My New 2023 F150 Rear Diff Was Half Full!?!?!??!

[2ndAmend]

Some of you may remember I tried to buy a Ram 1500 but the 5.7 was eTorque only. I hate anything E, so I passed. I bought a new F150, and I have been disappointed many times. Most problems were minor, but today might be the tipping point.

About 2k mi, I did the first oil change. While I was at it, I checked the diffs and transfer case. Front diff tool a couple oz. Transfer case took maybe 6oz. Not too bad, good thing I checked. Then…

I removed the plug from the rear diff and it looked like it had a lump of black moly grease on it! I’m thinking WTF! I roll out from under the truck and take a look under good light. I wipe it off and I see the fill plug has a magnet staked into it! I never heard of a fill plug with a magnet!!! I wipe off all the goo and proceed to top off the rear diff. I pumped in a pint! Still not full! This is f’d up! I called the dealer, asked them if they could open the diff and check for excessive wear. He said Ford will not pay them to open it up if it’s not making noise! I told them that sucks! Now I’m thinking I maybe should have not bought the truck in the first place!

I filled the diff, took just under a quart, capacity is 2.1, so it was half full. Now I have to wonder, will this fail before the 5/60 is up? My wife drives it about 6k/yr, mostly pulling a horse trailer, so that would be 30k mi when the warranty expires. Since hoping for a failure under warranty is risky, I’m thinking I’ll pull the cover, flush it out and refill with maybe royal purple or something like that.

I would appreciate thoughts and suggestions, especially if they don’t include “that’s what you get from a Ferd!”

Thanks.

 

[Old Mopar Guy]

I think you’ll be ok, but I’m glad you checked it.

 

[2ndAmend]

I think you’ll be ok, but I’m glad you checked it.

Thanks, that's why I'm thinking I'm going to flush it and refill it.

Make me realize the selling dealers do not check anything and a new owner should check everything! Even taking a brand new car to Jiffy to check fluid levels would be a good investment.

 

[1971demon]

Some of you may remember I tried to buy a Ram 1500 but the 5.7 was eTorque only. I hate anything E, so I passed. I bought a new F150, and I have been disappointed many times. Most problems were minor, but today might be the tipping point.

About 2k mi, I did the first oil change. While I was at it, I checked the diffs and transfer case. Front diff tool a couple oz. Transfer case took maybe 6oz. Not too bad, good thing I checked. Then…

I removed the plug from the rear diff and it looked like it had a lump of black moly grease on it! I’m thinking WTF! I roll out from under the truck and take a look under good light. I wipe it off and I see the fill plug has a magnet staked into it! I never heard of a fill plug with a magnet!!! I wipe off all the goo and proceed to top off the rear diff. I pumped in a pint! Still not full! This is f’d up! I called the dealer, asked them if they could open the diff and check for excessive wear. He said Ford will not pay them to open it up if it’s not making noise! I told them that sucks! Now I’m thinking I maybe should have not bought the truck in the first place!

I filled the diff, took just under a quart, capacity is 2.1, so it was half full. Now I have to wonder, will this fail before the 5/60 is up? My wife drives it about 6k/yr, mostly pulling a horse trailer, so that would be 30k mi when the warranty expires. Since hoping for a failure under warranty is risky, I’m thinking I’ll pull the cover, flush it out and refill with maybe royal purple or something like that.

I would appreciate thoughts and suggestions, especially if they don’t include “that’s what you get from a Ferd!”

Thanks.

Some dealer.....wont check your truck out...cause there aint a dime in for him...wow...

 

[2ndAmend]

Some dealer.....wont check your truck out...cause there aint a dime in for him...wow...

Makes me think.... (Which is not always a good thing,.... for me...)

Dealers have been getting squeezed for a long time and need to find alternate profit centers. Service, at $175/hr seems to be the choice. If they make major profit on vehicles that fail out of warranty, then logically they would do all they can to make sure vehicles fail out of warranty.

 

[Jimmy N.]

People sometimes give me crap for not driving a new (or new to me) vehicle until I've checked all fluid levels and that all fasteners are tight, or at least present. I pick the vehicle up, then it goes directly from the trailer to the lift.

As I'm checking, magnetic level plugs go into everything that doesn't already have them. Then the engine and diffs get new oil at about 500 miles to get rid of the break-in crap.

In the past six or so years, the only vehicle that had all correct fluid levels was the Durango I recently bought. Well, except for the engine, which had a bit too much.

I'd put new fluid in your diff, then change it again after a few hundred miles. After that, keep checking the magnetic plug.
Hopefully you'll see less debris on it after another 2,000 miles or so.

