General Service Bulletin (GSB): Diesel Exhaust Fluid Service Tips

In many cases, DEF system concerns are related to petroleum

contamination or misdiagnosis. This Service Bulletin is intended to aid in
GSB Overview:
the diagnosis of the DEF system and help aid in determining if the system
has been contaminated.
NOTE: This information is not intended to replace or supersede any warranty, parts and service
policy, Work Shop Manual (WSM) procedures or technical training or wiring diagram information.

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)

General Service Bulletin

A Guide to Properly Diagnose and Service Ford Reductant systems

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Table of Contents
Topic Page
DEF System Overview
General Information………………………………………….3
Reductant System Components
Reductant Tank………………………...................7
Heater/Sender Assembly……………………........8
Reductant Pump…………………………………...9
Heated Supply Line…………………………........10
Reductant Injector………………………………...11
DEF System Diagnostics…………………………………...............12
DEF System Service Tips……………………………………………13
IDS Service Functions...................................................................17

NOTE: This GSB is not intended to replace diagnostics listed in the PC/ED and/or Workshop
Manual (WSM). It is intended to be an educational aid for understanding DEF system operation,
failure modes and proper repair techniques.

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DEF System Overview General Information

• Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) also known as Reductant is a fluid comprised of highly purified and
deionized water and urea.
• DEF is highly corrosive. Avoid exposure to electrical components.
• It is normal for DEF to freeze at temperatures below 12⁰F/-11⁰C.
• Only API certified DEF should be used in Ford reductant systems.
• Ford DEF bottles include a filler spout designed to aid in the filling of Ford specific systems.

NOTICE: Petroleum products (diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, fuel additives) will swell the rubber
O-rings and seals in all parts of the DEF system and prevent the system from functioning properly.
Petroleum contamination cannot be flushed/cleaned and requires the entire system be replaced
including the tank, pump, sender, lines and injector. Petroleum contamination is non-warrantable.
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DEF System Overview General Information

NOTE: This chart represents the average distance between DEF refills based on how the vehicle is
operated. Customer driving habits, ambient temperature, fuel quality and other factors that
influence fuel economy will also impact DEF usage.

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DEF System Overview General Information

Reductant Tank Filling

 All Super Duty vehicles equipped with a 6.7L diesel engine are filled with DEF at
KTP and leave the plant with a full tank.
 Dealerships do NOT need to add any DEF to the tank when received from KTP.
 The reductant tank is designed with an air space for ice expansion when DEF
freezes. Overfilling can result in damage to the tank or components.
 Specific OASIS SSM available to dealers advising the tank is full as delivered and
not to top off as overfill can occur.
 Owner Manual advises customers that a warning system will automatically tell them
when refilling the urea tank is required.
 Owner Manual includes detailed information including how to avoid overfilling the
tank and how to query system for tank level.
 The reductant tank is designed with an automatic shutoff
feature to ensure the tank is filled to the correct level
when using Motorcraft DEF bottles.
NOTE: When the reductant tank is full, the fluid level in
the bottle will stop dropping. Do Not force excess fluid
into the tank.

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DEF System Overview Reductant System Components

Pump and Pot Assembly

Pump

Lock Ring

Rubber Seal

Vent

Sender/Heater
Assembly

Pickup screen

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Reductant System Components:
DEF System Overview Reductant Tank
Chassis Cab (6.2 gal/23.5 ltrs) Pickup Truck (5.1 gal/19.3 ltrs)

DEF filler neck

connection

Fill level valve

DEF filler neck Tank vent to Sender/Heater location

connection atmosphere
Tank vent to atmosphere

• The DEF filler neck connection incorporates a flapper valve to prevent spit-back when filling the tank.
• The fill level valve is designed to prevent overfilling the reductant tank when using Ford approved DEF bottles.
• The tank vent is designed to allow the tank to breath during thermal cycling or during high consumption rates.
The vent will not allow liquid to pass into or out of the tank.
• Chassis Cab and Pickup truck reductant tanks have different capacities are not interchangeable.

NOTE: Petroleum contamination cannot be flushed or cleaned from the reductant tank. If
petroleum contaminates are found in the DEF fluid, the entire system including the tank, pump,
sender, supply line and injector must be replaced to prevent repeat repairs. Petroleum
contamination is non-warrantable.
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Reductant System Components:
DEF System Overview Heater/Sender Assembly

