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Freqz · 03-02-2018, 08:14 AM

So I bought a F350 in January and it turned 5000 miles last night. At 4500 it started bugging me to add DEF so I started the grand adventure of getting DEF in Big Lake, TX. (I was camped 6 miles North and working 12 miles north for 10 days)

First stop was the truck stop and the pumps weren't working. Second stop was the little Texaco which advertised two jugs for $13.99. Took a pair up to the counter and it was almost $30..."oh no, two for 13.99 is for two gallon jugs. We sell 2.5 gallon jugs. Still want it?"

Er, no.

So made a stop by Walmart last night on my run back to the house and bought 2 jugs for $17. Filled up and we're good, right?

The gauge got confused somehow. It came up to a quarter, then full, then a half. Then slowly dropped back to near zero.

"299 miles! Refil DEF NOW"

It's full

"150 miles of DEF left, refil now OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!" (Pretty sure that's an exact quote but I was getting pretty peeved so maybe not)

Then at 99 miles to empty it started in on "speed will be limited to 50 mph if you run out" every 6 blasted miles

Mrs Freqz was googling furiously since it was 10:00 at night and the consensus seems to be "it gets confused sometimes. Take it in for a reset or just drive it for awhile ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

A lot of good that will do me at 11:00 at night when I'm still 50 miles from the house. With a full DEF tank

Stopped at a truck stop outside of Ft Worth thinking maybe topping the tank would do it. Pulled into the truck lanes and purchased eighty cents worth of bulk DEF. A repeat of the full, 1/4, 1/2, empty routine.

19 miles to empty on the DEF.

Just after the I20/I30 split the highway was closed in 15 minute intervals according to the sign so I put it in park and waited. It was a little chilly so I just put it park and idled.

The DEF gauge jumped to 1/4, then 3/8, then 1/2, then full.

Never heard another peep from the computer. So to fix your emissions system you just need to idle for 10 minutes. Sheesh.

Hurk · 03-02-2018, 08:31 AM

You should check the best before date on DEF bottle. Especially from Walmart as could be sitting on warm shelf for sometime. Old DEF is harmful and could result in costly repair to engine!

tuffr2 · 03-02-2018, 09:11 AM

What year truck is it? I think my 2012 was recalled to be programmed for a DEF issue.

Maybe this truck was never taken in if 2012 or newer.

Freqz · 03-02-2018, 09:58 AM

The truck is a 2017. I'd have hoped they'd have measuring the level in a tank down by now

DEF was fresh

keymastr · 03-02-2018, 10:12 AM

Also be careful with Walmart as people put water in DEF bottles and then return them. Many reports of this.

monkey · 03-02-2018, 10:23 AM

Verry sorry of your problems... It is a fact that DEF causes problems,,, but as said I don't think Date Codes would be a problem in your case... With a 2017,,, I'd be back to the dealer.....

1bigmess · 03-02-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keymastr

Also be careful with Walmart as people put water in DEF bottles and then return them. Many reports of this.

Easy enough to check the seal on the mouth of the jug before you get to the checkout line. I've been hearing this story about tampered with DEF jugs ever since I bought my truck, but have seen no evidence. It's like a ghost story at this point.

vsheetz · 03-02-2018, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

What year truck is it? I think my 2012 was recalled to be programmed for a DEF issue.

Maybe this truck was never taken in if 2012 or newer.

Agree. Only buy if sealed. I take unsealed jugs to the counter and tell them not to sell.

mrgrayaz · 03-03-2018, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freqz

The truck is a 2017. I'd have hoped they'd have measuring the level in a tank down by now

DEF was fresh

Yeah it's pretty bad. The Ford apparently only has 4 conducting sensors - alot like the junk our RB tanks have. They couldn't use a normal float setup because it freezes. I've put in 7.5 gallons so far in 4k miles.

Super Thirty · 03-03-2018, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrgrayaz

Yeah it's pretty bad. The Ford apparently only has 4 conducting sensors - alot like the junk our RB tanks have. They couldn't use a normal float setup because it freezes. I've put in 7.5 gallons so far in 4k miles.

Yeah really well thought out. Let’s use a liquid that freezes at -11 in an environment that frequently drops south of -30C and lets make it so you can’t add an antifreeze solution to the DEF.

txcpl · 03-04-2018, 05:58 AM

Had a 2015 Chevy 3500 with some odd issues with DEF sensors. There was a service bulletin to refresh the computer to fix this problem. Took the dealership 15 minutes to do the refresh. Been going strong with no problems ever since.

Duoglide1 · 03-05-2018, 08:14 PM

When I bought my ‘16 F350 my service advisor told me to use the feature on the dash to check the DEF regularly (mine doesn’t have the levels but it does tell me when below 1/2 full). I was told to never let it get down to 500 to empty or a situation where its counting down to empty. After it’s below a half for a bit I fill it up. I’ve never had the issue you describe am now @ 36000 miles. Good luck.

Duoglide1 · 03-05-2018, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Thirty

Yeah really well thought out. Let’s use a liquid that freezes at -11 in an environment that frequently drops south of -30C and lets make it so you can’t add an antifreeze solution to the DEF.

That’s why we have a heated DEF tank-both to thaw it and keep it flowing. Europe had this crap long before it was forced onto our manufacturers.

mrgrayaz · 03-05-2018, 08:37 PM

Yep. Thank the EPA. On the other hand our 6.0 Powerstroke bothered my Asthma (truley) and our 6.7L is amazingly cleaner.

As we tow often I'm usually at truck stop anyway - really not a big deal to just grab the DEF handle. We're already down to half a tank again - only been 1200 miles....