I have a 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500 diesel with 16000 miles. Usually, if the DPF gets low I'll get a message on the DIC telling me it's low and I have 500 miles to add to it. This morning when I started the truck it said EXHAUST FLUID SYSTEM SEE OWNER'S MANUAL. It also said I had 99 miles to go before it would restrict the speed to 65. There was a little symbol on the dash indicating DPF. So, I added DPF fluid. I know it's full now. I've driven the truck about 12 miles and the message is still there. I can't erase it. I've tried using the arrow keys on the right side of the steering wheel but nothing happens. Is there a way to erase it? It's Sunday, of course, so no one to call. I'm at a campground away from home. Should I call a local dealer tomorrow?

Call the dealer. Need to reset computer and possibly clean the def system.

Thanks. Things seem to always happen on weekends.

DEF is diesel exhaust fluid.DPF is diesel particulate filter.Make sure you are reading messages correctly.

last summer I was in Florida on vacation and i received a message something like hat. BUT it said I had 50 miles till limp mode.I filled the tank ( only took about 2 gallons out of 5 ) as well and the light stayed on... The following Monday Morning I found a local Ford dealer and headed his way, when I got into the truck to go, everything was clear? He scanned the system and came up dry, no codes, no nothing.. ? It happened on my way home to PA while towing my trailer, and also went away before I could scan it...It was fine from that day on ?

Sometimes it takes a few starts for the system to clear.

DPF message | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

Lantley
Nomad
Aug 01, 2020
Thermoguy wrote:
Lantley wrote:
Me Again wrote:
Lantley wrote:
My biggest gripe with the whole DEF set up is there is no DEF gauge.
Why can't we have a gauge and know our DEF level vs. relying on a glorified idiot light?

Some trucks do. I add a 2.5 box of Peak Blue DEF when my gauges gets down to 1/2. Chris

Yes some trucks do have a gauge but GM models did not get a DEF gauge until the 2020 model year.
A gauge is such a basic thing I can't believe the designers believed a gauge was not necessary!
They program the truck to go into limp mode but failed to give us a gauge!

My guess would be because the idea was you would only need DEF when you did an oil change about every 5000 miles. I never fill DEF except when I go in for an oil change. I do it myself because I'm not going to pay what the dealer wants for DEF, but haven't needed to fill it between oil changes. I have once seen a low DEF warning while driving and towing, but also had an appointment for the next week for service, so filled just before taking in for the service.

DEF is not equivalent to mileage or oil change rate.
Towing mileage will consume more DEF vs. unloaded mileage.
There is no definitive weigh to know how much DEF you have without a gauge. THe only way I know is when the idiot light comes on.
In 2019 there must be a better way! Sorry GM did not find a better way until 2020
Grit_dog
Navigator II
Aug 01, 2020
campigloo wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
salem wrote:
Liketobuild: It sits a lot. I need to drive it more and harder. When I traded my 05 in in 2016 it had 65,000 miles on it.

They should have a petcock on the DEF tank for those of us that leave the truck sit too long, but that would cost a few cents.

Come on Lynnmor, how antique is something that simple! They would probably want to connect it six computers, have 10 pumps and hide it on the top side of the tranny.

Have you read some of the posts here lately? There are MANY folks who don’t know a trailer plug from an automatic transmission. And you think they could even remotely understand or monitor def usage or even begin to understand it?
I’d also like a drain plug on all auto transmission pans, but that hasn’t happened either.

Hahahahaha. Ahhhhhhhhh hahahahaha!!!
Vehicles like everything else need to be designed and built to accommodate the least common denominator of people.

OP, get smart. If you’re not going to use your new truck, figure out a workaround before you eff up the emissions system.
Hint, talk to Todd at TC diesel. There is a workaround for vehicles that sit. (And not talking delete, but that works too. )
Thermoguy
Explorer II
Aug 01, 2020
Lantley wrote:
Me Again wrote:
Lantley wrote:
My biggest gripe with the whole DEF set up is there is no DEF gauge.
Why can't we have a gauge and know our DEF level vs. relying on a glorified idiot light?

