Who does 5-tire rotations? Getting pushback from service.

[Jack3white]

Requesting 5-tire rotation. Service guy is pushing back saying “nobody does that.” Spare didn’t have TPS so I ordered one. They want to charge a full hour to reprogram the sensors with each rotation. Also got some story with enough uneven tread wear with that 5th tire being rotated in every 5,000 miles that it is gonna create unnecessary wear on the transfer case and other stuff. Is it this much of a headache with those of you doing 5-tire rotations? Is Ford Service giving you grief or are you getting them done elsewhere? They are making it sound like it is never done ESPECIALLY on new Broncos. I was under the impression it was a fairly common thing.

Replacing 4 tires costs less than replacing 5?

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[kodiakisland]

Yes, many threads here about it. Many of us do it. Spare has TPMS and does not require any programming. Your service dept is either stupid or ignorant, hard to tell which. Do it yourself.

The part about charging you for a TPMS for the spare when it obviously has one is a sign of something else however.

 

[stickshifthappy]

Just tried to do it and they didn’t and I got some attitude from the guy who handed me my keys.

Obviously they’re not doing them even though I specificity requested a 5 tire rotation .

Had a discussion with the service manager, that won’t happen next time he’s assured me.

 

[Moto26]

To all the service advisors, techs, and Ford employees reading this thread…

We get it. You’re human. And many of you - most, even - are competent, informed, and hard working. HOWEVER…

Is it really hard to understand all the ”hate” for dealerships when you see stories like this? Maybe I’m misinformed, but when a manufacturer starts producing an all-new vehicle (or even a refresh on an existing one, for that matter), do you not receive some kind of training manuals or bulletins that lay out differences in maintenance techniques? Or peculiarities with the new vehicle they should know about? I mean, think of the Mach E and the Lightning. I’m quite certain Ford didn’t just tell all their service advisors to treat them like any other Mustang or F150 when servicing them, right?

Like, seriously, Ford never made it clear to their service departments that the Bronco has self-learning TPMS, and that there’s a sensor in the spare? Really? Is there anything else they should know? Because there are quite a few features on the Bronco that are unique within the Ford lineup! What happens if a tech hits the sway bar disconnect switch on somebody’s BL? Are they going to replace the whole SB system because it’s “broken”?

I realize the last thing techs want to hear is some Joe off the street telling them about what they read on the internet. But you shouldn’t just dismiss people right off the bat. Think about how many widespread issues have been exposed by actual Bronco owners here on B6G that dealerships flat-out disregarded and denied, only to have some of them end up as recalls and/or TSB’s…

It seems like some of these dealers spend more time training their employees about billing policies than vehicle maintenance.

”What?! I’ve never heard of that before, and nobody ever does it. I guess we can try it, but it’ll be $168.70 plus tax for the parts and 1.3 hours of labor…”

 

[projectbadlands]

I don't doubt you, but the arrogance comes in when they refuse to even consider another point of view.

To all the service advisors, techs, and Ford employees reading this thread…

We get it. You’re human. And many of you - most, even - are competent, informed, and hard working. HOWEVER…

Is it really hard to understand all the ”hate” for dealerships when you see stories like this? Maybe I’m misinformed, but when a manufacturer starts producing an all-new vehicle (or even a refresh on an existing one, for that matter), do you not receive some kind of training manuals or bulletins that lay out differences in maintenance techniques? Or peculiarities with the new vehicle they should know about? I mean, think of the Mach E and the Lightning. I’m quite certain Ford didn’t just tell all their service advisors to treat them like any other Mustang or F150 when servicing them, right?

Like, seriously, Ford never made it clear to their service departments that the Bronco has self-learning TPMS, and that there’s a sensor in the spare? Really? Is there anything else they should know? Because there are quite a few features on the Bronco that are unique within the Ford lineup! What happens if a tech hits the sway bar disconnect switch on somebody’s BL? Are they going to replace the whole SB system because it’s “broken”?

I realize the last thing techs want to hear is some Joe off the street telling them about what they read on the internet. But you shouldn’t just dismiss people right off the bat. Think about how many widespread issues have been exposed by actual Bronco owners here on B6G that dealerships flat-out disregarded and denied, only to have some of them end up as recalls and/or TSB’s…

It seems like some of these dealers spend more time training their employees about billing policies than vehicle maintenance.

”What?! I’ve never heard of that before, and nobody ever does it. I guess we can try it, but it’ll be $168.70 plus tax for the parts and 1.3 hours of labor…”

To answer your question directly, no, there has never been a meeting or training course on tire pressure sensors. Even if there was, I am sure there is more important information to worry about than sensors.

 

[Moto26]

To answer your question directly, no, there has never been a meeting or training course on tire pressure sensors. Even if there was, I am sure there is more important information to worry about than sensors.

If that’s the case, why are they so quick to dismiss the customer?

 

[kodiakisland]

If that’s the case, why are they so quick to dismiss the customer?

Arrogance and ignorance is a bad combination. The good ones listen and are willing to learn.

 

[AZ_Liberty]

1 - the spare has a TPMS
2 - Ford TPMS has not required reprogramming for 10 years or so, it's not a 2007 Expedition
3 - the manual recommends a 5 tire rotation

Service guy needs a knee to the nads.

