The Ford Store Morgan Hill
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General Service

The Ford Store Morgan Hill General Service

At The Ford Store Morgan Hill, our mission is to pair drivers in the Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Jose, California, areas with the cars that are perfect for them.

Of course, car buying is only part of the car-ownership experience. Once you get the keys, it’s important to keep up with general maintenance in order to keep your car running at its best for years to come.

Every vehicle is different and requires certain services at slightly different intervals, but there is still general maintenance advice applicable to most cars.

Read this guide on General Maintenance Advice, then contact our service team with any questions!

Why Should I Choose The Ford Store Morgan Hill for Service and Repair?

Our technicians are part of a network of over 35,000 factory-trained Ford technicians across America ready to service your car, truck, or SUV. Their training was developed by the same company that designed, engineered, and built your vehicle. This means that we have the right parts, tools, and techs to help ensure your service is done correctly the first time.

Other Benefits of The Ford Store Morgan Hill Service Include:

  • Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts
  • Full-service maintenance
  • Expert heavy repair facility backed by Ford
  • Parts and labor warranties
  • Clean, comfortable waiting areas with free Wi-Fi
  • Shuttle service to and from your home
  • Friendly and knowledgeable staff

Maintaining Your Vehicle

General Maintenance Advice: Regular checkups are as important for your car as they are for you.

Routine maintenance, such as oil changes, having fluids checked/flushed, and tune-ups, can greatly increase your vehicle's performance and reliability, as well as greatly extend its life. Failing to properly service your vehicle can result in increased repair costs, as well as greatly reduce its value for a future sale or trade-in.

Oil Change

General Maintenance Advice: Engine oil keeps your car healthy. Know the symptoms of old oil, so you know when to get it changed.

Today's vehicle engines generally have extended oil change intervals beyond 3,000 miles, so it is recommended that you consult the specific maintenance schedule interval in your vehicle's owner’s manual.

At The Ford Store Morgan Hill, an oil change is so much more than just an oil change. When you come in for The Works®, you receive a complete vehicle checkup that includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, multi-point inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and filter, belts, and hoses check.

While The Works® is one of our most common services, it’s hard to underestimate the importance of oil changes in general. Each vehicle has different oil change intervals, but if you’re not sure if you’re due for an oil change, there are a few symptoms to look out for:

Increased engine noise

Old, worn-out engine oil cannot lubricate your engine’s parts effectively. Your car may make knocking noises while you’re driving, or even a ticking noise when starting up.

Decreased fuel efficiency

Engine oil keeps your engine running efficiently, so if your MPG starts to drop, it may be time for an oil change.

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Fluid Levels

General Maintenance Advice: It’s easy to get your essential fluids topped off at our service center!

Having your car’s fluids topped off is simple and can be performed in just a few minutes. These fluids include oil, radiator, transmission, power steering, windshield washer, and brake fluid. When you come to our service center, it’s easy for us to check on all these components for you in one visit.

Filters

General Maintenance Advice: Your vehicle's filters should be changed every 15,000 to 30,000 miles.

These include the engine air filter, oil filter, fuel filter, and cabin air filter. Most can be inspected and replaced during a routine oil change.

Spark plugs

General Maintenance Advice: Change the spark plugs once you hit 100,000 miles.

Spark plugs create an arc of electrical current to ignite the mixture of air and fuel that’s required to start your engine. Think of them as producers of very tiny, controlled lightning bolts.

If your engine is having issues starting, or is making rattling, pinging, or knocking noises, these can be symptoms that your spark plugs need to be replaced. Your owner’s manual will have more detailed information about when you should get your spark plugs replaced, and our technicians are here to inspect yours whenever you ask.

Belts and Hoses

General Maintenance Advice: Replace your belts every 60,000 to 100,000 miles.

Belts and hoses play an integral part in your vehicle's performance. As belts age, the rubber becomes brittle, causing it to crack. If the belt is showing signs of wear on its outer edge, this is also a sign that it will need to be replaced.

Since coolant temperature is about 200 degrees, the hoses that carry it are extremely important. A belt or hose failure can cause loss of both power steering and the electrical charging system, as well as an overheated engine. If your engine overheats, this can cause the cylinder heads to warp, resulting in a very intensive repair.