Vent
Rubber ring seal Pump mounts
Pickup screen
Pump return to
Heater tank

Level sensor wiring

Pump supply port
Heater wiring

NOTICE: Reductant system components removed from pot for clarity. The heater/sender assembly is
serviced as an assembly only and cannot be disassembled or removed from the pot for diagnosis/repair.
• The heater/sender assembly consists of the reductant tank heater, level sensor, pickup screen, rubber seal and
wiring. These parts cannot be serviced separately.
• Below -30⁰F (-34⁰C) the DEF system will not be activated by the PCM.
• The level sensor consists of 4 electrodes that measure the fluid level through conductivity . The level sensor
only has the capability of reading 0%, 33%, 66%, 100%. Included in the level indicator is a temperature sensor.
• DTC P203F is an information DTC ONLY and will not set the MIL. This DTC is only set as an indicator that the
operator ran the DEF level low and does not indicate a fault with the level sensor.
• Once the tank has been refilled, upon restart the PCM will recognize the change in DEF level and remove the
vehicle from the warning chain. This may require that up to 2.5 gallons be added to the tank for the DEF level
to contact the next highest pin for the system to recognize a fill event. If the level increase is not recognized
and the tank level reads 100%, the IDS SCR System Refill Activation routine should be performed.
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Reductant System Components:
DEF System Overview Reductant (DEF) Pump Assembly
The reductant pump assembly houses the pump, reverting
Pressure sensor valve and solenoid, the pressure sensor, fine filter and DEF
pump screen. The reductant pump assembly is only
Reverting serviceable as a complete assembly.
Valve
• The pump is Pulse-Width modulated by the PCM.
Applying 12v to the pump will damage it.
• When replacing the reductant pump, the priming
procedure will need to be performed to prime the system.
• If a vehicle has been sitting for a prolonged period of time,
DTC P20E8 may set due to a dry DEF pump. Please perform
Reverting valve Fine Filter the IDS “system leak check” procedure up to 3 times to
solenoid NOT Serviceable attempt to build pressure before replacing parts.
Reverses flow for purge

Reductant Pump NOTICE: Be sure to follow the WSM procedure for reductant
pump replacement to ensure the tank is properly cleaned
prior to pump removal. To prevent repeat repairs, it is
DTC P20E8 relates to the reductant pump. imperative that the DEF fluid is not contaminated and that no
DTC P208E relates to the reductant injector. dirt/debris enters the pump ports during replacement.

NOTE: The most common cause of reductant pump failure is from petroleum contamination. Be sure
to test the DEF in the tank for petroleum contamination before replacing any DEF system components.
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Reductant System Components:
DEF System Overview Heated Reductant (DEF) Supply Line

The Heated Reductant Supply Line:

• Connects the outlet of the reductant pump to the reductant injector.
• Is heated by a wire wound around and encased in the line.
• Is heated to keep DEF in a liquid state in cold ambient temperatures
(below 12⁰F/-11⁰C).
Damaged supply lines cannot be repaired, they must be replaced.

A key indicator of a damaged supply line is DTC P20BD and/or P20BE

Shown above are examples of supply lines damaged during vehicle transportation. It is best to inspect this line for
damage when the transport company is delivering the vehicle. Concerns related to transportation damage typically
show faults at low mileage (under 500 miles), but there have also been failures in higher mileage vehicles. A quick
visual inspection on the outside of the frame rail along the passenger side of the vehicle may not find the damaged
line. Physically checking the line for a crushed section is the best way to identify a damaged supply line.
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Reductant System Components:
DEF System Overview Reductant (DEF)Injector
The Reductant Injector (Dosing Module):
• The reductant injector is a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) solenoid controlled directly by the
PCM. The injector receives reductant from the reductant pressure line and sprays it into the
exhaust stream, where it is mixed into the exhaust gases before entering the catalyst.
• When the vehicle is shut down, the PCM opens the reductant injector and actuates the
reductant pump purge valve, causing the reductant pump to reverse the pump flow and
evacuate any DEF from the injector and line back to the reductant tank.

DEF crystals will DEF

form on the outlet
of the injector. Uniform
These are normal Exhaust Gas 𝑁𝐻3
and will dissolve
during normal
operation.
DTC P20E8 relates to the reductant pump.
DTC P208E relates to the reductant injector.

The reductant injector injects DEF into the exhaust system to convert the engine NOx gases into ammonia, water and
CO2. When the system cannot properly convert the NOx gases, the PCM will set DTC P207F (Reductant Quality
performance). This code is typically set due to excess NOx entering the exhaust system from a faulty EGR cooler or
other upstream emissions fault and not from a fault in the reductant system. If a P207F is set by a reductant system
component, there will be a DTC relating directly to that part along with the P207F.

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DEF System Diagnostics DEF Contamination

DEF system contamination is typically in the form of petroleum (diesel fuel,

fuel additives, gasoline, kerosene, grease/lube). When petroleum is
introduced into the reductant tank, the ring seal of the heater/sender may
swell. DEF fluid that is contaminated with petroleum may have a different
odor and turn from clear to milky/cloudy. While these can be good initial
indicators, smaller amounts of petroleum contamination can be harder to
detect. Therefore, Rotunda DEF test strips should be used to determine if
the DEF has been contaminated with petroleum.

