Failing DEF sensors getting software fixes from OEMs

From Transport Topics.

Software overrides for diesel exhaust fluid sensors that are in perilously short supply are making their way from truck manufacturers to repair shops, helping keep equipment on the road and prevent engine shutdowns that can leave a truck stranded when the sensors fail.

In recent weeks, DEF sensor failures have left thousands of trucks parked, with a scarcity of replacement sensors leaving carriers scrambling for solutions. For some, that meant swapping sensors from trucks that were being retired into trucks that were sitting idle with failed sensors.

There are signs that the arrival of software codes is helping to ease the situation.
I have talked to a number of my dealers. They do have the codes and are starting to bring the trucks in to get the code change so they don’t de-rate with the bad sensors,” said Paul Enos, president of the Nevada Trucking Association. “But it’s really ugly right now. I think the truck dealers are having a difficult time with how many trucks they have coming in.”

The software fixes allow engines to operate normally but still require carriers to keep their DEF tanks full, said Marty Makrdichian, service manager at Peterbilt Truck Parts and Equipment in Sparks, Nev.

Makrdichian said when a customer requests a fix, his dealer has to send a message to Peterbilt parent company Paccar, which then decides between a software fix, or, if available, a replacement part.

“People have been waiting for so long for the fixes,” Makrdichian said. “As soon as we get sensors or the software, we pretty much do the work.

See the complete article online at Transport Topics.