Community Forums

outlawten5 · 09-03-2021, 08:46 AM

Thanks Sally. Hopefully supply will catch up with demand

Chevyman936 · 09-05-2021, 07:01 PM

My new to me 2018 Newmar DS 4310 with 17500 miles is dead at shop in Salina Utah awaiting a DEF head next week after holiday.

ThunderRidge · 09-06-2021, 06:16 AM

Don’t know how Spartan decided that I only needed a sensor but, that’s all they are shipping. Hopefully, it works. Even fixed I now have little to no faith in taking this coach on a road trip. I don’t believe they really have a handle on the problem so right now it’s just throwing parts at it and trying to get owners off their back.
The only true solution is going to be the loading of the emergency vehicle software so the coach will not shutdown.

bdozer · 09-06-2021, 09:26 AM

Hello all. I am new to the DEF issue so please excuse any dumb questions. 2014 Ventana 4369 on a Freightliner chassis with 51K miles. I just completed an 8K mile trip west and while climbing over the Rockies in CO. I got a yellow check engine light, then a red check engine light that greatly reduced power on any inclines. Got to Grand Junction and checked the code and it was for fuel. thought I had the dreaded fuel rail problem but changed out the fuel filters and lights went away. (had just left the Newmar factory for service. They changed oil filters but did not do the fuel filters!!!) Really did not know about the DEF issue. Then got the yellow check engine light again and really did nothing about it and drove for another week or so. But what I did notice is that whenever I filled the DEF tank more that 1/2 full, the light went out. Also the dash DEF indicator would go to red for 10 or so seconds then back to the correct level. It also affected the cruise control indicator light along with some others.
Here's my question...am I in the early stages of a DEF head failure? Where can I get a detailed explanation of what this is all about? THANKS!

Marcosdad · 09-06-2021, 09:39 AM

Two failures. One was the replacement right out of the box. Much discussion of this on the Entegra Owner's Forum, but no poll.

Chevyman936 · 09-08-2021, 10:36 PM

My story 2018 Newmar DS 4310 Freightliner 17,743 miles
Thursday 9/2 drove Scenic 12 from Capital Reef NP to Bryce Canyon NP with no problems whatsoever. Steep windy road used Exhaust brake alot. As we parked in pouring rain the infamous DEF death lights came on. Standard check engine, second Check engine with ! and "check" under it. The read out said "Low DEF Level" DEF level bars went from 4 green to one Red although tank was almost full. Some say quick start could cause. I may of "quick started" not sure. Was in and out unhooking Jeep and jockeying into tight campspot in the rain. May not have waited as I usually do. We had topped off DEF at Mavericks about 350 miles earlier. Called FCCC hotline. They told me count down to derate was on. They told me start and don't shut off or stop until at shop. Fri 9/3 drove 120 miles with no change in lights or derate to Premier Truck in Salinas Utah. Shawn did basic diagnosis suspected DEF head failure. Was too late to order parts. Tuesday 9/7 they did a more thorough Diag. Shawn told me he tested my DEF and it was fine. They only replaced DEF fluid with new after I insisted. I had to prove to them my tank had a drain. They said most do not. They overnighted a Head from Indianapolis which parts man told me there were 7 in stock. Arrived UPS around 1:30 9/8. Shawn said not too bad to replace. Only had to drop tank 4 inches or so he could get it out. He forced a regen. Rechecked codes and we are off. He didn't seem to have any info on checking routing of coolant lines being backwards on lots of these unit causing over heating. Anyone have a diagram or info so I can verify myself??? Freightliner helpline via email says they don't have access to any routing info and I have not been able to find.

ThunderRidge · 09-09-2021, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderRidge

Don’t know how Spartan decided that I only needed a sensor but, that’s all they are shipping. Hopefully, it works. Even fixed I now have little to no faith in taking this coach on a road trip. I don’t believe they really have a handle on the problem so right now it’s just throwing parts at it and trying to get owners off their back.
The only true solution is going to be the loading of the emergency vehicle software so the coach will not shutdown.

Just received word that the new sensor is installed and I can pick up the coach. As I stated before. I have very little faith in using my coach.

KenneysSeeAm · 09-09-2021, 11:51 AM

2019 Newmar New Aire Freightliner. At shop now 2,100 miles from home. Just informed that it’s the DEF Head. Now we wait and see how long or if they have parts.

outlawten5 · 09-09-2021, 04:43 PM

Wow, That's the first New Aire in this post.

tnedator · 09-09-2021, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderRidge

Just received word that the new sensor is installed and I can pick up the coach. As I stated before. I have very little faith in using my coach.

I wonder if something was lost in translation. As far as what I've read, the sensor/head are an integrated unit in Spartan and they don't/can't change just the sensor. I'm wondering if someone is calling the def head unit, which includes the sensor (the part that is actually failing), a "sensor."

ThunderRidge · 09-09-2021, 06:45 PM

They told me sensor at the dealer and that’s what is on the paperwork. Spartan said it was a sensor. However, when I looked in the compartment it looked like a completely new DEF head.

tnedator · 09-09-2021, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderRidge

They told me sensor at the dealer and that’s what is on the paperwork. Spartan said it was a sensor. However, when I looked in the compartment it looked like a completely new DEF head.

That makes more sense. While all of us are calling it a def head, I think they probably just refer to it as a def sensor. My understanding is some, possibly newer Freightliners, can have just the sensor replaced, but with the Shaw unit that Spartan uses, it's one integrated unit, head and sensor.

Good luck to you, and me with my 20 day old gen 7 head, that they will hold up for a while.

Chevyman936 · 09-09-2021, 08:32 PM

Here is what DEF Head removed from my Freightliner yesterday.
Side note. While we waited for ours to be finished at shop yesterday a gentleman came in asking if they could reset his lights for DEF. They told him they could not just reset. He said he had to get home and left before we could say anything. I saw his Freightliner Super C Seneca sitting on I70 coming over one of the passes West of Denver.

KenneysSeeAm · 09-12-2021, 06:25 AM

A follow-up on our 2019 New Aire. Truck Centers Inc. in South Bend received a new DEF head the very next morning. Not sure if they had one on order or had access to parts from a centralized location. Either way, it was good news for us.

The only hiccup was when they went to install the DEF Head. Evidently there was not enough clearance to remove the DEF Head and they could not tilt the DEF tank to remove the tank and then the head. Took a little modification but they finally got the tank out and replaced the head.

Truck Centers Inc is a Freightliner Oasis Dealer. Free overnight camping with electric while you wait.

Everything was covered under warranty. Back on the road!