danemayer
Well-known member
This story just has too good an ending to not share.
On the way to the Goshen Rally, our 2011 GMC 3500 started throwing a Check Engine Light. I pressed the OnStar button to run remote diagnostics and they explained it was a "Reductant Tank Temperature Sensor error" ( error code p205) and that I could have it fixed at my convenience - end of summer would be fine.
Just to make sure there was nothing else hiding behind the check engine light, I used OnStar to run remote diagnostics before starting out every day.
On the way from Goshen to Breckenridge, CO, while filling up on diesel, I filled the Diesel Exhaust Fluid tank at a Flying J ($2.69/gal), putting in 3.1 gallons. A few miles down the road I got a DEF Range 900 miles warning. If you ignore the warning, around 100 miles, speed gets limited to 55mph. When you're out, speed gets limited to 4mph. I figured since it was a bit under 800 miles to Breckenridge, I'd get it taken care of there.
Wrong! Less than an hour later I got another message. DEF Range 242 miles. This one meant that the messages were erratic and we could get stranded on some lonely stretch of road in western Nebraska. I called OnStar and they transferred me to GM Customer Service. Since we were coming into Lincoln, NE, they arranged for the dealer there to look at the truck first thing in the morning.
Husker GMC in Lincoln thought that forcing a particulate burn might clear it up. They did that and also reset the ECM to clear the error codes. They covered it under the emissions warranty, but told me that they really were supposed to bill me. That delayed our departure by 2 hours, but we got to NE Colorado that evening and made it to Breckenridge the following day. Just as we were pulling in to Tiger Run Resort, a new Diesel Range 900 message popped up. And the next day the Check Engine light reappeared.
I made an appointment with Hudson GMC in nearby Silverthorne. In the meantime, GM Customer Service called back to follow up. The GMC dealer did another diagnosis and ordered a Reductant Tank, which is the only way to replace the bad sensor. They told me it was backordered nationally, so they didn't have a projected date when it would arrive.
GM called back that afternoon and I shared what the dealer had told me. I didn't ask her to but the customer service rep said she was going to escalate the situation to higher management.
They called back the next day and said the part should arrive at the dealership by Monday or Tuesday. Sure enough, on Tuesday, the dealer called and we set up an appointment for this morning. I showed up at 8 and had the truck back at 10:30.
Because of what I'd read on the Duramax Diesel Forum that some people are being charged $1000 for this repair, which it turns out is fairly common, I had read up on the emissions warranty coverage and was ready for a discussion. But as it turned out, everything was covered under warranty.
Now I call that a pretty good outcome. The truck ran fine the whole time. We just had to deal with some pesky error messages, and GMC covered all the diagnostics and repair work at 46,000 miles. But as it turns out, that's not the end of the story.
The GM Regional Rep to whom the incident had been escalated called a few minutes ago to apologize for the inconvenience, and to offer me a $100 service coupon good at any GM dealer.
That put the whole thing into the "pretty special" category for me.
Thank you GMC.
On the way to the Goshen Rally, our 2011 GMC 3500 started throwing a Check Engine Light. I pressed the OnStar button to run remote diagnostics and they explained it was a "Reductant Tank Temperature Sensor error" ( error code p205) and that I could have it fixed at my convenience - end of summer would be fine.
Just to make sure there was nothing else hiding behind the check engine light, I used OnStar to run remote diagnostics before starting out every day.
On the way from Goshen to Breckenridge, CO, while filling up on diesel, I filled the Diesel Exhaust Fluid tank at a Flying J ($2.69/gal), putting in 3.1 gallons. A few miles down the road I got a DEF Range 900 miles warning. If you ignore the warning, around 100 miles, speed gets limited to 55mph. When you're out, speed gets limited to 4mph. I figured since it was a bit under 800 miles to Breckenridge, I'd get it taken care of there.
Wrong! Less than an hour later I got another message. DEF Range 242 miles. This one meant that the messages were erratic and we could get stranded on some lonely stretch of road in western Nebraska. I called OnStar and they transferred me to GM Customer Service. Since we were coming into Lincoln, NE, they arranged for the dealer there to look at the truck first thing in the morning.
Husker GMC in Lincoln thought that forcing a particulate burn might clear it up. They did that and also reset the ECM to clear the error codes. They covered it under the emissions warranty, but told me that they really were supposed to bill me. That delayed our departure by 2 hours, but we got to NE Colorado that evening and made it to Breckenridge the following day. Just as we were pulling in to Tiger Run Resort, a new Diesel Range 900 message popped up. And the next day the Check Engine light reappeared.
I made an appointment with Hudson GMC in nearby Silverthorne. In the meantime, GM Customer Service called back to follow up. The GMC dealer did another diagnosis and ordered a Reductant Tank, which is the only way to replace the bad sensor. They told me it was backordered nationally, so they didn't have a projected date when it would arrive.
GM called back that afternoon and I shared what the dealer had told me. I didn't ask her to but the customer service rep said she was going to escalate the situation to higher management.
They called back the next day and said the part should arrive at the dealership by Monday or Tuesday. Sure enough, on Tuesday, the dealer called and we set up an appointment for this morning. I showed up at 8 and had the truck back at 10:30.
Because of what I'd read on the Duramax Diesel Forum that some people are being charged $1000 for this repair, which it turns out is fairly common, I had read up on the emissions warranty coverage and was ready for a discussion. But as it turned out, everything was covered under warranty.
Now I call that a pretty good outcome. The truck ran fine the whole time. We just had to deal with some pesky error messages, and GMC covered all the diagnostics and repair work at 46,000 miles. But as it turns out, that's not the end of the story.
The GM Regional Rep to whom the incident had been escalated called a few minutes ago to apologize for the inconvenience, and to offer me a $100 service coupon good at any GM dealer.
That put the whole thing into the "pretty special" category for me.
Thank you GMC.