Some trucks do. I add a 2.5 box of Peak Blue DEF when my gauges gets down to 1/2. Chris

Yes some trucks do have a gauge but GM models did not get a DEF gauge until the 2020 model year.
A gauge is such a basic thing I can't believe the designers believed a gauge was not necessary!
They program the truck to go into limp mode but failed to give us a gauge!

My guess would be because the idea was you would only need DEF when you did an oil change about every 5000 miles. I never fill DEF except when I go in for an oil change. I do it myself because I'm not going to pay what the dealer wants for DEF, but haven't needed to fill it between oil changes. I have once seen a low DEF warning while driving and towing, but also had an appointment for the next week for service, so filled just before taking in for the service.
campigloo
Explorer
Aug 01, 2020
Lynnmor wrote:
salem wrote:
Liketobuild: It sits a lot. I need to drive it more and harder. When I traded my 05 in in 2016 it had 65,000 miles on it.

They should have a petcock on the DEF tank for those of us that leave the truck sit too long, but that would cost a few cents.

Come on Lynnmor, how antique is something that simple! They would probably want to connect it six computers, have 10 pumps and hide it on the top side of the tranny.
Lynnmor
Explorer II
Aug 01, 2020
salem wrote:
Liketobuild: It sits a lot. I need to drive it more and harder. When I traded my 05 in in 2016 it had 65,000 miles on it.

They should have a petcock on the DEF tank for those of us that leave the truck sit too long, but that would cost a few cents.
Hammerhead
Explorer
Aug 01, 2020
Our Jeep has a DEF gauge although they tend to get stuck at 25% until the warning for a few hundred miles to go. I usually wait until the 500 mile warning unless we have a road trip planned.
Lantley wrote:
My biggest gripe with the whole DEF set up is there is no DEF gauge.
Why can't we have a gauge and know our DEF level vs. relying on a glorified idiot light?
Lantley
Nomad
Jul 22, 2020
Me Again wrote:
Lantley wrote:
My biggest gripe with the whole DEF set up is there is no DEF gauge.
Why can't we have a gauge and know our DEF level vs. relying on a glorified idiot light?

Some trucks do. I add a 2.5 box of Peak Blue DEF when my gauges gets down to 1/2. Chris

Yes some trucks do have a gauge but GM models did not get a DEF gauge until the 2020 model year.
A gauge is such a basic thing I can't believe the designers believed a gauge was not necessary!
They program the truck to go into limp mode but failed to give us a gauge!
salem
Explorer
Jul 22, 2020
Liketobuild: It sits a lot. I need to drive it more and harder. When I traded my 05 in in 2016 it had 65,000 miles on it.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 22, 2020
Lantley wrote:
My biggest gripe with the whole DEF set up is there is no DEF gauge.
Why can't we have a gauge and know our DEF level vs. relying on a glorified idiot light?

Some trucks do. I add a 2.5 box of Peak Blue DEF when my gauges gets down to 1/2. Chris
LIKE2BUILD
Explorer
Jul 21, 2020
salem wrote:
I have a 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500 diesel with 16000 miles. Usually, if the DPF gets low I'll get a message on the DIC telling me it's low and I have 500 miles to add to it. This morning when I started the truck it said EXHAUST FLUID SYSTEM SEE OWNER'S MANUAL. It also said I had 99 miles to go before it would restrict the speed to 65. There was a little symbol on the dash indicating DPF. So, I added DPF fluid.

Glad you got it fixed. I've always found it nice in my Ram that I had level gauge and not just a light. That helps eliminate surprises.

Honestly, I'd say 16,000 miles on a 4 year old truck is your biggest problem. The urea in DEF can crystallize and/or degrade over time and with that mileage it sounds like your truck either drives extremely short distances or sets a great majority of the time. Either way, there is a very good chance your DEF could be going bad after setting in the tank for long periods.

KJ

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