Please be patient with me... I'm old and the last Ford I owned I purchased new in 1973... it was a 1974 Pinto.

I just swapped a 2013 Sierra 2500HD D/A for a 2012 F350 DRW Lariat 6.7 this past Saturday. My wife and I are full-time RVers and the 1-ton DRW will handle the pin weight on the fifth wheel much better. Anyway, my two questions are these:

1) When I took delivery of the truck (from my GM dealer), the Check Engine light was on. Not having a Ford scanner, the dealer called a mobile tech they use who came by with his scanner (looked like a giant iPad and he didn't even have to plug it into the truck). There was only one error code and it had to do with the heater. He said it was something about the heater not coming up to temp quickly enough and reset it. We hit the road the next day and a few hours later, the light was back on. I haven't had it scanned yet, but I suspect it's the same thing since all other engine and drive train operations and indicators are OK. If it is, in fact, the heater, has anyone encountered this and do you have any insight into making it go away?

2) The owners' manual (both hard copy and downloaded PDF) say that there should be an outside temperature read-out on the navigation unit just to the left of the time. The temperature is not present on my unit and I see nothing in the menu system about configuring it. (There is also no temp read-out in the main instrument display which is shown as optional in that section of the manual). This leads me to the assumption that there is not an external temperature sensor on my truck. If that is the case, is it possible to add the OEM sensor and have it show up on one of the displays? As full-time RVers towing a 13.5K# fifth wheel (our home!), outside temp and road conditions are extremely important.

Thanks in advance,

Rob

 

1) What heater? You'll need to ask about this in the 6.7L diesel forum.

2) Is this a Ford My Touch (FMT) system? You have the full-screen navigation, and you can pair your phone and see it connected on the main screen? If so, there were various versions of the My Sync software. I recall that on one of the intermediate versions, the temp display on the main screen was removed. People complained, and it was put back.

But, you should see the temp somewhere else too. Do you have a small screen on the right side of the instrument panel? It doesn't show outside temp?

 

I did some more searching last night and figured out the temp thing - press the "EXT" button on the climate control system and the outside temp reads out on that little display down there.

Further searching also indicates that the error code may be related to the DEF tank heater. I'm going to have someone else put a scanner on it today and get the specific error code which should tell me for sure.

I have flown less complicated aircraft than these new vehicles!

Rob

 

Once you get the real trouble code, post in the 6.7 forum. Those guys will be glad to help you out

 

Thanks, everyone. We're in Vicksburg for a few days and the local Ford dealer just confirmed that it's the reductant heater in the DEF tank. Funny thing is - after they reset it this time, the light didn't come back on during the drive back to the RV park where we're staying. Hmmm...

Rob