I am going to be doing most of my own oil/oil filters/fuel filters changes and want to get some ideas other than the obvious of keeping reciepts so that I can document service work and avoid any warranty rejections should they arise.

Is keeping reciepts enough or do I need something to go along with it not knowing what that would be?

 

I keep all my reciepts and I document everything including monthly fuel seperator draining on "Ford Owner Website".

 

I write down the milage and date on the motorcraft filter reciept then staple the reciept for the Rotella T6 oil to it. I would think thats good enough. Shows OEM filter and good grade oil was used in the change. Not much else you can do unless you video every change and that sounds like a little much to me.

 

I keep all my reciepts for the oil, DEF, and filters.
I then keep a log of oil changes in small pocket size notebook in the glove box.


_

 

My documentation is on file with Blackstone labs from my oil change analysis samples.

 

Ditto. I have always logged my home serviced items online. That way it is also in the dealer system and they cannot say anything when the truck needs to go a dealer.

 

Choosing to do your own oil changes might jeopardize your warranty. Buying the oil might not be enough should the engine have a problem. Buying the oil doesn't mean you did the oil change or that it was done properly by a professional. Video recording your oil changes may help but I get my oil changed at the dealership or some other service place so I have a record.

I have a friend who bought new tires for her car. She had her boyfriend rotate them (she says at 10000 kms) but the tires wore out way before the rating. She had problems claiming it because she had no proof the tires were rotated at the 10000 km interval. In the end, she asked me for advice. I told her to see if they would compromise for some of the pro-rate. In the end they did give her 4 new tires for 1/2 price and she learned saving money doing things yourself for your vehicle and the warranty might be tough to claim should you need it.
They...dealerships like to have proof things were done timely and properly.

 

I've never had Ford even ask about when or who about my Oil changes on any of my vehicles. I suspect unless you have a failure that was caused by bad oil, The dealer is not going to even wonder if you did oil changes or who did them for you.

Now if you have an engine sieze up and they open it up and find sludge in place of oil, Then you might have a problem.

Other than that, I suspect just logging the oil change in your book is sufficient and keeping the reciepts in your file at home.

 

Never had a problem and changing your own oil will not jeopardize your warranty. I too like having a record which is on the Ford owner site and why I record it online, have reciepts for the oil and filters as well.

On top of it, I have always had a relationship with the dealer, been open about my mods and its a two way street. I would buy my tires and cars/trucks elsewhere if I were your friend. Sounds like they were just trying to minimize the cost to them.

Now about the "I had a friend" story, I do take my tires in to get rotated by the tire shop but then again its free so why wouldn't I. I have had an issue with tires in the past but they gave me a discount (50% off) due to premature wear.

 

How professional do you have to be to get a job as a oil changer?

 

Or a tire rotater?

 

I have always kept a vehicle log book to include fuel mileage for every fuel tank and all maintenance. I save alot of money doing my own oil changes and simple service items and it is a real pain to take it in and get it done due to work. I just don't want to have someone tell me I am up a creeck cause I did not have it done at the dealership. That is a bunch of crap- I don't trust them half the time anyway. They have cost me a ton of money in screw ups and fixing things that weren't broke. I can't stand to look at them half the time. The more I can do the better.

 

That's definitely up for debate. I'm sure there are plenty of good ones out there, some of them post on this forum. With that said, one of the reasons I do my own maintenance is because I don't trust ALL of the "professionals" to do it correctly. Don't get me started on what went down the first (and only) time I brought it in for the "check coolant additive" light (hint, it involved VC-8).

To the OP, I save receipts, sign off in the owner's manual, and keep a logbook updated with fuel, DEF, repairs, maintenance, etc.

MA

 

Yeah, about the Owners website...

I used Ford's Website for all my cars (all Fords of course) maintenance records. When I started thinking of selling my F-150 two weeks ago I went into the system to print out my service history (thought a prospective buy would want to see it) and found only 8 of the close to 100 entries I had in there. You can see the errors in the pic, some Java coding errors. Its only on my F-150 as the entire history is there for my other cars. I contacted Ford Owners website and they were no help. So be warned...backup those entries into an excel file!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ford has not always been the best at supporting their warranty claims. So what I meant was that if there were any major problems relating to the question of was or were the oil changes done at the proper intervals, Ford might, I said might, question when the oi changes were done??

My friend was accused that the tires were not rotated at the proper intervals because there was no record of it being done. She had no bill and just saying she had her boyfriend do it wasn't enough. She said it was but they didn't believe her without proof. And not all places offer free tire rotations for the life of the tire if purchased from them. I found that out.

So what I am suggesting is that it might be possible that somewhere down the road, doing your own oil changes might have Ford say there is no proof the oil was changed as per the schedule. Just buying oil and filters doesn't mean you changed them in a timely fashion. Personally, I think Ford would have trouble with this because a lot of people change their own oils and it is not rocket science. I do believe from reading forums like this and other forums though that Ford sometimes has warranty issues with their customers. I have one going on right now with my radio problems. I too believe that some of the Dealerships service or technicians forget to do things or simply don't do it. I have had twice where this one dealership changed my oil and then a short time later my "Change Oil Soon" message came on. I checked my oil, it was clean and so I phoned the Dealership up and told them the guy forgot to reset the Oil Life System. Gee, how hard is it that to do and it should be standard. So I just reset it myself but I, the customer should not have to even do that when they changed the oil. So at least if the oil is changed at some garage and there is an invoice, there is proof the maintenance schedule was followed.

Chances are you won't get burned changing the oil yourself but then again, you just may be surprised one day should the question arise by Ford that you can't prove you changed the oil when you should have and Ford thinks that is why there is a problem with the engine. Someone said they recorded it on the Ford website and felt that was safe but then found out only 8 of about 100 entries were lost. That's not good.