I know that's a normal msg, but what has me thinking is the fact I've had my truck just over 2 weeks and it only has 1350 miles on it. My understanding is that a tank of DEF should last at least 5000 miles (service interval), which means either my delivery prep guys overlooked filling it or it using way more DEF than it should. My guess would be the first thought. Lol

 

To my knowledge, most dealers if your are lucky only put 2 to 2.5 gallons of DEF in for delivery. Most don't fill it up.

 

OK, I didn't know that, they did fill the fuel tank tho, so I'm not complaining :-)

 

Ford tells them to not fill it completely till the first oil change.

A full tank should last about 5K of towing and much farther non towing.

Take some with you if you are going out of town. When mine started the count down (500 miles) it seemed to go rather quickly and before you know it I was out.

I got the 100 miles till reduced power message because I ran it completely dry.

 

Thanks for that info, plan on picking some up tomorrow. Do you get yours from Ford or can I pick it up at any parts store?

 

I get it at Wal-Mart. You can get it at parts store and truck stops too.

 

All trucks that come from factory all completely full of def fluid I know cause I'm ford diesel tech and I don't recommend letting those def tanks for couple reasons one it kills the def pump starving it of fluid second if you drive it empty till it goes in idle mode only for 14 yr model and up the only way to remove the idle mode is to install a new pcm disconnecting batteries and all that other stuff people talk about will not work and some dealers might have you pay for the pcm since you decided to drive it empty of def they considered it abuse

 

After researching my purchase for several months before buying, I learned that it is very common for the trucks to NOT be full of DEF and that it is often overlooked during PDI. I specifically told my salesman to make sure it was topped off. H argued that they came full from the factory, but agreed to top it off anyway. It took almost 2 gallons, so he gave me what was left of the jug, which I put in the garage when I got home. That tank went 8,500 miles before flashing the 500 miles to empty screen. When filling after that message, it took just shy of 5 gallons to fill completely.

 

Wow! Install new PCM?! That's a little extreme for letting a useless government mandated component run dry of fluid! I never plan on letting it run out anyway, but if what you're saying is correct, maybe I should buy stock in the PCM manufacturer because sales will surely go up!. Lol

 

My DEF level was not overlooked during PDI. My oil change interval is around 6000+ miles and the DEF tank lasts for that interval.

 

Um, don't believe everything you read on the internet. I too am a dealer tech (Senior master) and I've never heard of that nonsense.

 

If that is true, they need to reprint the Diesel supplement. The below is from the 2nd printing of the 2014 supplement:

Continued driving without refilling will
result in the following actions as required
by the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA):
• Within a certain number of miles
(kilometers) to empty, speed will be
limited upon vehicle restart. Prior to
this occurring a message will appear in
the information display.
• Further vehicle operation without
refilling your diesel exhaust fluid tank
will cause the engine to enter an
idle-only condition. This will only occur
upon vehicle refueling or at an
extended idle. A message will indicate
the required actions to resume normal
operation. It is required to add a
minimum of 0.5 gallons (1.9L) of diesel
exhaust fluid to the tank to exit the
idle-only condition, but your vehicle will
still be in the speed-limiting mode until
you refill the tank completely.
For either vehicle speed limiting or idle-only
condition, normal vehicle operation will
resume when you refill the diesel exhaust
fluid tank.
Note: When filling the diesel exhaust fluid
tank from empty, there may be a short delay
before detecting the increased level of fluid.
The increased level detection must occur
before your vehicle returns to full power.
Low DEF Warnings and Actions — Instrument Cluster Messages (Optional message center
messages shown, base message center messages similar)
Customer Vehicle Actions
Requested Actions
Distance/Exhaust
Fluid Level or Action
Cluster Message
Full exhaust fluid Drive normally None
tank
Exhaust Fluid Level
OK
Exhaust fluid tank Drive normally None
below 1⁄2 full
Exhaust Fluid Under
1⁄2 Full
Approximately 500 Refill exhaust fluid None
miles (805 km) left
before exhaust fluid
tank is empty
Exhaust Fluid Range
500 miles (805 km)
Approximately 99 Refill exhaust fluid None
Miles (159 km) left
before exhaust fluid
tank is empty
In 99 Miles (159 km)
Speed Limited to 50
MPH (80 km/h)
Exhaust Fluid Empty

 

A new pcm would not occur. That is just nonsense.

I don't think it would do the the def pump any good though to run it dry for an extended period of time.

I did not run mine down to zero on purpose. Just when it gets down to around a 100 miles it goes rather quickly.

 

Smokin what ???

 

My truck is a 2011 and I have gone the full oil change screen, about 10,000 kms (6,200 miles) on average before my DEF displays less than 1/2 full. I always fill it up when I check the display and see the "less than 1//2 full" display. That is not towing so I would imagine towing it would use more DEF. I can't really predict when the DEF cleaning message will pop up? It is kind of funny though that I can drive on the highway for 2-5 hours and then just when I am about to park it the DEF clean screen asking for OK comes on. I have 173,000 kms on the truck now. Dreading the day I have to replace the dual batteries as I imagine Ford pricing will dent the credit card pretty darn good. P.S. I usually get the oil changed before the 10,000 kms as I know an oil change is coming up.