DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is making official what some dealers have already been offering throughout the coronavirus pandemic: free maintenance for essential workers.
The automaker said Friday that members of its FordPass Rewards loyalty program who are defined by their states as essential workers can download an offer for a free service package through the end of June. Called “The Works,” the package includes an oil and filter change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, vehicle inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, filter check, and belts and hoses check.
Ford says the offer must be downloaded by June 30 but customers can redeem it throughout the year.
“Wherever possible, we want to take the worry out of our customers’ lives so they can focus on what’s really important right now – staying healthy and taking care of their families and communities,” Catherine Pearce, director, FordPass business operations, said in a statement.
Dealers across multiple brands have offered such services for health care workers during the crisis. Mazda launched a similar companywide program after some of its dealers began the initiative on their own.
Hudson Ford in Hudson, Wis., is among the shops that have offered free maintenance since the start of the pandemic.
Mark Swelland, the dealership’s president, said in a statement that he has serviced about 300 front-line workers for free since March. Of those, 65 percent had never previously been to his dealership, he said.
“This is a brilliant program for our essential workers,” he said. “I did this for two reasons – it’s a nice thing to do for these critical folks, and the added work has helped keep our Quick Lane team working.”
The automaker says FordPass Rewards, launched last year, has roughly 4 million users. It’s a points-based loyalty program that’s part of the FordPass app, which debuted in 2016 and allows customers to remotely lock/unlock and start their vehicles, among other features.
Ford also said Friday it will offer all FordPass Rewards customers a free one-month subscription to Postmates Unlimited, allowing them free delivery from restaurants and convenience stores, with some conditions.
Ford in 2018 began partnering with Postmates and is testing autonomous delivery services in a number of cities. The pandemic forced Ford to postpone the launch of its autonomous commercial vehicles until 2022.