- Joined
- Jan 19, 2021
- Messages
- 3,116
- Location
- Rosemary Farm, Grass Valley Ca
- RV Year
- 2016
- RV Make
- Newmar
- RV Model
- Ventana 3427
- RV Length
- 35
- Chassis
- Freightliner XCR
- Engine
- 6.7 ISB 360/800
- TOW/TOAD
- 2001 Jeep Wrangler
- Fulltimer
- No
The first and most obvious thing to try is to empty the DEF tank and put in fresh DEF. With milage that low it is probably the original DEF. Since the Chassis was manufactured sometime in 2022, it could easily have endured a summer with no house on it, cooking the original DEF in the tank.
A quick test is just to smell it - if it smells strongly of ammonia, the DEF is bad. For comparison, smell a new jug of DEF. Unlike your Ford, these systems are fairly fragile, and while it seems most of the kinks have been worked out, and technology is finally catching up to the mandates more than a decade later, the systems are still sensitive and require more care than you probably expect. Also a high ammonia concentration can be harmful to the electronic sensors in the tank leading to a failed DEF head.
So check the DEF, do a smell test, syphon (or drain if your’s is blessed with a drain plug) the tank, and put in a couple jugs of fresh DEF (check the date code on the jugs). This will probably solve the problem and the code(s) should clear after a few ignition cycles. If it doesn’t then yes you have bigger problems, but at least its a warranty issue, so it wont cost you anything but time, and you’ll have ruled out bad DEF.
By way of example, here’s a chart on the life expectancy of DEF at various temps:
You can’t assume anyone has paid the slightest attention to the condition or age of the DEF in a new coach. Beyond reading the gauge on the dash, most dealers know nothing about the systems and don’t want to know. Your rig probably gets around 250+ mpg of DEF, and since it’s never been low, it‘s probably never even had any added to dilute the original fluid.
And as mentioned before, retrieve any codes and post them here. They are very helpful in identifying the cause or at least where to look. Also one (or more) of the codes might include a state of de-rate and you need to know if that has happened, and if so to what level of severity, before heading off on a long drive.
And as @Neal mentioned, DEF issues are a responsibility of the chassis manufacture, not Newmar. Other emission issues such as DOC/SCR/DPF are on Cummins. These emissions systems can be problematic, but once you get them sorted, and get acquainted with the system, things smooth out. Mine was a real pita in the beginning but trouble free now, and a lot of that was just me gaining an understanding of the care and feeding of the thing. All the stuff the dealers either can’t or won’t tell you. Also you would do well to invest in a decent code reader to save yourself some time and trouble as problems arise.
A quick test is just to smell it - if it smells strongly of ammonia, the DEF is bad. For comparison, smell a new jug of DEF. Unlike your Ford, these systems are fairly fragile, and while it seems most of the kinks have been worked out, and technology is finally catching up to the mandates more than a decade later, the systems are still sensitive and require more care than you probably expect. Also a high ammonia concentration can be harmful to the electronic sensors in the tank leading to a failed DEF head.
So check the DEF, do a smell test, syphon (or drain if your’s is blessed with a drain plug) the tank, and put in a couple jugs of fresh DEF (check the date code on the jugs). This will probably solve the problem and the code(s) should clear after a few ignition cycles. If it doesn’t then yes you have bigger problems, but at least its a warranty issue, so it wont cost you anything but time, and you’ll have ruled out bad DEF.
By way of example, here’s a chart on the life expectancy of DEF at various temps:
You can’t assume anyone has paid the slightest attention to the condition or age of the DEF in a new coach. Beyond reading the gauge on the dash, most dealers know nothing about the systems and don’t want to know. Your rig probably gets around 250+ mpg of DEF, and since it’s never been low, it‘s probably never even had any added to dilute the original fluid.
And as mentioned before, retrieve any codes and post them here. They are very helpful in identifying the cause or at least where to look. Also one (or more) of the codes might include a state of de-rate and you need to know if that has happened, and if so to what level of severity, before heading off on a long drive.
And as @Neal mentioned, DEF issues are a responsibility of the chassis manufacture, not Newmar. Other emission issues such as DOC/SCR/DPF are on Cummins. These emissions systems can be problematic, but once you get them sorted, and get acquainted with the system, things smooth out. Mine was a real pita in the beginning but trouble free now, and a lot of that was just me gaining an understanding of the care and feeding of the thing. All the stuff the dealers either can’t or won’t tell you. Also you would do well to invest in a decent code reader to save yourself some time and trouble as problems arise.
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