Diesel Ford 6.7 DEF Problems: What Is Wrong With Ford? (F350)
Modern engines are not as simple as the original motors on vehicles. There are a lot of extra parts added to motors these days due to government regulations. That means it is more difficult, and expensive, to find and repair what is broken. The DEF is just one of those additions that can break down on you.
The simple answer will be that you may have a faulty sensor. That is good news as that part is a lot easier to fix than the whole DEF system. If you run out of DEF, diesel Exhaust fluid, then you may enter limp mode until you refill the tank.
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about this part so you know how to fix it. Take a few minutes to see how this information helps you repair your diesel motor and get it running smoothly again
Are There Any Problems With The Ford 6.7 Diesel?
It goes without saying that yes there have been problems with this motor. The first generation had a lot of issues that needed to be worked out. This was Ford’s attempt to vary the Powerstroke model and there were issues in almost all models.
The second generation was held to about 5 common problems that could be fixed once they appeared. It was an upgraded model from the first generation engine and Ford was able to solve many of the problems that plagued the first rendition.
Unfortunately, those upgrades did not solve all the problems for Ford and they are still working out the bugs. Their third-generation motor is said to be too new to fully evaluate its performance and what is wrong with the motor.
The third-generation motor is said to run a lot better if owners removed some of the OEM devices that have been installed. However, if you do remove them, you may face legal consequences if caught.
Ford 6.7 DEF Problems
Right now there does not seem to be a list of common problems for the third generation 6.7L engine. It is too new of a motor for experts to examine and collect the data needed to compile this type of list.
What follows will be a list that was compiled for the second-generation version of this motor:
1. Exhaust gas temperate (EGT) sensor- this is the most common issue you should encounter with this motor. There are 4 of these installed which means you will have 4 times the problem. You will see the check engine light, fault codes, & failed emission tests when this part goes bad.
2. EGR Cooler Clogging- This takes place a lot because Ford changed the design. The valve was moved to the hot side and carbon deposits can build up in the EGR cooler core clogging it up so it does not run as it should.
3. Injection Pump Failure- it fails due to the metal-on-metal contact inside the pump. Because of this metal-on-metal contact, metal bits can contaminate the fuel system, ruining other parts as well. When this problem occurs, many owners had to replace a large portion of their fuel supply system.
4. Radiator Coolant Leaks- The 6.7L uses 2 radiators and the leak usually happens in the primary radiator. You will see overheating or a leak alert when this starts to develop. The replacement may be the only fix you have available.
5. Turbocharger Problems- The part that causes the problem is the turbo bearing. That is because the turbo is too small for the power and torque demand placed on the engine.
Some of the symptoms are power loss, loss of oil, too much smoke, and a whining sound coming from the turbo. Turbo replacement is not cheap.
DEF Sensor Problems Ford
This could happen to you as some owners have reported this issue. There was a recall letter sent out #18M01 but unless the alert light was visible when you brought your truck into the dealer, some dealers won’t honor the recall.
In the meantime, the onboard computer will sense a problem and turn on the check engine light and send out one of the following fault codes- P0544, P2031, P2032, P2033, P2084, P242A, P242D, P2471, and P246E to list a few.
You may be sent into limp mode if you do not get to the dealer before the power cut.
6.7 Powerstroke DEF Limp Mode Reset
One option is to do a standing reset. You need to park your truck on level ground first. Then fill your DEF tank with one gallon of DEF fluid. When that is done, start your truck and let it idle for a short time.
You may not have to idle long but check your owner’s manual to see what it says about this process. After letting your truck idle, drive your truck at 6 mph for roughly 3 minutes.
To reset the computer, you need to remove the negative cable from your battery. Then go do something else for about 30 minutes. This will give the computer time to drain out its backup power.
Once that power is gone, the computer should start to reset. If these two steps do not work, you may have to clear fault codes. That may be a dealer option only if you do not have the right equipment.
Some Final Words
Modern engines come with modern problems that are not always easy to fix. Nor are they cheap to fix. On the 6.7L engine, it is hard to avoid problems as there are more than just the 5 problems listed above that can take place.
When in doubt, talk to your dealer but they may not always be able to help. Check your mail for the recall notice and have your truck serviced to eliminate certain problems before they get worse.
