Coolant change - when to do it

[kps713]

This week I had the IPM rollaway recall fix done on my 2024 FLASH Lightning. The service advisor jokingly asked if I wanted an oil change but then continued on and said that I will need a coolant change at 30,000 miles and it will be pricey. My response was - no thanks - the coolant doesn't need to be changed until 200,000 miles. The service advisor continued the discussion and said that since I am in the Phoenix area that the coolant is stressed and thus needs to be changed at 30,000 miles. I said - let's call the BEV team and get their recommendation. His response was - Well it's your truck. This seems to me to be high pressure guilt attempting to be applied for a service that really isn't needed. Yes, I do live in the Phoenix area and yes it gets hot here. However, I do not believe the coolant in my Lightning is stressed anywhere near how the coolant is stressed on ICE trucks which do need the coolant changed more often. Personally, I might be willing to do a coolant flush at 100,000 miles due to the heat of Arizona but not at 30,000 miles. However, the guilt trip that the service advisor placed on me has taken me to the point where I want to hear from others in this forum of when an Arizona Lightning owner should consider a coolant flush. I should also mention that I do no towing with my Lightning so it is just normal stress and I do very little driving in the heat of the day.

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[PA Lightning]

 

[Zprime29]

I have zero plans to change the coolant early.

@Ford Motor Company This is what I was talking about in my survey response. Ford needs to start holding their independent representatives accountable. A lot of business have a Fraud, Waste, and Abuse program for employees to report shenanigans. It would be great if Ford opened a FWA hotline for reporting dealerships that are being stupid, greedy, and negligent.

 

[brirr76]

This week I had the IPM rollaway recall fix done on my 2024 FLASH Lightning. The service advisor jokingly asked if I wanted an oil change but then continued on and said that I will need a coolant change at 30,000 miles and it will be pricey. My response was - no thanks - the coolant doesn't need to be changed until 200,000 miles. The service advisor continued the discussion and said that since I am in the Phoenix area that the coolant is stressed and thus needs to be changed at 30,000 miles. I said - let's call the BEV team and get their recommendation. His response was - Well it's your truck. This seems to me to be high pressure guilt attempting to be applied for a service that really isn't needed. Yes, I do live in the Phoenix area and yes it gets hot here. However, I do not believe the coolant in my Lightning is stressed anywhere near how the coolant is stressed on ICE trucks which do need the coolant changed more often. Personally, I might be willing to do a coolant flush at 100,000 miles due to the heat of Arizona but not at 30,000 miles. However, the guilt trip that the service advisor placed on me has taken me to the point where I want to hear from others in this forum of when an Arizona Lightning owner should consider a coolant flush. I should also mention that I do no towing with my Lightning so it is just normal stress and I do very little driving in the heat of the day.

Copied from official ford maintenance schedule. That is definitely high-pressure guilt trip from the dealer!

2024 Ford F-150 Lightning®
Maintenance Schedule
Every 10,000 Miles
At 40,000 Miles, Then Every 20,000 Miles
• Inspect brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, brake linings, hoses, and
parking brake.
• Inspect half-shaft boots.
• Inspect steering linkage, ball joints, suspension, tie-rod ends, drive shaft,
and U-joints. Lubricate if equipped with grease fittings.
• Inspect the wheels and related components for abnormal noise, wear,
looseness, or drag.
• Perform multi-point inspection.
• Rotate tires, inspect tire wear, and measure tread depth.
• Inspect cooling system level and strength.
• Replace cabin air filter, if equipped.
• Perform regular maintenance points outlined above.

At 200,000 Miles
• Change the coolant
• Perform all regular maintenance points outlined above.

 

[chriserx]

If living/operating the truck in anything but normal testing conditions would cause a maintenance change, it would've been noted in the manual, just like it is for ICE operating in dusty conditions. It wasn't. But like BEV said, it's your truck.

 

[MountainAlive]

Wow 200k miles. I was thinking it was like 60k or something. Amazing.

 

[chriserx]

Wow 200k miles. I was thinking it was like 60k or something. Amazing.

When you really think about it, heat is the enemy. In an ICE, it's operating at the boiling point of water, hence the coolant which raises that point. BEVs are around 75C max? Much higher than that with these batteries, your gonna have a bad time.

 

[Grumpy2]

From my reading, the only Ford Maintenance needs to be doing is checking the strength of the coolant every 10k miles (using 20+ year old simple bulb tester?) otherwise leave it alone and sealed.

 

[TaxmanHog]

From my reading, the only Ford Maintenance needs to be doing is checking the strength of the coolant every 10k miles (using 20+ year old simple bulb tester?) otherwise leave it alone and sealed.

And the Ph test kit.

 

[Mal106]

Stress on coolant in an EV is orders of magnitude less than in an ICE vehicle. At first glance just the normal operating temperature is far less. This results in far less interaction with air. More important is the point source temperatures. Local temperatures in ICE vehicles are ridiculously high and likely not even known.

This is just another example of ICE characteristics being assumed applicable to EVs.

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