Hoses are generally inspected for softness and swelling, hardening, cracks, chafing, and heat damage. If any of these issues are detected, your hoses will need to be replaced.

Brakes

General Maintenance Advice: Get your brakes inspected every 50,000 miles.

Brake issues can start out small, but can worsen over time. Waiting to have them repaired can greatly increase the costs involved. Having your brakes serviced during a routine maintenance visit can help save you both time and money.

Discs should be inspected for rough spots, warping, or damage. If they are shiny and show little signs of wear, maintenance is likely not needed. If they are damaged or warped, however, these parts should be resurfaced or replaced immediately.

Your vehicle has rubber and metal brake lines, and both can crack and leak. Our technicians will first examine the rubber hoses to ensure they are soft and don't have cracks. They'll then check the hard metal brake lines for corrosion and leaking. If either is damaged, replacement is recommended.

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Batteries

Today's vehicles are loaded with technology. That's why it's more important than ever to ensure your battery operates at peak performance. We know exactly what battery is needed for your specific vehicle and can help guide you through what can be a somewhat complex process.

Some signs that you may need a new battery include:

  • Electrical components of your car are not working, like the radio and interior lights
  • Engine needs several tries to start
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Tire Rotations and Replacements

General Maintenance Advice: Prolong the life of your tires with regular tire rotations.

Maintaining your tires not only helps keep you safe, but it also helps your vehicle run more efficiently and extends the life of the tires themselves. Following these simple steps will help ensure you get the most out of your tires:

  • Have your tires rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Rotating your tires helps prolong their lifespan by evening out the amount of wear and tear they get.

In day-to-day life, drivers tend to make the same drives on the same routes, whether it’s a work commute, weekly trips to the grocery store, or anywhere else they visit regularly. However, when you drive the same routes repeatedly, some of your car’s tires are affected more than others. If your work commute requires the same hard left turn every day, then the tires’ wear is going to lean to the left, too.

Balance out this wear and tear with a tire rotation, which is a simple way to make the most of the tires you have.

Check Tire Pressure

  • Check the pressure of all tires, including your spare, at least once a month when the tires are “cold,” meaning that the vehicle hasn't been driven for at least three hours. Recommended air pressure for your tires can be found on the placard typically placed on the driver's side doorjamb.

Check Tire Tread

  • It’s easy to check the tread of your tires yourself. All you need is a penny.

Insert a penny between the grooves of your tire, keeping Abraham Lincoln upside-down. If you can still see most of his face after inserting the penny, then your tires are no longer gripping the road effectively when you drive, and you need to have them replaced.

Learn More

Schedule Service Today

At The Ford Store Morgan Hill, we’re committed to helping drivers in the Morgan Hill, San Jose, and Gilroy, CA, areas enjoy their cars for years to come, which requires general maintenance.

In addition to this online resource, we’re also available for you to come by in person. Schedule service, or just reach out to ask any questions you may have. We’re here to help. Contact us or visit today!

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Questions About Maintaining Your Vehicle? Let us Help!

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Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable government fees and taxes, finance charges, electronic filing charges, and emission testing charges. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.

All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, $85 document processing charge, $30 electronic filling charge, and any emissions testing charge. Standard exclusions apply. Residency restrictions apply. Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Photos are for illustration purposes only. Contact us for more details.

There is no cooling off period unless you obtain a contract cancellation option. California law does not provide for a “cooling off” or other cancellation period for vehicle lease or purchase contracts. Therefore you cannot later cancel such a contract simply because you change your mind, decide the vehicle costs too much, or you wish you had acquired a different vehicle. After you sign a motor vehicle purchase or lease contract it may only be cancelled with the agreement of the seller or lessor or for legal cause such as fraud. However, California law does require a seller to offer a 2-day contract cancellation option on used vehicles with a purchase price of less than $40,000 subject to certain statutory conditions. This contract cancellation option requirement doesn’t apply to the sale of a recreational vehicle, a motorcycle, or an off-highway motor vehicle subject to identification under California Law. See the vehicle contract cancellation option agreement for details.