Hi all new guy here, but have owned several Ford trucks.... recently the CEL came on in ky 2012 F250.....I had it scanned and that was the code it had stored twice. I understand this to be a faulty reductant heater....I contacted my Service Advisor at Ford and he agreed that I should replace it. The truck would not start but would crank....I disconnected both batteries overnight....this did not clear the CELand first attempt it cranked but no start.... second attempt it started...my intention was to drive it to Ford. I let it idle a while and then shut if off so I could go shower before heading to Ford. Upon trying to start it again, it cranked but no start...I took my car to Ford and bought the new reductant heater assembly....Once again, I disconnected both batteries and commenced to changing out the reductant heater assembly. Upon completion, I filled the DEF tank to full, then connected the batteries..... the CEL is still on and the engine cranks but no start.....does the CEL need to be reset with diagnostic scanner or? I'm baffled...

 

2012 OBDII info from Ford.

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/fo...DOBDSM1202.pdf

Some codes require a drive cycle to clear. If truck won't crank, then for sure can't do a drive cycle.

Have you checked to see if there are other codes? Did you do any checking of the wires or wiring harness. Your problem might be a chaffed or shorted or broken wire. did you check Fuse 27 in the fuse box under the hood?

Check the Blue/Orange and the Black/White wires.

 

I didn't meter any of the harness, but everything at the DEF tank looked to be in good order... the truck cranks, but doesn't start.. There were no other codes...I don't have a code reader so I can't check to see if anything new has popped up....at this point I'm either having to go by a code reader or pay to have it towed to Ford. I haven't checked that fuse, but I will go check it right now.

 

Fuse #27 is good

 

Went and bought a scanner....it showed P20BA twice....tried to clear it but it only cleared one....it now shows "P20BA Permanent" I suppose this means only Ford can unlock it......

 

Some codes can only be removed via a drive cycle.

Description
NOTICE: Strict observance of posted speed limits and attention to driving conditions are mandatory when proceeding through the drive cycle.

Note: Vehicles equipped with power take off (PTO) or auxiliary idle control must have that system disengaged before the drive cycle is initiated.

The intention of the drive cycle is to satisfy the specifications for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) specification J1979. Each on board diagnostic (OBD) monitor must run during the drive cycle.

If a particular step is interrupted, simply repeat the drive mode. If the drive cycle is interrupted with a ignition OFF, only drive modes that were incomplete must be run.

Rough road conditions may prevent certain steady state conditions and steady accelerations from validating the transmission and load related monitors.

Some monitors may require extended driving and the completion of a "drive cycle".

Drive Cycle Procedure

Note: Make sure an 8 hour cold soak time is allowed before beginning the drive cycle procedure.


Note: If a diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration event occurs before or during the drive cycle, multiple drive cycles may be required.


Ignition ON. Do not crank until the WAIT TO START light cycles, or at least 10 seconds, whichever occurs first.

Start the engine. Idle in PARK or NEUTRAL for 40 seconds.

Before continuing, the engine oil temperature must exceed 70°C (158°F) and the exhaust gas temperature must exceed 160°C (320°F).

The following outlines the appropriate conditions for running certain OBD monitors that require the engine to be under load:

Accelerate steadily to third gear (M/T use fourth gear) and hold at 1,500 RPM for 3 seconds. Accelerate steadily from 56 km/h (35 mph) to 105 km/h (65 mph) over approximately 15 seconds (M/T 11 seconds minimum).

Carry out a closed pedal decel fuel shut off event without applying the brake for 5 seconds.

Repeat Step 4.a. and b. 3 times.

Drive between 72.42 km/h (45 mph) and 104.6 km/h (65 mph) for 8.05 km (5 mi).

Idle the vehicle for 2 minutes in PARK or NEUTRAL.

Ignition OFF.

Repeat the Quick Test.

 

Thanks for the input Just Strokin. As it would only crank but not start, made it impossible to do a drive cycle.... I had it towed to Ford and they tell me after they cleared the P20BA code, the code for the lift pump came up....I asked to see the code, but they had already moved my truck outside..... seems odd that the lift pump would have gone bad sitting in my driveway....and, my brand new scanner never picked up that DTC....I had already paid to have it towed there, so i agreed to have them fix it..... they tell me it will be $732... feel like my truck has held me hostage for ransom at this point and Ford is going to get a chunk of my money no matter what....hard to believe it never showed any other code yet it has this issue. Not very happy with Ford at this point.

 

Update.....So this morning I started my truck to let the engine warm up while I readied my trailer to hook up.... suddenly I hear what sounds like like water hitting the ground, I run to my driver's door and immediately shut it off and simultaneously smell diesel fuel....I looked under my truck and there was very large puddle of fuel on my driveway....I pop the hood open and there's fuel everywhere.....I start looking at things and find the supply side fuel line on the fuel filter under the hood is not pushed on the way.... I'm thinking ok, they must have changed the filter when they changed the fuel pump. I called the Quick Lane I took it too which is owned by the local dealership to tell them and and asked the CSR if they had indeed replaced my filter.....he said no....So I'm guessing the tech maybe disconnected it there to drain the line when he replaced my lift pump? And why wouldn't you change a fuel filter when a pump goes bad like that? Pump could have easily sent a lot of debris into the line when it failed....Is it not a common practice to do so?
Anyways I live just few blocks from a car wash, so after reconnecting the fuel line I went and lightly rinsed my engine down so it wouldn't catch fire from all the fuel every being very careful not to douse the computer or any of the connections on it. It started just fine and I drove it home get my trailer and then to my shop...It felt down on power. After shutting it off and restarting it, upon leaving my shop, It felt like it was back to normal with good power...after a few miles the CEL came on so I went back home to get my scanner.....Upon scanning it I found the DTC P08E for "low reductant pressure". I just replaced the reductant heater/level sensor assembly last week after getting the P20BA DTC..... Everything looked fine, used the new O rings the assembly came with and was meticulously clean about it all. Is it possible something got wet for the P08E to pop up or do you think there is actually a issue with the reductant pump? I hate to drop the reductant tank again but will if necessary.....