What is a diagnostic fee?

Understand what a diagnostic fee entails at a Ford dealership. Learn when this fee covers the labor to pinpoint vehicle concerns and when it may be waived if your repair falls under warranty or other covered programs.

A Ford dealership is generally entitled to charge a diagnostic fee. This fee covers the labor cost associated with thoroughly examining your vehicle to determine the root cause of a specific concern you may be experiencing.

Should the diagnosis reveal that the required repair is covered under an applicable warranty, an extended service plan, a recall, or a field service action, the diagnostic fee will be waived. In such instances, you will not be responsible for this initial charge.

However, if the repair is not covered under any of the aforementioned programs, the diagnostic fee will then become an integral part of the overall repair cost. In this scenario, the diagnostic fee will be payable by you, the customer.