Service engine light

Last Friday, I took my truck to the dealer with a service engine light. They said they needed it to sit in their bay overnight to be able to work on it while at ambient temperature. I left it with them Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, I was told that the DEF tank had a crack and that was what was causing the service engine light. On Wednesday, I was told that the tank had arrived, but that it was a 10 hour job and wouldn’t be ready until Thursday. This afternoon, the service advisor said they almost have it out. Almost? They should already have it out and be re-installing the new one. I asked (over the phone) if it would be ready by the end of the day and she said they were doing their best. I didn’t have a good feeling about our conversation, so I went there after work. I told her that I didn’t have a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about what was happening. I told her I understood that there can be issues, but that I really needed my truck for the weekend and that next Thursday, I needed to be towing my RV to south west Florida on vacation. I left and went to Lowes for some things. The service advisor called and said they has found a broken nipple on the DEF pump and would have to order a new pump. Something did not sit right with me so I went back to the dealer. I asked if they broke the pump or was it broken when they removed it? She said it was broken when the tech removed it. I asked to see the tank and the pump. I expected to see an 8 gallon tank that holds the DEF, but this was a black cylindrical tank that maybe would hold 2 quarts. The pump was a bluish green color and had a plastic hose nipple broken on the front end. I’m no dummy and have done a lot of my own vehicle maintenance in the last 50 plus years. I’ve broken my share of hose nipples. However, I’m not accusing anyone here. I just doubt the story. So, now comes the worst part of this. No new pump until Monday afternoon. So my truck will sit nearly 4 more days before anything happens to it. Then, what will they break when putting it back together? I’m not real confident in their capability. I’m not into bashing dealers, but something is bothering me about this experience. Call it a gut feeling, if you will. Maybe all of this is perfectly innocent. I’d like to know why they can’t get a pump overnight? I can get anything overnighted to me. If that pump nipple was broken, would it have leaked DEF? My truck is kept in my garage every night and I keep the floors clean. If anything was leaking, I would have seen it and investigated. Nothing has leaked from that truck.
What do you guys think? Is this a competency issue? Do I have a reason to be worried?
Sorry this is so long. Thanks!

Here is the contact information that will help you with your Dealer Service complaint; http://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/ContactUsPage Get ahold of Ford and complain about your dealer and how he is NOT taking care of you. Making up phony complaints on your truck is NOT acceptable and Ford has to know about this! I see you have posted on other forum(s). I hope our administrator will make this link a sticky!

Dave

I am not surprised if it is at the Ford dealer in Kingsland. When I lived there I refused to even order parts from them. Saw too many Gov vehicles go there for extended periods of time. They should have at least offered a loaner. I find it hard to believe that a cracked tank caused a code. It was probably the pump in the first place.

sagebel said:

I am not surprised if it is at the Ford dealer in Kingsland.

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sagebel, I'm not going to name the Dealer unless they really p*ss me off or I find it was incompetence. When were you stationed here?

2007 to 2010. I still own a house in Waverly.

What kind of tank only holds 2 quarts? Don't DEF tanks hold 5 or at least 7 gal? I understand why you don't have a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about this.
Doug

DEF tank is a little over 5 gallons. It is located just behind the fuel tank.

WD40 said:

What kind of tank only holds 2 quarts? Don't DEF tanks hold 5 or at least 7 gal? I understand why you don't have a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about this.
Doug

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Yup. This tank was about 5 or 6 inches in diameter and about 14 inches long. It had a cable coming out of the top of the tank with a connector on the end. I've been looking for some diagrams or illustrations of the DEF system so I could try to understand it, but I haven't had any luck. You used to be able to buy factory repair manuals, but I haven't seen those either.
I got my truck back last night right at closing time (6:00). So far, so good. Fingers crossed.

Helm Inc is who ford uses to make their factory manuals, most of the OEMs have gone to electronic versions however to outright buy it is cost prohibitive so they sell subscriptions for specified time periods. on the VW boards there are many who've taken the time to print to PDF (cute pdf is free to print to pdf) the entire manual in their window of opportunity.

Thanks Brandon. They are pricey! Yikes!