# Long Road Trip Tomorrow, Low Quality DEF Light



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

My experience this week:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/201-...1-exhaust-fluid-quality-poor-caution-dic.html


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

I saw your post last night... Do you know what happens if you hit that 65 mph limit? Will it drop it down to 55 mph after another 50 miles or something stupid like that? 

I'm definitely tearing this crap off the motor once the warranty is up. My mileage is at 46k.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

This sounds like the third one in a week with this issue.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> I saw your post last night... Do you know what happens if you hit that 65 mph limit? Will it drop it down to 55 mph after another 50 miles or something stupid like that?
> 
> I'm definitely tearing this crap off the motor once the warranty is up. My mileage is at 46k.


Yeah, it starts the countdown of death until your limited to 5 mph or something like that. 

I did have an occurence once almost three years ago when I got the countdown and my service advisor told me to drive it in the highway. I did and 30 minutes later it cleared itself and never came back. 

I tried to find my posts about it but no joy.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

Well, I'll give her the old college (or Army?) try, and see if it'll fix itself. Hopefully the dealership will give me a Camaro for a loaner if it comes to that


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> Well, I'll give her the old college (or Army?) try, and see if it'll fix itself. Hopefully the dealership will give me a Camaro for a loaner if it comes to that


Go Army!


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Can you give any info about the age, amount, and source of the DEF in the tank? If it's nearing a year old, if it came from a sketchy source, like being stored in an above-ground bulk tank, etc. it could actually be losing quality, since it does have a shelf-life. Sun, heat, and time all take their toll on the potency of the DEF. So, if you have some room in the tank, topping off your DEF might raise the quality enough to get you through your road trip. If topping up does fix your problem, I'd probably suck out the tank and refill with fresh after your road trip. If topping off doesn't fix the problem, even though you added 2 gallons or more, then I would suspect you are dealing with a clogged nozzle or a problem with your NOX2 sensor causing a false reading.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

The DEF in the tank was added by me this spring/summer (I've put on about 10k miles since March). I think it's Peak or some other major brand, but it does experience quite a nasty heat cycle due to the Louisiana heat. I added 2.5 gallons last night from a bottle I've had in the trunk for a few weeks (I typically carry an extra bottle in the tank), so now it's full.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Do you happen to have a siphon pump around the garage? If you want to take a swing at an inexpensive fix that might have a shot at getting you on the road and keeping you there without the need for a visit to the dealer, you could suck the tank out, buy some fresh DEF at an open parts store or truck stop, and see if the message goes away. It seems like your DEF should be fine based on what you describe, but at a risk of less than $20 worth of fluid, it could be worth it, just in case there is an irregularity with your fluid, if it gets your road trip back on track and saves you a trip to the dealer. If you're a DIY type, and exchanging the fluid doesn't correct your problem, I'd say your next step is to pull the DEF injector, inspect for clogs, and clean.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

Those are great ideas... As a civilian I would have already done so, but as a soldier living in the barracks, it's a bit impossible to perform anything other than routine maintenance that's planned weeks in advance. There are dealerships all along the early part of my journey, and since it's most likely a warranty issue, I'm hoping that they'll oblige with a loaner to keep me on my way in the event that it doesn't fix itself.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> Those are great ideas... As a civilian I would have already done so, but as a soldier living in the barracks, it's a bit impossible to perform anything other than routine maintenance that's planned weeks in advance. There are dealerships all along the early part of my journey, and since it's most likely a warranty issue, I'm hoping that they'll oblige with a loaner to keep me on my way in the event that it doesn't fix itself.


Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how your trip goes. Do you have a code reader to clear the code before you get on the highway?


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Relevant thread from a few years ago:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-g...cussion/87553-check-engine-def-limp-mode.html


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

I did indeed clear the code with my Torque app, it was the same P20ee code I've gotten before. Sure enough, 10 minutes on the freeway (with only 30 miles until the 65 mph limit), and the faulty def fluid light went off. I think I'll schedule an appointment with the local dealership and see if they can prevent it from happening again.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> I did indeed clear the code with my Torque app, it was the same P20ee code I've gotten before. Sure enough, 10 minutes on the freeway (with only 30 miles until the 65 mph limit), and the faulty def fluid light went off. I think I'll schedule an appointment with the local dealership and see if they can prevent it from happening again.


Did you end up continuing the trip?


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

I did continue the trip, no issues. Should easily surpass the 800 mile mark on one tank of fuel, too . Thanks for all the advice, fellas.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> I did continue the trip, no issues. Should easily surpass the 800 mile mark on one tank of fuel, too . Thanks for all the advice, fellas.


Excellent! Let us know what the dealer says when you get around to taking it in.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

Finally got around to taking the car into the dealership 2 weeks ago. The replaced the first NOx sensor under recall, and reported that it was quite soot-covered. Unless they did something to prevent it from becoming sooty again, this likely will be a reoccurring issue, but for now, everything seems to be running perfectly.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

Annnnnnd yesterday the old "Yucky DPF Change Now Or Else" light came back on. No code was thrown, and after 40 miles of freeway driving, it's gone. I'm considering just leaving it as is until the warranty expires in another 50,000 miles, and gutting the emissions controls. The dealership said they couldn't find a code (which I find hard to believe, knowing that most\all codes are stored long after they're cleared with cheaper OBD2 interface like I used), so unless I can find a dealership willing to work at it under warranty, I think I'll leave it alone.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> Annnnnnd yesterday the old "Yucky DPF Change Now Or Else" light came back on. No code was thrown, and after 40 miles of freeway driving, it's gone. I'm considering just leaving it as is until the warranty expires in another 50,000 miles, and gutting the emissions controls. The dealership said they couldn't find a code (which I find hard to believe, knowing that most\all codes are stored long after they're cleared with cheaper OBD2 interface like I used), so unless I can find a dealership willing to work at it under warranty, I think I'll leave it alone.


My dealership was able to diagnose the DEF heater element without a CEL. Mybe yours can reach out to GM TAC for assistance? IT would be covered under the special coverage warranty in your case.


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## starspangled6.0 (Apr 16, 2016)

What exactly is a GM TAC, and how does one go about contacting them?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

starspangled6.0 said:


> What exactly is a GM TAC, and how does one go about contacting them?



The Benefits of Calling the GM Technical Assistance Center


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