Had my first CEL today, only 2,070 miles on the truck
 

Left work early today because I got food poisoning over the weekend and still felt like crap. Didn't even get 2 miles away from the parking garage when "BING" CEL.

Pulled over right away and tried the three key trick to display the code and that trick didn't work. I couldn't tell anything was wrong other than the **** CEL, so I drove it about 15 miles to the nearest dealer, rather than going home sick [verymad].

When I get there, the service guy was not really what I would call a good customer service rep. Before I tell anything more than I have a CEL that just came on, he kind of dismisses it and says it is probably an O2 sensor. I said back to him, with only 2,000 miles on the trucker, literally 2,000 miles on the truck? He said yep, more than likely. I asked if I can expect this every 2,000 miles and he gave me the where do you buy your fuel, we've been getting a lot of bad fuel in town lately, speech. Then he wants to write up a work order no other questions ask or diagnosis. [verymad]

I pretty much demanded that he have a tech pull the codes and let me know what is actually wrong before I leave the truck. A tech came and he was a joy to work with. [guitar] He confirmed that the O2 sensor is what tripped the CEL, it was in a stored state. He was very helpful, spent about 15 minutes with me explaining somethings about the code reader, ect. He even programmed the high idle load for me without me even asking then showed me how to use it. He noticed that I didn't have the latest flash that include changes for the instrument clusters and overhead, and said that he would load this as part of the repair.

A weird one is he pulled the info that shows how I've been driving. No surprise, I baby the crap out of it. It showed 67 hours of operation, with 23 hours of idle time. I was like "That is impossible, I never even let the thing warm up when I drive it!" He said waiting at red lights, stop and go traffic, etc., are all idle time. It also shows that I use about 10% power 20% of the time, and 20% power another 20% of the time. I have about no time at 3/4 power load, and less than 1% at full throttle. [laugh] I gave him the "what do you expect me to do" look. I mean come on, sometimes you are going to be stuck in traffic.

To make matters worse, I'm pretty sure the thermastat on my Xterra just went out because my wife picked me up, and while I waited in the parking lot for her to run a quick errand, the truck was overheating with the A/C on and started blowing hot air. So, now my backup vehicle needs repair too. I can do it myself, already need to the timing belt anyways, but talk about timing. [tapdshut]

The CTD had a leaky window/door seal on the front passenger side, they are going to fix that too. So, I guess the stop at the dealer isn't all bad, just frustrating given the number of miles on a new truck.

ben

Yup. That's pretty common for the 07s. With the cost of fuel these days I baby mine too but all the while I keep saying to myself that I'm going to have problems because you have to drive these trucks hard to stay problem free. Kind of puts you in a crappy position.....

I guess I have to drive it less often, and drive the heck out of it when I do.

I wish November were here already so we can vote in a new pres and get these fuel costs under control.

ben

Are you serious about the 6.7 having an O2 sensor?????? What in the world would they use that for?

Better yet, are you serious when you say that you think electing a new pres will change the fuel prices?

[duhhh][duhhh][duhhh][duhhh][duhhh][duhhh]

All I've heard is McCain wants the fuel taxes suspended for the summer (but nothing permanent), and both of the Dems will just want more fuel taxes to punish all of us for not being green enough. Actually ALL of them want to punish us for not being green enough.

Sounds like a good time to me...

O2 sensor for measuring O2.

Just kidding. It's used to gauge the health of the Nox adsorber

Maybe we'll get a pres. with balls enough to to drill more at home and push through more refineries being built. Not just built, but with the right amount of regulations/deregulations where someone can afford to build them.

You'd better for for one that has balls then...

Nothing wrong with hoping. But, if I were a candidate, I'd be boasting about fixing the fuel problem. That would win votes for sure.

Even the temporary fuel tax suspension would help me out for the time being. It would be better than nothing.

OK, back on topic. Why the heck did my truck kill an O2 sensor in so few miles?

Next tank of fuel I'm going to run the truck hard -- as hard as you can so to speak with other traffic in your way -- and see how different my mpg calculates compared to the easy driving I've been doing.

Stupid thing is, I have an hour commute each way, which is mostly non-stop at constant speeds of at least 60 mph or better. That is plenty of time for regens to happen. I'm not sure what else I can do differently other than accelerate faster from stops.

ben

I think the sensor gets covered in soot. Mine was just replaced a week ago for the P2000 problem.

Thanks, I've heard it all now. No wonder there's so many failures related with it. O2 sensors, if they're wide band, need a lot of heat and do not take being coated in anything or they fail fast. I'm rethinking a 2010 with the new body style now.

Soot, that is what the dealer told me too. Still don't understand how driving it harder will resolve soot build up.

I have a feeling that when the warranty runs out, I'll be getting a programmer to clear codes or running a lot with the CEL on or learning how to clean the O2 sensor myself. [duhhh]

BTW, my truck had the O2 sensor replaced as part of the recall while it was still on the lot, so this is the second one for this truck. Not a major problem, but still irritating.

ben

Somewhere I read Dodge is going to have a fix for the P2000 in May. Yet another flash and changes to the O2 sensor (a shielded sensor, whatever that means). Maybe that will really solve it permanently. Sure hope so.

...actually if you remove the O2's and blow them out with compressed air that will suffice. Also if you "baby" your truck be sure to use the E brake once in awile so that soot buildup won't cause the VNT sleave to stick causing another cel. I like to run them in 3rd gear accel, decel, let brake apply several times. That will keep things freed up.