50k+ vehicle with Plastic Pans... ? why?

[cgcg]

overture:
(wife's car) I love the thing and she does too. Really a nice vehicle, and a huge step above the Tahoe and suburban (except maybe the tranny pan ???).​

Just did the first oil change in my 2019 Expedition. Had over 3k Miles.

After taking off the carpet, foam "skidplate"….. I was surprised to see a plastic tranny pan.

Thank god the oil pan was metal, or else I'd have a little more buyers remorse.

Am I really only 1 stray stick or rock away from a transmission failure? What gives why is this plastic? I'd like to replace the "skidcarpet" with a real skidpate, and the tranny pan with a real metal pan, anyone done this before?

 

[ExplorerTom]

It’s not like it’s made of a Solo cup. Gas tanks have been plastic for years. I’ve seen people offroading and turtle the vehicle on a rock with their plastic gas tank.

you’ll be fine.

 

[Trainmaster]

Some say the plastic is better, and I can see how in many instances it will flex rather than puncture. But in other cases it will shatter. If I had a plastic tranny pan, I'd install a skid plate.

But then, I install Ford SSV skid plates in my '00 and '08 Expeditions and they have metal pans. The plastic fuel tanks get Ford skid pans too -- and those pans are made of plastic.

Go figure.

 

[Deadman]

My 18 has a plastic engine oil pan.

 

[JExpedition07]

Cheaper to make. There really isn’t anything wrong with it so long as they design it right and have a good gasket. While steel is better it’s today’s world, cost effectiveness.

 

[st381183]

Everyone keeps. saying plastic but it’s really a high strength polymer. I haven’t seen a lot of actual damage reports but I do read a lot of complaints about it not being made of metal. Whether plastic or metal, if it gets hit hard enough either will still be damaged. I have the plastic oil pan and it doesn’t bother me, it is what it is.

I wish they would engineer a way to change the oil with out having to crawl under. My belly keeps getting rubbing on the frame.....

 

[ExplorerTom]

I wish they would engineer a way to change the oil with out having to crawl under. My belly keeps getting rubbing on the frame.....

A lot of new German cars don’t have drain plugs. They use a machine that goes down the dipstick tube that sucks out the oil. It’s called a “top loader”.

 

[Deadman]

I have a feeling my plastic pan won't like going from -30F air temp, to operating temp often. I'm guessing it might warp and leak at the gasket.

 

[scottdm]

A lot of new German cars don’t have drain plugs. They use a machine that goes down the dipstick tube that sucks out the oil. It’s called a “top loader”.

I used to have an S550, and tried the method of evacuating the oil out of the dipstick tube with a special pump. I was skeptical and pulled the drain plug to see how much oil remained in the oil pan, and I would say I was only able to get 90-95% of the oil out of the oil pan with the dipstick pump. Needless to say, I drained the oil pan the old fashioned way from that point on. That car had a 10 quart oil pan on a 5.5L engine, so I suspect Mercedes assumes the new oil will dilute everything well enough to not cause major issues. It was nice to have the oil filter on the top of the engine.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I have a feeling my plastic pan won't like going from -30F air temp, to operating temp often. I'm guessing it might warp and leak at the gasket.

But yet you’re cool with all the other metal parts in the engine also going from -30 to slowly warming up to operating temp without issue, right?

 

[Deadman]

But yet you’re cool with all the other metal parts in the engine also going from -30 to slowly warming up to operating temp without issue, right?

They've done it my whole life without issue, so yes I am!

 

[ExplorerTom]

They've done it my whole life without issue, so yes I am!

and the plastic pan, with zero memory, will behave just fine as well.

Plastic has been used in thermostat housings, radiator end tanks and coolant expansion tanks for years.

 

[Deadman]

and the plastic pan, with zero memory, will behave just fine as well.

Plastic has been used in thermostat housings, radiator end tanks and coolant expansion tanks for years.

You DO realize that Ford quit installing theses plastic pans BECAUSE they warped and had leaking gaskets and then they replaced the leakers with the Aluminum pans as their permanent fix! My dealer told me they can't warranty the pan replacement until I can prove this one is leaking. I'm pretty sure a few loosened bolts would make it leak! lol

 

[edizzle]

Y’all are acting like the plastic used for the pans is the same type used for power wheels toys!!! This is some legit engineered fiber composite.

 

[Deadman]

Y’all are acting like the plastic used for the pans is the same type used for power wheels toys!!! This is some legit engineered fiber composite.

Ford acknowledged they have a problem with the plastic pans leaking and they are replacing them all with aluminum pans if your plastic one leaks. I'm not sure how much clearer this KNOWN issue can be. There's no hidden secret or something here, just facts from FORD themselves. My dealer fully expects to replace mine as they've replaced many on their other vehicles recently.....

 

[ExplorerTom]

Huh- guess you’re right.

I just “hate” when people reaffirm my decision to keep my tried and true 2000 running instead of getting some newer and more “reliable”.

Buddy of mine with a newish 3.5 ecoboost was saying how after you replace the battery you’re supposed to wait 12 hours before starting it so the computers can learn the new battery. 12 hours?!?! I guess when the machines rise up, our opportunity is when they are changing batteries.

 

[Deadman]

Huh- guess you’re right.

I just “hate” when people reaffirm my decision to keep my tried and true 2000 running instead of getting some newer and more “reliable”.

Buddy of mine with a newish 3.5 ecoboost was saying how after you replace the battery you’re supposed to wait 12 hours before starting it so the computers can learn the new battery. 12 hours?!?! I guess when the machines rise up, our opportunity is when they are changing batteries.

I don't like the new stuff any better than you do, but I'm sick of working on old junk, so I bought new. They can work on my new junk......

 

[JExpedition07]

Huh- guess you’re right.

I just “hate” when people reaffirm my decision to keep my tried and true 2000 running instead of getting some newer and more “reliable”.

Buddy of mine with a newish 3.5 ecoboost was saying how after you replace the battery you’re supposed to wait 12 hours before starting it so the computers can learn the new battery. 12 hours?!?! I guess when the machines rise up, our opportunity is when they are changing batteries.

Odd and incorrect. Plastic pretty much sucks, it works well enough but is for cost and weight savings mainly. I wish my 3rd gen had steel chrome plated bumpers like the 1st gens. The plastic will fall apart with any slight impact. Steel doesn’t get brittle and crack with age or mild temp swings, plastic does. Most of the time when these radiators and plastic pumps on the imports fail it’s because of brittle cracked plastic. It definitely has its place, plastic is great for interior parts.

 

[Rancidlunchmeat]

Ford acknowledged they have a problem with the plastic pans leaking and they are replacing them all with aluminum pans if your plastic one leaks. I'm not sure how much clearer this KNOWN issue can be. There's no hidden secret or something here, just facts from FORD themselves. My dealer fully expects to replace mine as they've replaced many on their other vehicles recently.....

Any link to Ford "acknowledging" the problem? If it is as severe as you say it is, I'll need to bring mine in for replacement at some point and would like to present the dealer with whatever necessary.

 

[Deadman]

Any link to Ford "acknowledging" the problem? If it is as severe as you say it is, I'll need to bring mine in for replacement at some point and would like to present the dealer with whatever necessary.

My service man told me in person to watch it, so I didn't see anything more.