 

[Maury]

If that’s the case, why are they so quick to dismiss the customer?

Seriously. If I so much as place an untoward word with a customer in my line of work I can pack my shit.

This ain't rocket science, really, especially if the Bronco is the ONLY vehicle in the lineup that has a TPMS in the "spare".

But hey, wield whatever power you like, service-dude, karma has a way to even things out eventually.

 

[idobleedblue]

Replacing 4 tires costs less than replacing 5?

yes

1. I don’t know if I’m going with the same tires when it is time to replace them so I may be replacing all 5 tires no matter what. Might as well get my money’s worth out of that spare too, right?
2. If you get 20% more life out of your tires by rotating in the spare then the cost difference between 4 or 5 is a wash AND you get to wait 20% longer before replacing
3. By the time you’ve purchased 5 sets of 4… I’ve purchased 4 sets of 5. So I’ve saved time (which is money).
4. If you do as suggested, it is suggested that spare be replaced every 6 years or so anyways even if not in rotation. So if it is gonna be replaced anyways, wouldn’t it be better to have gotten use out of it and put the miles on it instead of throwing away an unused tire?
5. One of the tech’s reasoning to not do the 5-tire rotation is even the slightest variance in tire wear could cause more wear elsewhere if you wait too long to rotate in the spare. So by that reasoning I asked if he had a tire blow out at 15,000 miles in would he replace all 4 tires? He said yes. With me rotating in that spare every 5,000 miles I wouldn’t need to replace all 4 tires after a blowout so soon. I’d rotate in the spare that has been in regular rotation and simply buy ONE new tire to now be the spare that would then stay out of rotation until replacing all 4 at which point it would then .

There is way more advantage to a 5-tire rotation than there is a 4-tire rotation. The only reason for the push back at the service counter is they don’t want to take the little extra time to do it.

When I said I can do the tires myself he said “but we do them for free with your oil change.” So they do 4 tires for “free”, but that 5th tire requires a charge of a half an hour of labor? That’s a stretch.

 

[prospectfour]

Requesting 5-tire rotation. Service guy is pushing back saying “nobody does that.” Spare didn’t have TPS so I ordered one. They want to charge a full hour to reprogram the sensors with each rotation. Also got some story with enough uneven tread wear with that 5th tire being rotated in every 5,000 miles that it is gonna create unnecessary wear on the transfer case and other stuff. Is it this much of a headache with those of you doing 5-tire rotations? Is Ford Service giving you grief or are you getting them done elsewhere? They are making it sound like it is never done ESPECIALLY on new Broncos. I was under the impression it was a fairly common thing.

Not surprised. My Ford dealer service rep reluctantly agreed to do a 5 tire rotation. I get a call two hours later saying the shop tech was imploring him not to rotate 5 tires or it’ll “ruin my 4x4”. I didn’t want to push it in case I showed up with an unrelated warranty claim shortly after.

Rotated in the 5th myself at home, TPMS relearned on its own. It’s also a good opportunity to get familiar with the jack and lift points on your vehicle.

 

[projectbadlands]

Funny enough, the advisors willing to learn end up learning a powerful lesson in life instead and realize shitty customers will be shitty customers and end up leaving the profession entirely. This leaves the doors open for more shitty employees to come in and repeat the cycle.

I have seen great advisors come and go because the same way people treat the starbucks barista, the mcdonalds cashier, and other lowly positions are the same way they treat service advisors and they just walk away.

When customers can affect your paycheck with a simple keyboard rant because coffee was not hot enough or the toiler paper in the restroom rolls forward instead of backward and you loose thousands off your paycheck, people walk.

Next time you come in and complain about your spare getting rotated, you are getting the next kid fresh off the streets with no training or customer service skills.

Yall doing this to yourselves!

 

[Scott R Nelson]

1. I don’t know if I’m going with the same tires when it is time to replace them so I may be replacing all 5 tires no matter what. Might as well get my money’s worth out of that spare too, right?

I know for sure that I will be putting something else on my Sasquatch when these Goodyears are finished off. Right now I'm leaning toward the BFGoodrich KM3. Even without that, I would still want a 5-tire rotation.

 

[JaxGtc]

My 5-tire rotation was working fine until I just punctured a side wall. Now I have 4 tires with 20k miles and a brand new spare. I plan to rotate the 4 on the ground and go back to a 5-tire rotation when they are replaced.
Dealer has been happy to do it for me.

 

[V1Rotate]

They assured me the spare did NOT have a sensor so they put in the one I ordered. And now they are saying it is maybe a Sasquatch thing… it would need to be re-learned every rotation. He said it takes about 20 minutes to do and eventually they’ll start charging a half-hour of labor additional for 5-tire rotations on a Sasquatch… because of having to relearn each time… and “the manual shouldn’t suggest that for a Sasquatch but Ford isn’t going to update the manual with an asterisk for Sasquatch!”

wow! He even brought a “Jeep owner” who works service there to also advise/suggest against a 5-tire rotation as well on 35s but under 35s it’s not a big deal.

My head hurts. The “we at service know more than the guys on the forums” line was the icing on the cake.

I know the horse is already completely dead and buried but I literally just did a 5 tire rotation today on my Wildtrak and 2 minutes down the road they were all auto-learned and everything is great

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