"special conditions" maintenance schedule

[moneymuse]

Ok, so I have a Ford Edge 08. Dealer gave me the "oil change" package (bunch of free oil changes) and in my owners book wrote I should go in every 6 k for a change, and that was in the book as the regular maintenance schedule.

Went today to get a change at 12km and they told me I was on the "wrong" schedule. I need to be on the "special operating conditions" schedule which is also in my book.  So they told me to wait until 15
16km and come back. She said the special schedule is more frequent (every 3 months) and is necessary because we live in Canada.

What is the deal with this? Is it true?

[HeliDriver]

What does it say in the owner's manual? Usually they spell out the exact criteria for the "special" schedule - trailer towing, operation in dusty conditions, driving in mountanouis terrain, driving in extreme cold, short trips, etc.

If none of those apply to you, then the regular schedule is what Ford recommends. While I'm sure the dealer would love to see you every three months, all you need to do to keep your warranty in good standing is to follow what Ford says in the manual.

If you want my two cents, though, I always follow the special schedule for my cars. Better safe than sorry, IMO, and it's true that the Canadian environment is pretty harsh on vehicles.

[articsteve]

The standard is every 8K km or 6 months.

Taxi use is every 3 months.

If you intend on keeping the car very long term then nothing wrong with 6k km oil changes.

[barrie1]

I can understand the reasons why Ford would want to have you back more often is keep the engine maintained more so in winter. The weather is very harsh on our engines the engines usually idles more then in the summer time. When ideling they do all allow to very small degree's gas to mix with the oil which dilutes it slightly which is what we don't want to happen. Its a money maker for them to some degree as well. If the car is not doing the towing stuff mentioned already then you should be alright on the reg schedule I would think. I do it every around every 5000 miles myself the car as the dash lets me know when its time. 

[PJungnitsch]

I'm skeptical myself. Extra maintenance is a moneymaker for the dealer/oil change shop. The 'Mr Lube' sticker I got yesterday on the work truck was also for 3 months/5000 km despite the expensive synthetic oil I got them to put in. I think they would make it monthly if people would go for it.

My personal truck is on a yearly oil change schedule (with synthetic, mind you) and has had no oil-related issues in over 400,000 km. Oil changes every six months I would consider if I ran conventional oil, had a turbo or sludge prone engine, or spent the entire time in a cloud of dust.

To really know, Blackstone labs does fairly inexpensive tests:

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

[Squishy]

I think Ford has a special schedule for cold weather.  I know I use a severe service schedule on both the Escape and Escort, but I can't remember if it is due to cold weather or dirt roads (or both).

This will be spelled out in the maintenance booklet.  Each severe service schedule has a letter that is displayed next to corresponding service requirements in the schedule, if I remember correctly.

[Honda Owner]

In Canada, always use the extreme service schedule for a vehicle. Our cold winters are hard on cars especially with short trips.

In the example of Chrysler, the "regular" schedule would be practically impossible to use in almost any circumstance. For example, to qualify for the "regular" schedule, all trips would have to be more than 30 km.

[tpl]

Our Fit does 80% short trips. The manual says to follow the "maintenance minder" or once a year. So far this has come up every 8000 Km.    Which has turned out to be once a year.     The car uses no oil between services, the oil is still a mid gold colour after 8000 km ( not that the colour means anything )

The GTi had its first scheduled change at 8000, the next will be at 16000 and the schedule then calls for every 16000... I'll stay at 8000 as that car does a lot of short trips as well.

Honda is dyno 5w-20  GTI is synth 5w-30   VW 505.1  spec. ( I'd use Mobil 1 0w-40 505 spec if I were doing it myself)

I am happy to change the oil every 8000 km in any car.

[slybry]

I change my synthetic oil every 6000 kms regardless of how long it takes. I put few kms on cars so oil changes can be 10 months apart sometimes.

Accord is 2000 and Acura is 1997 with no issues, problems or sludge.

I think every 3 months is a crock.

[Squishy]

I think every 3 months is a crock.

Right, I forgot to add that I disregard any time limits and go by mileage only.  Especially with engine oils, which will go a full year easily unless you have severe fuel dilution issues.

[moneymuse]

OK, thanks for all the feedback. Checked the maintenance book and it says for "special conditions"
-tow a trailer
-carry heavy loads
-delivery or service vehicle
-off-road
-industrial application
-varied driving habits dust and road conditions

That's it. Should mention that I'm on a 4 year lease with this Edge, so I'm not thinking long term. Just don't want to get ripped off by the dealer!

[barrie1]

As long as you can show service records for the car at proper times then you should not have too many issues with it at all by them at the end of the lease. AAs long asyou get the service done by their schedule even if its the lessor one you should be alright I would suspect. 

[Trainman]

Funny that my Forester has only one schedule: requires oil changes at 6,000 kms.  This is shown in the owners manual as the Canadian schedule.  No severe or normal schedules, just the Canadian one.