Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history??

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Mon 20 Jun 2016 10:29
Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history?? - Rockhopperst4

My car was sold to me (not from a Ford dealer) with a "Full dealership history" and indeed the service book is fully stamped up to 38k. At 37.5k the Powershift fluid should have been changed but the Ford garage who did the service have confirmed in writing that they actaully did a 50k service at which the fluid change is not done. If i hadn't enquired I wouldn't have got the fluid changed for another 38k miles which wouldn't be good for the health of the box.

Have I any comeback against the Ford garage who did the service for not writing in the service book that the fluid hadn't been changed as is required by the official Ford service schedule or should I just suck it up and pay for the fluid change myself?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 20 Jun 2016 11:18
Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history?? - RobJP

No, you haven't got any comeback.

The clue is that the gearbox oil 'should' be changed at a certain age / mileage. It is recommended - not mandatory. It can be an expensive job, so a lot of owners / lease companies don't bother with it. There is no obligation on the part of the servicing dealer to note exactly what jobs were not done, just that a service was carried out.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 20 Jun 2016 11:31
Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history?? - RT

That's almost certainly an additional task/charge to the normal service schedule - it's only normal services that need/get a stamp.

Some brands have a separate page for transmission oil, brake fluid, etc of just a series of tick boxes to show what was changed.

I've had conventional automatics with no fluid change ever required - but a recommendation to do so at 40,000 miles!

Edited by RT on 20/06/2016 at 11:31

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 20 Jun 2016 11:51
Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history?? - Rockhopperst4

Well I wrote "should" but the Ford service schedule for the 37.5k service doesn't say its optional, its listed in exactly the same way the engine oil change is listed.

"Automatic transmission Renew fluid and filter "

So what this actually means is that a "full dealer history" isn't worth the paper its written on!

Edited by Rockhopperst4 on 20/06/2016 at 11:51

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 20 Jun 2016 12:13
Ford Focus TDCI Powershift - Full service history?? - gordonbennet

The term full dealer history sounds good, but unless you see specific receipted or service dept print out evidence of the expensive things like cambelt and tranmission fluid changes, or know the previous owner, its probably best to assume such things haven't been done.

Ironically things may might have gone the other way on in depth servicing like correct brake servicing and such fluid changes for some of us used buyers, where a car that has been regularly serviced at a (marque/country specialist indy) might have a more checkable and worthwhile history than some main dealers, some of us have more faith in such indies than we do some dealerships.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide