Not an emergency yet,but 5 MPH in 150 miles and its 195 miles back east to the dealer

[gottabirdog]

Sept 20 I was at the Lewistown Montana dealer who diagnosed my solid CEL as needing an SCR replacement, P20EE . None available and 500 back ordered nation wide. The diesel tech who seemed knowledgeable said he could snip and tape the ammonia sensor, reprogram the computer and I'd be good to go home to Arizona to the home dealer when I could get there and they would be able to get an SCR by then ( about Nov 1).
Tech's report says " Found P20EE Found TSB 18-088-15 Performed complete DEF check Tested at 32.5% and 100 ml No contamination Cannot get parts for TSB Removed Ammonia sensor and reprogrammed PCM Customer will have to have SCR replaced soon-parts are on back order'.
Yesterday morning I added 2-1/2 gallons of DEF bringing the gauge to 3/4 +, and I got a check engine light about 50 miles later , then last night the "5mph in 150 miles see dealer service def system" message. Truck has been running well, regenerating often ( IMO) and using a lot of DEF ( again IMO) for the last 7000 miles ( for the entire trip, towing most of the time).
I'm in Circle, Montana 195 miles west of the Lewistown dealer who is the closest to the east. East is my preferred travel direction tech there seemed knowledgeable. Dealers closed until Monday. Am I understanding my owners manual correctly that I can drive for more than 150 miles (continue after the count-down goes to zero) if I don't off the engine, add fuel or idle for a long time? I'm towing a 15,000 lb fifth wheel making the tow proposition more complicated if I had to be towed to dealer.
Other option is to drive further east to a dealer in Sidney or Glendive MT 70 and 50 miles away.
Can any good shop with a scan tool reset the pcm to keep me going to Lewistown or can I make it if I don't shut it off after the count down. If I do the planned activities today and Sunday, I'll add another 100 miles and be closer to the 5mph threat.
Advice Please. Won't be able to check the forum until tonight. Cell signal spotty here.
Thanks,
Steve Graves 928-231-2481

 

[Bob4x4]

Usually the warning can not simply get cleared ,the pcm must be overflashed.If it were me I would set up camp near the closest dealer and get the scr ordered.There are many scr cats in the pipeline and should be available from many parts depots.Typicaly 3-5 days and you should be back on the road again

 

[gottabirdog]

Thanks Bob. Do you think I can drive it more than 150 miles, if need be, by not shutting it off after the count down?

 

[wyosteve]

While not directly in you line of travel, there is a very good Ram dealer in Wolf Point, MT.

 

[gottabirdog]

thanks, good to know.

 

[Bob4x4]

Thanks Bob. Do you think I can drive it more than 150 miles, if need be, by not shutting it off after the count down?

i don't think I would try

 

[Killer223]

i think i would delete and have a reliable truck.

 

[gottabirdog]

I'm being cautious and not driving until I can contact the closest dealers on Monday a.m. Will drive and campout as Bob suggested. Sidney is 51 miles, Wolf Point 58 miles, and Miles City 122 miles. I'm trying for Miles City if their shop can get me in early next week. Evic says 5 mph in 133 miles.
In September the first dealer I called was booked 3 weeks out they said. Hard to believe. Thanks for the advice. Will post what happens this week.
Steve Graves

 

[Bob4x4]

I'm being cautious and not driving until I can contact the closest dealers on Monday a.m. Will drive and campout as Bob suggested. Sidney is 51 miles, Wolf Point 58 miles, and Miles City 122 miles. I'm trying for Miles City if their shop can get me in early next week. Evic says 5 mph in 133 miles.
In September the first dealer I called was booked 3 weeks out they said. Hard to believe. Thanks for the advice. Will post what happens this week.
Steve Graves

A common way dealers try to avoid taking in warranty work is to tell the consumer how far booked out they are.With the huge success of the 13 plus Rams we are seeing record numbers of Diesels in for service.In my shop we give out of towners as much help as we can to let them continue on their trip.We special handle all the scr cats to help keep Rams on the road where they belong

 

[gottabirdog]

Problem solved, I hope.

The Miles City dealer made an appointment for me this afternoon. By the time I drove there ( 95 miles) the code was inactive although the CEL was still on and still is on now. Service manager said this problem had nothing to do with the SCR and that I should be good to get that done at home in November. This CEL was due to contaminated DEF. I told him that I had filled with Walmart DEF about 70 miles prior to the CEL coming on. He suggested topping off with new Mopar fluid and trying it as opposed to dumping the DEF tank. I'm back home now after adding the about 1 gallon of Mopar DEF and things seem o.k. The next few days will be local driving while bird hunting near Circle, MT.
Again, Thanks for the advice. This site is a great resource for Dodge and Ram owners for sure.

 

[GCP]

A common way dealers try to avoid taking in warranty work is to tell the consumer how far booked out they are.With the huge success of the 13 plus Rams we are seeing record numbers of Diesels in for service.In my shop we give out of towners as much help as we can to let them continue on their trip.We special handle all the scr cats to help keep Rams on the road where they belong

Bob4x4 I wish there was one of you at every Ram dealership! When I recently had a CEL on a road trip you were helpful in suggesting possible causes. And luckily for me, the dealership I stopped at bent over backwards (like yours) to get my truck fixed up and underway pronto.