NOTICE: Repairs required due to the use of improper

fluids are not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty, Extended Service Plan (ESP), or Service Part
Warranty (SPW). Refer to the Warranty and Policy
Manual for details.

Contaminated DEF Clean DEF

NOTE: Be sure to test the DEF in the tank for

petroleum contamination before replacing
any reductant system components. Good Seal Contaminated Seal
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DEF System Diagnostics DEF Contamination

• The most accurate and recommended way to test for petroleum contamination of DEF
is the use of Rotunda DEF test strips; part number 328-00012 or 328-44-863.
• The DEF fluid obtained for testing should come directly from the tank and not from the
injector during a dosing test. Refer to the WSM for reductant tank draining.
• DEF test strips will absorb petroleum and change to a darker color when the petroleum
is absorbed into the strip. Clean DEF will not be absorbed by the strip and will bead off.

The test strips on the left are all examples where the
Clean
strip has absorbed petroleum from a contaminated
Petroleum Contamination DEF
DEF sample. The higher the concentration of
petroleum, the more that will be absorbed by the
test strip. Shown in the example on the right, clean
uncontaminated DEF will not absorb into the strip at
all and no part of the test strip will change color.

Refractometers like the ones on NOTE: If petroleum is found in the DEF,

the right are available to test the the entire system will need to be replaced
DEF concentration. These testers including the tank, pump, heater/sender,
DO NOT test for contamination and
should only be used to determine
heated line and injector. Petroleum
the DEF concentration level. contamination is non-warrantable.

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DEF System Service Tips Reductant Tank Cleaning

Reductant tank cleaning procedures can be found in

the WSM, Section 303-08 (Engine Emission Control) –
Removal and Installation – Reductant Pump Assembly.
The tank should be cleaned BEFORE the DEF pump is
removed. Dirt/debris that is not cleaned from ports
will damage the DEF pump.

Example of the pump

removed without
NOTICE: Reductant tanks are typically dirty and should be proper cleaning of
cleaned prior to servicing the system. It is imperative that the top the reductant tank
of the tank and heater/sender assembly are clean prior to
removing the pump. Be sure to follow workshop manual (WSM)
procedures when replacing any reductant system component.
Residual dirt that may be present
The small space between after the pump is removed can be
the pump and tank allow flushed out using the priming
dirt to become trapped. syringe and clean DEF. When
Be sure to flush out the removing the pump, it is
tank-to-pump mating important to keep the tank at an
surfaces with clean water angle to prevent dirt from falling
prior to pump removal. into the pump ports.
NOTE: The reductant tank must be cleaned BEFORE the pump is removed to prevent repeat repairs.
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DEF System Service Tips Reductant Pump Replacement

NOTICE: Do Not use any grease, OK

lube, oil, brake clean or other type
of product that contains any type of
petroleum to lubricate the O-rings
or clean the DEF pump. Only use
water to clean the tank/pump and
only use water or clean DEF to
lubricate reductant system
components. Using lubricants on
the O-rings will damage the pump.

When replacing the reductant pump assembly be sure to discard the old O-rings and use the new O-rings provided in
the assembly kit that comes with the replacement pump. Also provided in the assembly kit is a syringe and
instructions for priming the new pump with clean DEF. Steps for O-ring installation are included in the Reductant
Pump Removal and Installation procedure located in the WSM, Section 303-08.

DEF priming syringe and O-rings Reductant pump

provided in kit priming

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DEF System Service Tips DEF Crystal Formation

The photos to the left

show components coated
in clean liquid DEF and
left to dry for 12 hours.
The photos below are of
the same components
shortly after they were
rinsed with clean warm
water.

NOTICE: As DEF dries, crystals will form as the water evaporates. This is not contamination but is a normal
characteristic of DEF. DEF crystals will dissolve in clean DEF or water. Warm water will dissolve the crystals more
quickly than DEF. Even very large crystals will dissolve in water or clean DEF.

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DEF System Service Tips IDS Service Functions

Shown here are the SCR system function options located within the IDS. Detailed instructions on
how to perform each test are displayed on the IDS when the test is selected.

• SCR System Emptying – Used for emptying the DEF tank in preparation for removal. It is not
designed to empty the tank when contaminated with petroleum.
• SCR System Refill Activation – Used to reset the level indicator after replacing the heater/sender
assembly or when the PCM does not recognize that the tank has been refilled.
• SCR Parameter Reset – Used to reset the DEF system parameters after component replacement.
• SCR Visual Leak Check – Pressurizes the DEF system so it can be visually inspected for leaks and
verify the system is not bleeding off pressure.
• SCR Dosing Measurement Test – Designed to measure the performance of the reductant pump
(supply module) to ensure it is capable of supplying enough DEF.

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