Idiot? lights
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 137
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From: UT
Idiot? lights
Hello! I am not that new to FTE, but new to Diesels. 
I have a 2003 6.0 FX4 Crew Short bed Lariat. I have read a lot of the topics here, and have read some things about changing air filters, draining water, etc before the light comes on. Maybe I am an "idiot" but I was impressed when I read the diesel supplement that the truck could actually tell me when this stuff needed to be done before it caused big problems. However, it seems these lights are just the diesel versions of the idiot lights on gas vehicles? 
What is the consensus? I know this will probably get people going on both sides of the fence but I am curious about ya'll that have used the lights to tell you when to perform maintenance. Have you run into larger problems because you didn't put your maintenance on a schedule but rather waited for the light?
Thanks for all your great info and advice!
I have a 2003 6.0 FX4 Crew Short bed Lariat. I have read a lot of the topics here, and have read some things about changing air filters, draining water, etc before the light comes on. Maybe I am an "idiot" but I was impressed when I read the diesel supplement that the truck could actually tell me when this stuff needed to be done before it caused big problems. However, it seems these lights are just the diesel versions of the idiot lights on gas vehicles? What is the consensus? I know this will probably get people going on both sides of the fence but I am curious about ya'll that have used the lights to tell you when to perform maintenance. Have you run into larger problems because you didn't put your maintenance on a schedule but rather waited for the light?
Thanks for all your great info and advice!
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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I doubt if you get people on both sides of the fence. I hope everyone is on the side of the fence that believes maintenance is performed on a schedule determined by mileage (and/or time). Waiting for the lights to come on before performing preventive maintenance is a ridiculous notion.
Draining the water is easy. So is checking the air filter indicator. Surely you aren't too lazy to get on your back and turn a screw or pop the hood and look at a guage? Only an idiot would wait for the idiot light to come on before following scheduled maintenance. This forum amazes me.
Draining the water is easy. So is checking the air filter indicator. Surely you aren't too lazy to get on your back and turn a screw or pop the hood and look at a guage? Only an idiot would wait for the idiot light to come on before following scheduled maintenance. This forum amazes me.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: UT
Ok, ok. I suppose I asked for that. I being new to a diesel was impressed (shouldn't have been) that the vehicle could alert me to changing an air filter or draining water. I guess I assumed (we all know the result of that) that new technology had made its way into these diesel vehicles (for example, you can control your entire house from your pc and set alerts for just about anything you want). IMO, the "idiot" lights on any vehicle could be set in a manner to be useful, i.e. more sensitive or based on a ratio of good/bad things happening. Since the supplement talked about a ratio of air flow triggering the air filter light, I again assumed that these lights were actually useful.
Thanks for your input!
Thanks for your input!
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,314
Likes: 4
call me an idiot then !!!!!! 
The water in light never came on in my 7.3 and I never drained it...
Have only done it once on my 6.oh only because the light came on
(turned out to be the HFCM fix that many have gone thru....)
Sorry,
being in the technology business - if something is there to tell me something I use that something and worry about more urgent things to me.... I have quite enough things to fill my time without introducing others
Course, it is MY truck and so I can do what I want to mine and you can do what you want to yours...
And I won't take a hard line on you're being **** about following some guidelines in a book
and I'll continue to drive mine like I want....
that is until the UN decides it's not in my best interest to do that and tells me otherwise... (oh, but that's not until after 11-02-04)
The water in light never came on in my 7.3 and I never drained it...
Have only done it once on my 6.oh only because the light came on
(turned out to be the HFCM fix that many have gone thru....)
Sorry,
being in the technology business - if something is there to tell me something I use that something and worry about more urgent things to me.... I have quite enough things to fill my time without introducing others
Course, it is MY truck and so I can do what I want to mine and you can do what you want to yours...
And I won't take a hard line on you're being **** about following some guidelines in a book
and I'll continue to drive mine like I want....that is until the UN decides it's not in my best interest to do that and tells me otherwise... (oh, but that's not until after 11-02-04)
Last edited by jdadamsjr; Oct 21, 2004 at 12:46 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 137
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From: UT
Thanks JD! I was looking for your info as well. Not sure which route I will take. Probably checj it periodically but not change anything till the light comes on and see if it goes within my acceptable parameters.
You said it right, we all have our own trucks, and to each their own!
You said it right, we all have our own trucks, and to each their own!
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,314
Likes: 4
HEY YOU !
YOU WANT TESTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's PMS time around the household AND trying to finish a house AND trying to close the loan...
but, I did put the requisite smilies and bouncing happy icons
YOU WANT TESTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's PMS time around the household AND trying to finish a house AND trying to close the loan...
but, I did put the requisite smilies and bouncing happy icons
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 19,098
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From: Great State of Texas
Hey JD...Don't whine to me about PMS at your house. I've got four alien female humanoid species and one female pup at my my house. (See, even makes me st..stutter). Two of which are TEENAGERS. 
So there...take that!
Sorries to roozter BTW for thread theft.
So there...take that!
Sorries to roozter BTW for thread theft.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
Originally Posted by kw5413
Hey JD...Don't whine to me about PMS at your house. I've got four alien female humanoid species and one female pup at my my house. (See, even makes me st..stutter). Two of which are TEENAGERS.
So there...take that!
Sorries to roozter BTW for thread theft.
So there...take that!
Sorries to roozter BTW for thread theft.
Either one of your daughters planning a trip to NC anytime soon?
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
Originally Posted by kw5413
PSD...Gonna bring your girlfriend? 
Back to the subject, IMO no "damage" will be inflicted by allowing the check fuel water light to come on; it is only a level gauge, and has quite a large margin of error. You would have to drive it for a good while with the light on before any water would be actually contracted into the fuel system.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
Originally Posted by kw5413
Yep young friend...same old story. Same old result.
Truck.
Girlfriend.
Truck.
Truck.
Truck.
Looking for new girlfriend.
Truck.
Grow old and alone with GREAT truck
Truck.
Girlfriend.
Truck.
Truck.
Truck.
Looking for new girlfriend.
Truck.
Grow old and alone with GREAT truck
I would be in luck if girls had fuel/water seperator drain plugs and oil filters to solve your issues
Last edited by PSD 60L Fx4; Oct 21, 2004 at 03:07 PM.