The Miles City dealer made an appointment for me this afternoon. By the time I drove there ( 95 miles) the code was inactive although the CEL was still on and still is on now. Service manager said this problem had nothing to do with the SCR and that I should be good to get that done at home in November. This CEL was due to contaminated DEF. I told him that I had filled with Walmart DEF about 70 miles prior to the CEL coming on. He suggested topping off with new Mopar fluid and trying it as opposed to dumping the DEF tank. I'm back home now after adding the about 1 gallon of Mopar DEF and things seem o.k. The next few days will be local driving while bird hunting near Circle, MT.
Again, Thanks for the advice. This site is a great resource for Dodge and Ram owners for sure.

Im glad you made it back home safe and sound. How does adding DEF to a contaminated DEF tank solve the issue? Perhaps diluting it into an acceptable mixture? Also, I agree 100% this website is invaluable, and frankly, a national treasure.

GCP

 

[Eagle6.7L]

gotabirddog,curious which brand of walmart were you using.Because are Walmart store here carries 3 different brands.And was the container sealed as well.

 

[Powder Extreme]

Doesn't look like it matters now, but to answer the question about the 5mph warning...

YES you can drive hundreds of miles once the 5mph warning comes up. Just don't shut the truck off, don't fuel up, and don't idle for very long. I have personally driven 250 - 300 miles with the 5mph warning on simply because I was that far away from my own truck stop and didn't want to stop and buy DEF knowing I had plenty of fuel to make it home.

 

[sag2]

The DEF most likely wasn't contaminated. The fault code description says contaminated but that isn't always the case. What it is really saying is the conversion process isn't working so the first assumption is the DEF is bad. The monitor also only runs after the tank level has gone up indicating bad fluid is a very likely cause.

 

[gottabirdog]

gotabirddog,curious which brand of walmart were you using.Because are Walmart store here carries 3 different brands.And was the container sealed as well.

Sealed container, don't remember the name but solid dark blue container @$7 per 2-1/2 gal. DEF was probably o.k. as Safe said. If it was bad, the code was no longer active when I arrived at the dealer. The thinking was that diluting the liquid already in the tank would help if contaminants were the cause.
I'm still a long way from home, but feeling much better about my ability to get home. Thanks to the help here for that.

 

[kthaxton]

Probably Super Tech (Walmart brand).

 

[Eagle6.7L]

I would find it hard also to believe that it was containmated.These 2 gal jugs are seal from the factory,so inspecting the container prior to opening is a good idea.Yesterday one of the Peak jugs I saw at Walmarthad crust inside the box,but no leakage.I assumed it was from the filling site at the factory.I always look as well at the manufacture date as well.Being in the store at room temp is another factor.Peak has inspection guidelines on its website to ensure the product you are using is safe for usage.Sag2 or Bob 4x4 does the internal filter in the DEF nozzle protect the SCR from damage from a containmated DEF tank ?

 

[robroy17]

These reports have me convinced to buy DEF only from the pumps at the truck stops so that I know I am getting fresh, quality fluid that has had no chance to be "stale". Scary to see some of the tampering with the containers at Wal-Mart. I read in a different thread elsewhere that someone mistakenly bought used oil that had been put back into the jugs and returned. I can't believe Wal-Mart doesn't inspect... Wait. Nevermind... <sigh>

 

[Eagle6.7L]

Here was a Peak box purchased at Wal-Mart,these pictures show 2 things 1)The fill date,2)The code for that Jug. As you can see both have been wipe off,so no tracking of fluid contaimation could be traced to a certain plant or product assembly time.Meaning if you did buy this box of DEF and it did indeed contaimated the DEF nozzle,assuming it got pass the filter inside the nozzle assembly than you have no case with PEAK Corp to pay for a very expensive nozzle and if it did damage to the SCR.These picture were sent to PEAK customer dept via email.View attachment 96920View attachment 96921 The top of the jug shows residual DEF,were it was not clean off.The seal inside the cap was good as I turn it on it side to see if there was any leakage.

 

[Minnow101]

I had a very similar experience with my new '16 3500 with just 500 miles on the OD. At the time the DEF see dealer message and CEL came on we were on vacation, 2300 miles from home and had just climbed to the top of Sequoia National Park on a Sunday afternoon which for anyone that's not been there, is a 25-30 mile narrow two lane switchback road. I'm thinking, "how in the hell is a tow truck going to get us off this mountain". No cell service. We cut our visit short and headed down off the mountain. We had reservations at a hotel near the entrance to the park and when we got checked in, I found the nearest Ram dealer was a close by 100 mile trip. Yeah, I'm happy - not !
So the next morning (Monday) we leave crack *** of dawn to be at the dealership door when they open. When I start the truck, the message is gone but the cel is still lit. We get to the dealer and I tell the service writer the issue. He hooks up his hand held computer and says the computer has deleted the message and that the cel will probably disappear after a few start, restart cycles. However if we wanted to hang around for 5 hours, his service tech could look at and make a final determination. Since we were headed towards Las Vegas, I figured if it came back on, we'd just get to another dealer. And he was right, the CEL light did go out after a few start-stops. Now with 13,000 miles, have not had any other cel or warning message. As the service writer told me, "yeah, these trucks are finicky".
For whatever it's worth, I bought a DEF tester, only put in a gallon at a time when the DEF gauge reads 1/4 full, check and double check any new DEF containers at the store for tampering and always use the DEF tester before dumping the DEF in the tank. I also bought a Code reader with the delete option and carry that in the glove box. It still pisses me off that that malfunction ruined our visit to Sequoia, a visit we'll probably never do again. I vowed then that the truck threw another code, I'd trade the truck in for a gasser. Now my confidence is again on the mend but the truck is still on probation !