Ford maintenance costs: how much will you pay? (2021)

Among 32 car brands, RepairPal ranks Ford’s reliability at 21st.

Ford maintenance costs are higher than the industry average of $652.

Drivers can use extended auto warranties and prepaid maintenance plans to save on Ford ownership costs.

Many drivers praise Ford vehicles for their toughness and versatility. However, your annual Ford maintenance cost will be higher than the industry average, so it’s a good idea to be prepared ahead of time.

In this article, we’ll discuss the true cost of owning a Ford, manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedules, and Ford’s prepaid maintenance plan. For drivers looking to save, an extended warranty can reduce ownership costs over time and keep your auto budget predictable. We’ve reviewed the best extended car warranty companies and will recommend a few industry-leading providers.

Best Extended Warranty

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Average Ford Maintenance Cost

What Determines Ford Maintenance Costs?

Ford’s Prepaid Maintenance Plan

Can a Car Warranty Lower Your Ford Maintenance Cost?

Ford Extended Warranty

Extended Warranty From a Third-Party Provider

Top Recommendations for Extended Car Warranties

Endurance: Best Overall

CARCHEX: Best for Used Cars

Protect My Car: Best Maintenance Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

Average Ford Maintenance Cost

According to RepairPal, Ford drivers pay an average of $775 per year for routine maintenance and unexpected repair costs. This cost is higher than the industry average of $652 per year and reflects Fords’ average reliability ratings and increased chances of severe repairs. However, Ford maintenance costs vary by vehicle model, age, and mileage too.

Here’s a maintenance cost comparison between some popular Ford models:

Ford Model

Average Annual Ford Maintenance Cost*

Ford Fusion

$581

Ford Escape

$600

Ford Ranger

$615

Ford Mustang

$709

Ford Explorer

$732

Ford F-150

$788

Ford Expedition

$861

*Data from RepairPal.

Compared to other commuter brands, Ford vehicles are expensive to maintain. Kia vehicles only cost $474 on average for annual repairs and maintenance. Similarly, Hondas cost $428 per year.

What Determines Ford Maintenance Costs?

What you pay for Ford maintenance costs is affected by several factors. Scheduled maintenance, like oil changes and filter replacements, is predictable. Repairs are less predictable, but they are included in the overall costs of owning a Ford.

According to RepairPal, Ford owners commonly report the following problems:

Ignition misfires

Power booster issues

Harsh automatic shifting

RepairPal gives Ford a 3.5 out of 5.0-star rating for its reliability, ranking in 21st place out of 32 brands. Ford vehicles require repairs slightly more often than average. Ford drivers are also more likely to experience a severe repair than drivers of other brands.

Ford’s maintenance schedule follows 10,000-mile periods. Below is a sample maintenance schedule for a 2019 Ford Fiesta, according to World Ford Pensacola. For a maintenance schedule tailored to your Ford model, you can consult your owner’s manual or the Ford website.

Service Interval

Maintenance Item

Every 10,000 miles

Engine oil and oil filter change, tire rotation, and various systems inspection

Every 20,000 miles

Cabin air filter replacement

Every 30,000 miles

Engine air filter replacement

At 100,000 miles

Engine coolant and spark plug replacement

At 100,000 miles and every following 20,000 miles

Drive belt replacement

At 150,000 miles

Transmission fluid, accessory drive belts, and timing belt replacement

After 150,000 miles, it’s a good idea to continue with the 10,000-mile services. Your mechanic will let you know when to replace specific components.

Ford’s Prepaid Maintenance Plan

The Ford Protect Premium Maintenance Plan covers oil changes, filter changes, tire rotations and multi-point inspections. Ford’s maintenance plan also covers wear-and-tear items like clutch discs, brake pad linings, spark plugs, engine belts, and coolant hoses. The plan is transferable to secondary buyers, though for a small fee.

The Ford maintenance plan can last up to eight years or 150,000 miles, which is a long time for maintenance programs. In a quote we received for a 2019 Ford Escape SEL with about 20,000 miles, the total cost was $2,590 for a 150,000-mile plan that covered services every 10,000 miles.

The advantage of a prepaid program like Ford’s maintenance plan is predictability – your service costs are locked in for the duration of the contract. This protects you from paying more as service prices rise later on. However, since the plan includes dealership pricing, you could save money by visiting independent repair shops instead.