 

[Unholy707]

At least you’re optimistic, I would have said it was half empty

 

[jgilj]

Ford quality has been shit for quite some time.

 

[DavidKFla]

Welcome to buying a new vehicle.

 

[1971demon]

People sometimes give me crap for not driving a new (or new to me) vehicle until I've checked all fluid levels and that all fasteners are tight, or at least present. I pick the vehicle up, then it goes directly from the trailer to the lift.

As I'm checking, magnetic level plugs go into everything that doesn't already have them. Then the engine and diffs get new oil at about 500 miles to get rid of the break-in crap.

In the past six or so years, the only vehicle that had all correct fluid levels was the Durango I recently bought. Well, except for the engine, which had a bit too much.

I'd put new fluid in your diff, then change it again after a few hundred miles. After that, keep checking the magnetic plug.
Hopefully you'll see less debris on it after another 2,000 miles or so.

Jeeze Jimmie...where do find the time to do all that....ooops I forgot...ya got no humanity to talk to within 1500 miles...I got too many people buggin me all day long..

 

[1971demon]

Makes me think.... (Which is not always a good thing,.... for me...)

Dealers have been getting squeezed for a long time and need to find alternate profit centers. Service, at $175/hr seems to be the choice. If they make major profit on vehicles that fail out of warranty, then logically they would do all they can to make sure vehicles fail out of warranty.

At the risk of pissin you off Rich..(yer actually one of the good guys on here)....I have no sympathy for ya...that's whatcha get for goin and buyin a FORD....

 

[DavidKFla]

At the risk of pissin you off Rich..(yer actually one of the good guys on here)....I have no sympathy for ya...that's whatcha get for goin and buyin a FORD....

I'd have to say that QC is out the window everywhere.

 

[1971demon]

I'd have to say that QC is out the window everywhere.

No question...when ya drive off the lot...yer on yer own...

 

[DavidKFla]

No question...when ya drive off the lot...yer on yer own...

Older cars are looking more attractive each day.

 

[hellno]

HALF FULL??? IS BETTER THEN HALF EMPTY

 

[Jimmy N.]

Jeeze Jimmie...where do find the time to do all that....ooops I forgot...ya got no humanity to talk to within 1500 miles...

Believe it or not, but it takes a lot less time to check and fill up fluids as needed than to deal with the potential consequences. Plus, I hate noisy gear sets.

Not that setting up new gears is rocket science, but it's not all that fun either. Still kicking myself for not changing the fluid in this one at 500 miles as usual, but letting it go to a bit over 1,200. A few fluid changes and multiple cleansings of the magnetic plug later, it's thankfully still alive, if not as well as it could've been.

 

[vortecd]

Some of you may remember I tried to buy a Ram 1500 but the 5.7 was eTorque only. I hate anything E, so I passed. I bought a new F150, and I have been disappointed many times. Most problems were minor, but today might be the tipping point.

About 2k mi, I did the first oil change. While I was at it, I checked the diffs and transfer case. Front diff tool a couple oz. Transfer case took maybe 6oz. Not too bad, good thing I checked. Then…

I removed the plug from the rear diff and it looked like it had a lump of black moly grease on it! I’m thinking WTF! I roll out from under the truck and take a look under good light. I wipe it off and I see the fill plug has a magnet staked into it! I never heard of a fill plug with a magnet!!! I wipe off all the goo and proceed to top off the rear diff. I pumped in a pint! Still not full! This is f’d up! I called the dealer, asked them if they could open the diff and check for excessive wear. He said Ford will not pay them to open it up if it’s not making noise! I told them that sucks! Now I’m thinking I maybe should have not bought the truck in the first place!

I filled the diff, took just under a quart, capacity is 2.1, so it was half full. Now I have to wonder, will this fail before the 5/60 is up? My wife drives it about 6k/yr, mostly pulling a horse trailer, so that would be 30k mi when the warranty expires. Since hoping for a failure under warranty is risky, I’m thinking I’ll pull the cover, flush it out and refill with maybe royal purple or something like that.

I would appreciate thoughts and suggestions, especially if they don’t include “that’s what you get from a Ferd!”

Thanks.

Are they still using the 8.8 rear?

 

[Unholy707]

Who has the part number or whatever for the magnetic diff plug?

 

[Jimmy N.]

Who has the part number or whatever for the magnetic diff plug?

That would depend on which manufacturer you decide to go with, and for what vehicle. There are several to pick from.

For the FCA/Stellantis vehicles I use mostly Votex.

 

[Unholy707]

For the hellcat of course