DEF - Usage

[Jhurk]

Just on my maiden voyage with my 2014 Ram 3500 Diesel pulling 13,500lb 2009 Cardinal 34'. Pulls like a dream very nice to drive however after 1,000 miles I have gone through 1/2 tank of def, 2.5 gals. