Importance of Regular Maintenance for Your Ford's Longevity

When you buy a new Ford, it's protected by a comprehensive warranty for three years or 36,000 miles. This protection can be extended, however, by choosing maintenance coverage through an extended service plan. As your Ford dealership, we want to tell you some of the benefits of choosing one of these maintenance plans. more Four Available Options You can choose the level of coverage, duration, and deductible you want based on your needs. Plan durations extend up to ten years or 175,000 miles, and you can choose a $0, $50, $100, $200, or disappearing deductible. Let's look closer at what these plans protect. PowertrainCARE This is the basic plan, and it protects components in your Ford's most essential systems. A total of 29 components in the engine, transmission, and FWD or RWD systems. BaseCARE This plan includes everything in the plan above and extends coverage to an additional 55 components in the steering, braking system, AC and heating, electrical system, and front suspension. ExtraCARE An additional 27 components are protected under this plan, including components in the high-tech systems. PremiumCARE As the most inclusive plan, PremiumCARE protects more than 1,000 components, including components in the rear suspension, emissions system, and audio and safety systems. Backed By Ford All four plans are provided by and 100% backed by the Ford Motor Company. If you need a covered component repaired, the repair will be performed at any Ford dealer in the US, Canada, or Mexico and the only payment required is your chosen deductible. Any repairs will be performed by Ford-trained technicians using only Ford-approved replacement parts. In addition, if you sell your Ford, any unexpired portion of your extended service plan is transferred to the new buyer. Additional Services All four extended service plans include 24-hour roadside assistance and rental service benefits. Roadside assistance is available 24/7/365 and can be accessed through a toll-free number. If you have any problems on the road, expert technicians will be sent to help you. They can provide numerous services, including jump-starting, lockout assistance, and fuel delivery. If your Ford needs a tow due to a problem with a covered component, you'll receive up to $100 toward towing costs. If your Ford requires repair and you're far from home, you'll receive up to $1,000 over five days to pay for food, lodging, and travel costs. You can also receive up to $60 per day towards vehicle rental costs while an issue is being repaired. If you'd like to know more about these extended plans or choose the plan that's right for you, contact us today at Pohanka Ford of Salisbury in Salisbury, MD. Image via

Your Ford is an investment you want to protect and enjoy for as long as possible. Worn components and dirty fluids are just two issues that can lead to long-term damage, reducing performance and your Ford's life. As your Ford dealer, we want to give you examples of the Ford maintenance we provide to prevent these issues. more From Your Ford Dealer: Examples of Ford Maintenance That Increase Vehicle Life Regular Oil Changes Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. It reduces friction damage to numerous engine components by enabling them to glide rather than grind against each other. Fast-moving oil cools hot components, allowing them to work more effectively. In addition, oil additives prevent rust and breakdown potential engine blockages that can lead to damage. Oil should be changed every 5,000 to 15,000 miles, depending on whether you use regular or synthetic oil. Both types of oil gradually accumulate dirt and other debris during their movement through the engine, making them slower and less effective. This debris can block the oil filter, reducing oil flow and increasing wear and tear on components. Changing your oil and oil filter when they're due is quick and increases engine life. Engine Air Filter Replacement The engine air filter traps dust, dirt, and other debris, allowing only clean air into the engine. Combustion requires enormous amounts of air for the fuel to burn correctly in the cylinders, and the most efficient air-to-fuel ratio is 14:1, air to fuel. The air filter will eventually become blocked by dirt, restricting airflow and causing your engine to become fuel-rich. A fuel-rich engine wastes fuel, as most fuel drawn into the cylinders for combustion won't burn. The unburnt fuel is dumped into the exhaust and eventually pushed out the tailpipe. A high fuel concentration increases carbon buildup in the engine, weakening the spark plugs and damaging the cylinders and pistons. Replacing the filter on time prevents these problems. Cooling System Service The cooling system keeps your engine temperature under control. Combustion and the movement of countless components generate large amounts of heat. Excessive heat can damage seals and gaskets, causing leaks and potentially mixing engine fluids like coolant and oil that can cause major engine damage. During this service, we test your coolant and replace it if necessary. The coolant absorbs engine heat and transports it to the radiator for removal. Older coolant is less effective at removing heat, causing your engine temperature to rise. We check your radiator for blockages, damage, or rust, ensure the hoses and other cooling system components are in good condition, and replace them if they're worn. These are just some maintenance tasks we provide to keep your Ford in great condition for years. Book your maintenance today at Pohanka Ford of Salisbury in Salisbury, MD. Image via

Good tires with a healthy tread level make driving safer. They provide traction on the road surface, making it easier to drive, corner, and stop. Worn or damaged tires, on the other hand, increase braking distance and could skid in wet conditions or blowout. As your Ford dealer, we want to tell you a few signs you will need to visit us for new tires. more Underinflated Tires Your Ford's designers specify the correct tire pressure for your tires. Vehicle weight, drivetrain, and performance requirements all help determine this pressure. Over time, tire pressure can change as the pressure inside a tire tries to equalize with the external pressure. This can cause a tire to lose 1 to 2 PSI of pressure each month. Underinflated tires will droop, exposing parts of the softer, more vulnerable sidewalls to friction damage from the surface. Low tire pressure can always be easily seen, as the outer edges of the tire tread will show increased wear. The lack of pressure will reduce your braking speed, and the tire is more likely to develop leaks. We'll correct your tire pressure and check your tread to ensure it's safe to drive on. Lincoln Penny Test A tire that is safe to drive on must have a minimum tread depth of 2/32". You can test the depth with a tread depth gauge. These gauges are readily available and inexpensive and will accurately tell you if your tread is worn and you need to replace that tire. You can also test the tread depth using a Lincoln penny. Turn the penny upside down and insert it into the deepest part of the tread, then look at Lincoln's head. If most of Lincoln's face is obscured, your tire tread is healthy. If you can see most of Lincoln's face below the hairline, the tire is worn but still usable if it's not otherwise damaged. Finally, if you can see the top of Lincoln's head, your tread is dangerously low and needs immediate replacement. We can test your tires for you and replace worn tires for you. Vibrations When Driving If you feel a strange vibration sensation when driving, you likely have a tire problem. The vibrations are due to poor weight distribution in the tire. This issue could be caused by wheel balance or alignment issues or the tire's internal structure breaking down. Our technicians can attach your tires to our wheel balancing machine to identify and repair balance issues by adding weights. Wheel alignment issues can also be fixed by our computerized wheel alignment machine. We can't repair interior tire damage but will replace the affected tire. If you have a tire problem, contact us today at Pohanka Ford of Salisbury in Salisbury, MD. Image via