a cooling system problem. And we did not do anything with the brake fluid since he recently had the brakes redone.

It looks to me like Ford has designed this vehicle for minimal routine maintenance but the dealer is taking it upon themselves to over inflate the maintenance requirements. My brother should be good now for at least the next 2 years with oil changes only.

Total cost was $125 for materials.