PSA: oil change on FX4 Maverick requires skid plate panels removal

[villageidiot]

i like taking the panel completely off when i change oil as it gives a chance to have a look around, see if theres any weeps/seeps/leaks, check things, give the axles a wiggle, etc.

i change my oil and rotate my tires every 4000 miles, and it allows me to check it all out, check brakes, blow out the dust from calipers, etc. for me an oil change is not just and oil change its a service and inspection, as thats how I've done it the last 20+ years as a mechanic.

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[ugot2know]

Thank for this info. I have ramps and change my oil in my 2 Toyota's. I have not owned Ford for quite awhile.
Do I need any special filter tools to change the oil ?

 

[ColoradoShooter]

Thank for this info. I have ramps and change my oil in my 2 Toyota's. I have not owned Ford for quite awhile.
Do I need any special filter tools to change the oil ?

I don’t know which model Toyota that you have, but I’ve got a Tacoma w/the 4.0L V-6 and it uses the same part number oil filter as my wife’s 2.0EB in her Fusion. Makes inventory easy.

 

[kingranchero]

Skid plate must be removed to access drain plug and filter. Same process as the Bronco Sport Badlands.

 

[Barefootdan]

Oil filter up there is probably why subarus get blown headgasket all the time. lol

Subarus don’t haven’t had head gasket issues since the early 2000s. And back then the oil filter wasn’t in the bay like the photo. The newer models are fine. I think Subaru gave us the easy oil filter since they knew changing spark plugs is a huge PITA as the trade off

 

[Jukebox Nero]

Skid plate must be removed to access drain plug and filter. Same process as the Bronco Sport Badlands.

Thanks for the insider reply on this, though I wish the answer would have been an access panel.

 

[04mach146]

Skid plate must be removed to access drain plug and filter. Same process as the Bronco Sport Badlands.

I'm curious is it a two piece skid plate or 1? I'

 

[thunaman]

Ok Gents, I have taken delivery of my FX4 Maverick today, I can confirm you will need to remove a panel that runs the full width of the truck, and about 6-8” “deep” from the bumper to the main skid plate. The rest of the skid plate is a single piece that covers the rest of the engine bay. I will take some photos tomorrow and get them posted so you can see for yourselves.

 

[vezpa]

Get out your dremels and cut your access panel. So stupid. This is so basic. Even the old Chevy S10 ZR2 blazers and pickups had access panels on the skidplates 20 years ago. Maybe the aftermarket will fix this and offer a skidplate with access panel. I cut a hole in the skidplate on my Mazda 3 to access the filter and drainplug. Screw taking it off everytime.

 

[shark978]

How do the oil change places react to that?

They can probably do it quick because of all the tools they have, up in the air, power wrenches all day etc.

 

[shark978]

i like taking the panel completely off when i change oil as it gives a chance to have a look around, see if theres any weeps/seeps/leaks, check things, give the axles a wiggle, etc.

i change my oil and rotate my tires every 4000 miles, and it allows me to check it all out, check brakes, blow out the dust from calipers, etc. for me an oil change is not just and oil change its a service and inspection, as thats how I've done it the last 20+ years as a mechanic.

Another crazy person killing the environment with all that discarded oil usage (slight sarcasm). It's just superstition at this point. I believe new Rangers ford recommends changing every 10k miles at first and then every 20k miles. Stop and process that. And that's the manufacturer, so the realistic need is surely even less as the manufacturer will err on the side of caution. I went to annual oil changes on my 08 Canyon years ago. I drive about 12k miles per year. Engine is approaching 140k miles and still purring. I do use synthetic and pay a few extra bucks for the 15k miles rated oil filter.

But if I want to play with it, 4k miles is way too long! I change my oil every trip to the grocery store. Cant be too careful!

 

[shark978]

Oil filter up there is probably why subarus get blown headgasket all the time. lol

Dont Suburas have the highest customer satisfaction/retention in the industry, just ahead of toyota? Lol.

 

[docwatson]

Another crazy person killing the environment with all that discarded oil usage (slight sarcasm).

Don't worry it gets recycled

 

[Stevospeedo]

Dont Suburas have the highest customer satisfaction/retention in the industry, just ahead of toyota? Lol.

Says more about the type of people who buy those brands then it does about the actual vehicles. Plus auto press fawn over those two in particular like crazy. I find both brands to be very small and uncomfortable inside and would never consider buying one simply for that reason.

 

[ledger9427]

Putting an access panel in to make oil changes easier doesn't make Ford more money, that's the bottom line. As annoying as it will be to take on and off, I will still do it twice a year.

It's about ease of manufacturing, not ease of maintenance.

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