Maintenance Cost Estimates

[Jason Riberdy]

I am trying to figure out what the maintenance cost will be (approx) for my new 2014 Fusion Hybrid. I will be doing between 35K-50K miles a year. Does anyone know? Also how long do these hybrid batteries generally last?

[hybridbear]

I am trying to figure out what the maintenance cost will be (approx) for my new 2014 Fusion Hybrid. I will be doing between 35K-50K miles a year. Does anyone know? Also how long do these hybrid batteries generally last?

The HVB (High Voltage Battery) should last the life of the car. It needs no maintenance.

 

As far as other maintenance costs, consult your Owner's Manual for a list of recommend routine maintenance services and intervals. Don't go by what a dealer might tell you, they're only concerned with making profits at your expense. The hybrid needs very little maintenance. Maintenance costs will be much lower than a comparable gas-only vehicle. Since the ICE runs less often there is less wear & tear on the ICE, coolant, oil, etc. Since the electric motor does most of the braking there is little wear & tear on brake pads & rotors. The eCVT is not at all like a conventional transmission, it is a very simple and elegant machine and its fluid doesn't need changing as often as tranny fluid in a conventional automatic, CVT or manual transmission.

[GrySql]

As mentioned, the FFH is different than other cars, Ford suggests inspections at 10,000 mile intervals.
This is an inspection but at some of them Ford expects you to install various filters, change the oil, etc.
Log on to your Sync (or Ford Owner) account and find the website's Fusion Hybrid Maintenance Schedule (under the 'Vehicle Basics' tab), it has a sliding bar at every 10k miles to show you exactly what is inspected and should be changed.

Remember, the gas engine only runs about 1/3-1/2 of the time, so at 10k miles the ICE has only 5,000+/- miles of use.

The only parts that Ford recommends changing on the FFH on a regular basis are:
Engine oil and filter - 10k miles
Cabin Air Filter - 20k miles
Engine air filter - 30k miles
Spark plugs - 100k miles
Orange coolant - 100k miles
There can be a chassis lubrication as needed. Replacing these parts will cost for installation and the parts.

 

Tires are also checked and will need replacement but no mileage figure is given from Ford.

Edited April 7, 2014 by GrySql

[Jason Riberdy]

Thank you so much for your help!

[jeff_h]

The only parts that Ford recommends changing on the FFH on a regular basis are:

Engine oil and filter - 10k miles

Cabin Air Filter - 20k miles

Engine air filter - 30k miles

Spark plugs - 100k miles

Orange coolant - 100k miles

There can be a chassis lubrication as needed. Replacing these parts will cost for installation and the parts.

This is close to what I did on my 2010 FFH and I drove about as many miles as the OP:

2009 - 19,700 (got it on Jul 1)

2010 - 41,100

2011 - 42,400

2012 - 41,700

2013 - 500 (got the 2013 FFH on Jan 8th)

 

Engine oil and filter - 10k miles (did mine every 5k but I'm OCD about oil changes)

Cabin Air Filter - 20k miles (did mine every 60k as I'm not OCD about cabin air filters)

Engine air filter - 30k miles (did mine about every 25k)

Spark plugs - 100k miles (yup)

Orange coolant - 100k miles (they added coolant at 67k as it was low enough to gurgle but never leaked or burned from what I could tell, so I let this go and it is still fine at 177k and the hoses are still good)

There can be a chassis lubrication as needed. (maybe so but I never got it done)

 

Only thing to add to the above list was that I got the engine belt replaced every 50k

[acdii]

$320 for 100K miles for oil changes. That's 10 changes at $32 which is about what I pay including taxes.

 

$800 for tires.

 

Rough estimate, maybe $120 for the coolant change.

 

Plugs can be changed by yourself, real easy to do. $40 for really good plugs.

[hybridbear]

If you watch for coupons you can get oil changes at quickie-lube places for $19.99 or less plus tax & shop supplies in Minneapolis still. Figure $25 out-the-door and you've just saved another $70 over 100k miles ;)

[inco]

If you watch for coupons you can get oil changes at quickie-lube places for $19.99 or less plus tax & shop supplies in Minneapolis still. Figure $25 out-the-door and you've just saved another $70 over 100k miles ;)

 

Quickie-lube joints worry me and I will not use them. They have great prices for a reason - their overhead is low and usually their turnover of staff is high. Unless I know the people and know they will stand behind their work, I will not use them. Ever had an oil pan plug put in improperly. I did years ago - lesson learned, and now I have been using the same garage for over 30 years because I trust them and their prices are always competitive.

 

Oil changes are the best thing you can do for your engine to help it last - and as that commercial you sometimes hear says ' don't open your hood to strangers'.

Edited April 9, 2014 by inco

[hybridbear]

 

Quickie-lube joints worry me and I will not use them. They have great prices for a reason - their overhead is low and usually their turnover of staff is high. Unless I know the people and know they will stand behind their work, I will not use them. Ever had an oil pan plug put in improperly. I did years ago - lesson learned, and now I have been using the same garage for over 30 years because I trust them and their prices are always competitive.

 

Oil changes are the best thing you can do for your to help it last - and as that commercial you sometimes hear says ' don't open your hood to strangers'.

I agree with you 100%! That's why I choose to change my own oil. For about $20 incl tax I can get 5 qts of oil plus a filter from a local auto parts store on sale and in about 30 minutes I can change my own oil. I would never go to a quickie-lube place either. But that's the cheapest option for someone who doesn't change their own oil. And I don't trust the 18 yr old kid at the dealership in the Express Lane changing oil either. I've watched them and their focus 100% is on speed. They're timed and they're supposed to get cars in and out in under 15 mins. At one dealership they have a big TV screen showing how long the car has been in each bay and the time is green under 15 minutes, then yellow if it takes between 15 & 20 minutes and red if the car takes longer than 20 minutes. That kind of time pressure leads to mistakes and poor quality work.

[acdii]

The 29.99 I pay includes tire rotation, so well worth it to me.

[corncobs]

The 29.99 I pay includes tire rotation, so well worth it to me.

And it's called "The Works" and I just received my $10 VISA rebate card from my last service trip. :)

[jeff_h]

The 29.99 I pay includes tire rotation, so well worth it to me.

 

That's a really good deal... I have always changed my own, as in most cases it saves money but also gives me a chance to take 2 minutes and get a good look underneath for any leaks (oil, transmission, brake calipers, etc) or other things that don't look right - I don't have much confidence that the quick-change guy who is on the clock to hurry up (as noted above) would be as attentive to seeing things unrelated to changing the oil.