2008 F350 pull over safely message

[Fordman1981]

So I got a call from one of my guys working out of town. They told me that the engine shut off and a message came on the display saying pull over safely. Once they pulled off the road they tried to crank the truck. They said it wouldn't do anything not even turn over. They called AAA and are waiting on a tow truck to come pick the truck up to take it to a ford dealer. I searched online and found a few ford forums saying this is pretty common usually requires replacing the DPF or at a minimum a DPF sensor. I think it is ridiculous that emission sensors can strand you. This sounds very similar to the ambulance problem in DC. Once it gets diagnosed at a ford dealer I will let you guys know for sure what the outcome is. BTW this truck has 140,000 miles on it and from what I found online the emission equipment is only under warranty to 100,000 miles. The other 08 that I drove had the HPFP go out on it as 120,000 miles. There was a whole list of other problems with the 08 I drove so I traded it. Both 08's had the aluminum radiators replaced and were not covered under warranty along with a few other 08 owners I know. So is there anyone on this forum that has experienced this message on an 08 or 09 6.4 ford?

 

[swines]

Unless there is a real problem with the DPF - then the people driving the truck ignored all of the warnings. If the truck shuts down, and you've ignored all of the warnings, it shuts down so it won't be damaged (costing you even more money).

This should be the series of warnings you get - if you ignore all of them - then the truck will shut down to protect itself.


Soot Load Engine Performance
Dash Lamps


Exhaust filter (DPF) Regeneration required

Drive on highway at highway
speeds until lamp turns off OR
start Parked Regeneration to
prevent loss of power

Exhaust Filter (DPF) is full Regeneration Required

Pull vehicle safely off roadway
and start Parked Regeneration
to prevent loss of engine power

Dash Audible Alarm Exhaust filter is full.

Engine performance is LIMITED

Pull vehicle safely off roadway
and start Parked Regeneration
to prevent engine stopping

Dash Audible Alarm- A serious engine problem has occurred.

Exhaust filter may be overfull. Engine
may SHUTDOWN soon.

Pull vehicle safely off roadway,
turn on flashers, place warning
devices, and STOP ENGINE. DO
NOT USE Parked Regeneration.
Call for service.

 

[Fordman1981]

Well there was no warning other than it was currently in a regen. It shut down because of a bad sensor the ford dealer said. So no one ignored warnings. You can search the web for yourself it happens often. The sensor was corroded in the housing so they were not able to remove it. They had to replace the dpf housing which cost $2,300.00. If they could have got the sensor out it would have been a $300.00 repair. I'm not happy a faulty sensor can shut an engine down without warning. I'm going to do some more research and see if the ram emission system has the same programming.

 

[Morning Wood]

Well there was no warning other than it was currently in a regen. It shut down because of a bad sensor the ford dealer said. So no one ignored warnings. You can search the web for yourself it happens often. The sensor was corroded in the housing so they were not able to remove it. They had to replace the dpf housing which cost $2,300.00. If they could have got the sensor out it would have been a $300.00 repair. I'm not happy a faulty sensor can shut an engine down without warning. I'm going to do some more research and see if the ram emission system has the same programming.

Nightmare.

 

[CaptPicky]

I'm keeping my 7.3 forever!

 

[Fordman1981]

Nightmare.

Yeah tell me about it. The truck is just lucky it did it to one if my guys and not me. If it had stranded me on the side of the interstate. It may not have faired as well.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm keeping my 7.3 forever!

ditto!!!

 

[flusher]

Well there was no warning other than it was currently in a regen. It shut down because of a bad sensor the ford dealer said. So no one ignored warnings. You can search the web for yourself it happens often. The sensor was corroded in the housing so they were not able to remove it. They had to replace the dpf housing which cost $2,300.00. If they could have got the sensor out it would have been a $300.00 repair. I'm not happy a faulty sensor can shut an engine down without warning. I'm going to do some more research and see if the ram emission system has the same programming.

Holy c***. That DPF housing must be made out of high strength titanium alloy

 

[Fordman1981]

Holy c***. That DPF housing must be made out of high strength titanium alloy

Yeah I know right. There is a guy that is a salesman for one of my customers. He has an 09 that he has had to replace the DPF housing on twice because it got so hot it welded the sensor to the housing and fried the sensor in the process.

 

[sd455dan]

Well there was no warning other than it was currently in a regen. It shut down because of a bad sensor the ford dealer said. So no one ignored warnings. You can search the web for yourself it happens often. The sensor was corroded in the housing so they were not able to remove it. They had to replace the dpf housing which cost $2,300.00. If they could have got the sensor out it would have been a $300.00 repair. I'm not happy a faulty sensor can shut an engine down without warning. I'm going to do some more research and see if the ram emission system has the same programming.

WOW just WOW I know diesels cost more to buy and maintain but... $2300- there are places that will sell a warrantied, re-manufactured gas engine for 1970-1980s trucks AND install it (they get the old engine core) for around that price. I'm surprised they didn't remove the DPF housing and apply some heat with a torch and try to remove the sensor, That would void the warranty on the repair...probably ...
..

