I'd appreciate some feedback from you gentlemen on a dealer issue

[Bricks]

I had a trans fluid change done in my '06 F250 at 30k by a local dealer who is now out of business. I was reading a thread at another site where a gentleman was questioning whether or not his dealer had put the proper fluid in his 5R110W, as his w/o listed XT 6 DM, which is indeed Mercon SP, the proper fluid. I pulled out my reciept (from May of '08) just out of curiosity and it shows that my fluid was replaced with XT 5 DM, which is Mercon 5, and not compatible with the 5R110W.

The flush was $134 - do you suppose they listed the fluid as XT 5 DM in order to give me a better price? I certainly don't want to take that chance considering the cost of this trans.....

I don't think I should have to pay to get the proper fluid put in, but at the same time I can see where another dealer wouldn't want to do it for nothing.

How would you recommend I proceed on this? If the wrong fluid was put in, I'd like it to be noted that this was as a result of the dealers actions so I don't end up getting the shaft in the event of a transmission failure.

Thanks in advance -

<br /><br /> Transmission: Automatic<br /><br />Drive: 2WD<br /><br /><br /><br /> Transmission: Automatic<br /><br />Drive: 2WD<br /><br /><br /><br /> Year: 2006<br /><br />Make: Ford<br /><br />Model: F250<br /><br />Engine: 6.0<br /><br />Transmission: Automatic<br /><br />Drive: 4WD<br /><br /><br /><br /> Transmission: Automatic<br /><br />Drive: 2WD<br /><br /><br /><br /> Transmission: Automatic<br /><br />Drive: 2WD<br /><br />

 

[blacksnapon]

I'm not going to defend the dealer, but sometimes a "standard" parts entry is made whenever parts are added to a work order. I definately would bring it to the dealers attention. That way, at least your concerns would be documented should something happen. From what I am told, the problem is in the viscosity of the fluids. Merc 5 is higher viscosity than sp. Eventually Ford is going to phase out all fluids and go with mercon LV (low viscosity).

 

[Bricks]

Thanks for the quick come-back, Vince.

Being that the dealership that did the fluid change is no longer in business, I'll have to go to another to see that this is documented.

 

[blacksnapon]

Thanks for the quick come-back, Vince.

Being that the dealership that did the fluid change is no longer in business, I'll have to go to another to see that this is documented.

Kinda makes you wonder why that one is no longer in business, don't it?

 

[Bricks]

They had been there since the late 40's (Downey Ford). All of a sudden about 4 months ago the service department closed, and sales was gone about 2 weeks later.

Neither my dad nor myself ever had an issue with their service department.

I guess life is full of "firsts".

 

[blacksnapon]

They had been there since the late 40's (Downey Ford). All of a sudden about 4 months ago the service department closed, and sales was gone about 2 weeks later.

Neither my dad nor myself ever had an issue with their service department.

I guess life is full of "firsts".

There are a lot of "scores" that Ford looks at. VOC (voice of the customer) is one. They look at sales numbers, warranty numbers, whether or not you are a "competing" dealership, to find out who they want to close down in this "trim the fat" menality. They may have been on the low end of scores for their region.

 

[d-kuzmen]

I can say my dealer would never mark down sp to mercon V price there out to make there money, that being said the service writers don't usually know what fluid goes in what so when you come in for a flush they just write down flush and the tech is the one (hopefully) that'll go back and let them know it's gonna cost more, I tend to run anywhere from 21 to 24 quarts through it at $6 a quart get expensive I beleive the dry fill on those is 19 anyways. You can try smelling your fluid the SP has a odor to it like fricion modifier that goes in a posi-diff, and the 5 tends to smell like regular atf. I would definatly bring it to the dealer to note that and have it on record. Unfortunatly the dealer that did it is closed so there maybe nothing that can accually be done except you paying for a flush with sp (or atleast a drain and fill)...