Ford Maintenance Plan Pros

Ford Maintenance Plan Cons

Covers standard maintenance and some wear-and-tear items

May be more expensive than visiting third-party shops

Covers up to 150,000 miles

Only valid at Ford dealers

Transferable to secondary buyers

Can a Car Warranty Lower Your Ford Maintenance Cost?

You can use an extended car warranty to lower Ford ownership costs over time. An extended warranty can cover a range of repairs after mechanical breakdowns, many of which can cost over $1,000. Instead of paying out of pocket for a covered repair, the extended warranty plan foots the bill, and you just pay a deductible and a one-time or monthly payment for the contract. Additionally, some extended warranty companies offer maintenance contracts for regularly scheduled services.

Having an extended auto warranty can give you peace of mind, spread out the cost of repairs over time, and help you keep a consistent auto budget. Extended warranty coverage can also pay out more in repairs than its original cost.

Ford Extended Warranty

The Ford extended warranty can cover vehicles for up to eight years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. The manufacturer offers four coverage plans, but they’re only accepted at Ford dealerships. You can opt for a third-party extended warranty if you want more flexibility.

Extended Warranty From a Third-Party Provider

Highly rated third-party providers allow you to go to any licensed repair shop for coverage. And since these providers have more competition, they can provide lower warranty prices overall. Third-party plans can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than extended warranties from the dealer.

Also, plans from warranty companies can last much longer than Ford’s coverage. Different plans can cover up to 250,000 miles or vehicles up to 20 years old. If you maintain your Ford regularly, there’s a good chance your vehicle will last this long.

Top Recommendations for Extended Car Warranties

To lower Ford maintenance costs, it’s important to find the right price on an extended car warranty. Contract prices depend on the vehicle, so it’s best to compare quotes from multiple providers. Endurance, CARCHEX, and Protect My Car are three reputable extended car warranty companies we recommend.

Endurance: Best Overall

Endurance has a great reputation, offers extensive coverage options, and provides some of the best benefits in the industry. Overall, we named the provider the Best Overall for extended warranty coverage.

With Endurance, you can get six different coverage options ranging from bumper-to-bumper plans to basic powertrain coverage. One of these options is EnduranceAdvantage

TM, which combines maintenance and repair coverage. A plan like this ensures you are covered against common Ford maintenance costs and mechanical breakdowns.

Learn more about our top pick in our Endurance warranty review, and get a free, personalized quote below.

Best Overall

Get Quote

(866) 990-3410

Industry veteran that handles your plan directly, from quote to claim

CARCHEX: Best for Used Cars

CARCHEX is another strong option for extended warranty coverage. It’s the best choice for older vehicles because its five plans can extend up to 250,000 miles, which is plenty of coverage for a Ford. Industry leaders like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds.com, and CARFAX also endorse the provider.

Find out more in our CARCHEX review, and get a free quote from CARCHEX by clicking below.

Best for Used Cars

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(866) 950-7122

Top-rated provider with unmatched customer service and affordable coverage

Protect My Car: Best Maintenance Benefits

Protect My Car is another extended warranty company sells both vehicle service contracts and maintenance coverage. Unlike Endurance though, these two offerings are separate. You can choose between three extended warranty plans as well as three Ambassador maintenance plans to cover regularly scheduled maintenance. Protect My Car offers long payment terms of up to 48 months for warranty contracts, making it easy to find affordable coverage.

Learn more in our Protect My Car review, and get a free quote from Protect My Car below.

Best Maintenance Benefits

Get Quote

(888) 430-0227

Its Ambassador Maintenance Plan guarantees 25-50% off repairs plus covered oil changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Ford Explorers expensive to maintain?

Yes, Ford Explorers are expensive to maintain. According to RepairPal, drivers pay $732 on average for annual maintenance and repairs. The average for all vehicles is $652 per year, and the average for midsize SUVs is $573.

Are Ford cars cheap to maintain?

No, Ford vehicles are not considered cheap to maintain. They aren’t the most expensive cars to maintain on the market, but Ford maintenance costs more than the industry average.

How much is the Ford factory service?

According to RepairPal, the cost of 10,000 miles of service provided by Ford dealers ranges between $170 and $201. However, prices may vary, so you may find a lower price from a dealer.