 

[newbury]

I'm keeping my 7.3 forever!

Maybe I'll get a third.

 

[Fordman1981]

WOW just WOW I know diesels cost more to buy and maintain but... $2300- there are places that will sell a warrantied, re-manufactured gas engine for 1970-1980s trucks AND install it (they get the old engine core) for around that price. I'm surprised they didn't remove the DPF housing and apply some heat with a torch and try to remove the sensor, That would void the warranty on the repair...probably ...
..

Yeah I know what you mean I have a 71 F350 and a long block 390 only cost like $1900 I think I even found one for $1600 or so. I haven't replaced the engine in it was just pricing one time so I would know if I needed to. The aluminum radiator both of the 08's had to have was $1,100 for each too of course they were not covered under warranty after 36,000 miles either.

 

[sd455dan]

Yeah I know what you mean I have a 71 F350 and a long block 390 only cost like $1900 I think I even found one for $1600 or so. I haven't replaced the engine in it was just pricing one time so I would know if I needed to. The aluminum radiator both of the 08's had to have was $1,100 for each too of course they were not covered under warranty after 36,000 miles either.

Ouch .. on the radiators - The price of the new DPF got me thinking and found some sites that clean dpfs (all sizes no limitations, {DPF Regeneration, 1-800-634-3010} )

I would request the old unit back at the very least- may be able to have it cleaned for the 08 if it should have the same problem again.... Gotta be less expensive than Fords new price and if nothing else- they don't get the scrap price out of it, you do.

 

[Fordman1981]

From what I was told by the dealer the dpf itself was fine. The issue was the dpf sensor failed and they were not able to get it out of the dpf housing and that's the reason the dpf housing had to be replaced. I think I am going to take the dpf sensor out of my 2012 ram and put some type of high temp anti seize in the threads. Thumbsup:

 

[Fordman1981]

Ouch .. on the radiators - The price of the new DPF got me thinking and found some sites that clean dpfs (all sizes no limitations, {DPF Regeneration, 1-800-634-3010} )

I would request the old unit back at the very least- may be able to have it cleaned for the 08 if it should have the same problem again.... Gotta be less expensive than Fords new price and if nothing else- they don't get the scrap price out of it, you do.

I appreciate the info on the site you found. Thanks.

 

[Soundguy]

i think i'd ask for the housing.. you never know.. you might fiddle with it and get it out youself. might be something you can drill thru, then use a small file and cut it95% in a couple places.. once it is weakened and relieved in the center.. it may then extract.. etc. BTDT on some probes and plugs, hollow and solid in tractors.. etc..

 

[Fordman1981]

i think i'd ask for the housing.. you never know.. you might fiddle with it and get it out youself. might be something you can drill thru, then use a small file and cut it95% in a couple places.. once it is weakened and relieved in the center.. it may then extract.. etc. BTDT on some probes and plugs, hollow and solid in tractors.. etc..

I've been thinking the same thing. At the very least I can see just how "stuck" the sensor really is.

 

[westcliffe01]

There was an article that the same thing happened to an ambulance which was transporting a gunshot victim in DC and it quit on the highway.

I had the same exact thing happen to my 08 model and it only had 66k on the odo. Basically if the RTD sensor goes open circuit it gets interpreted as the maximum temperature possible = the system is on fire. Therefore they shut the engine off. There are 4 of these sensors on the system. I don't know if the engine shut down occurs if any of the 4 sensors fail, or just a specific one, but I know that I ordered the 4 replacement sensors (they are not covered under warranty) and I plugged them in to the wiring harness and cable ties the actual RTD's and cables away from the exhaust. Then disconnected both batteries and left the truck for an hour so the storage capacitor in the ECU could dissipate. When I re-connected I could start it. It went into limp mode because it knew that all the RTD's not heating up couldn't be right, but I was able to drive to the dealer instead of getting it towed (and get all my crap out if it).

The truck sat at the dealer from Nov until Feb (most of the winter) because every dealer in the area was months behind in warranty work and the trucks for people that had businesses had first priority and me Joe citizen was out of luck.

Perhaps the length of time, or the penetrant I put on it, or the frost action worked, but they were able to get everything out without any damage.

Update: 1 year later and the DPF has failed. Mileage under 80k. Tailpipe is black. I have to think about how to approach this at the dealer. I am not replacing it on my dime. But I do not know if federal law allows the dealer to return your truck with a known defective emissions system. I'm not getting the $2300 squeeze put on me for this POS system.

 

[sd455dan]

I appreciate the info on the site you found. Thanks.

glad it was of interest, I have to admit that DPF woke me up to the price of some of the newer emissions equipment (again)..

Seems to me- there was a post about the feds not allowing the emissions equipment to be (non warrantied) somewhere on TBN also seems like westcliffe01 is alluding to the same thing???

 

[crazyal]

If the housing is made out of an alloy like inconel then the threads will gall and there's not much you can do to repair it. There are compounds that you can put on the threads to help prevent this from happening but unless they are safe to use with the sensor I wouldn't use them.