We are full timers and when we were towing our 5th wheel in September to a campground in N.C. my truck engine light went on and I lost power going up a hill. I was able to pull over and shut the truck down and restarted it and had no more issues. Later, my wrench light went on but the truck preformed normally. I did reset it once while overnight camping and after restarting the truck the light went on a second time. I drove to N.C. without resetting again and after I brought the truck to a Ford dealership, they got the code and traced the probable cause to a bad alternator. I have driven the truck without the 5er and the code has not returned. The truck has not been used often, and I have let the battery run down a bit. After starting I check the output to the batteries and they seem to be charging fine.The truck is a 2006 F-350 diesel dually CC with a long bed.Any suggestions?

There could be such a heavy load on the alternator with the 5er hooked up to lower the alternator voltage enough to set a code.Did they give you the code or codes?

It would help greatly to have the codes the truck threw. Do you have any type of Scan gauge or other monitor on your truck? Seems strange your truck would lose power from a bad alternator. Did you hear your engine fan clutch come on while climbing the hill. My truck did something similar while pulling our fifth wheel up a hill, it turned out to be a bad fan clutch. Only did it while towing, no load no issue. You need a good engine monitor to tell you what is going on, I have the Scan Gauge II. Tells me the water temp, oil temp, granny temp and FICM voltage. If truck trips a code I can instantly see what is and reset the computer. Hope this helps.

When some rig's electrical system gets below a set value, the rig will go into a lymp mode.

enblethen wrote:When some rig's electrical system gets below a set value, the rig will go into a lymp mode.Yes, that any CEL on your TV warrants a reading of stored codes! The early 6.0's had issues with the Alternator causing the FICM voltage to drop. Did you replace the alternator, how old are the batteries? It may be a good choice to replace all three.

I was plagued with that issue with my 99. It never had any codes when checked by Orilley's inadequate code puller.This was one that had the battery icon that showed up.I finally threw an alternator at it and all was well.:h

Engine light and Wrench code 2006 F-350 Diesel

15 Replies

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Dec 11, 2013
I was plagued with that issue with my 99. It never had any codes when checked by Orilley's inadequate code puller.

This was one that had the battery icon that showed up.

I finally threw an alternator at it and all was well.

:h
rhagfo
Explorer III
Dec 11, 2013
enblethen wrote:
When some rig's electrical system gets below a set value, the rig will go into a lymp mode.

Yes, that any CEL on your TV warrants a reading of stored codes! The early 6.0's had issues with the Alternator causing the FICM voltage to drop. Did you replace the alternator, how old are the batteries? It may be a good choice to replace all three.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 11, 2013
When some rig's electrical system gets below a set value, the rig will go into a lymp mode.
Halmfamily
Explorer
Dec 11, 2013
It would help greatly to have the codes the truck threw. Do you have any type of Scan gauge or other monitor on your truck? Seems strange your truck would lose power from a bad alternator. Did you hear your engine fan clutch come on while climbing the hill. My truck did something similar while pulling our fifth wheel up a hill, it turned out to be a bad fan clutch. Only did it while towing, no load no issue. You need a good engine monitor to tell you what is going on, I have the Scan Gauge II. Tells me the water temp, oil temp, granny temp and FICM voltage. If truck trips a code I can instantly see what is and reset the computer. Hope this helps.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 10, 2013
There could be such a heavy load on the alternator with the 5er hooked up to lower the alternator voltage enough to set a code.
Did they give you the code or codes?

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Engine light and Wrench code 2006 F-350 Diesel

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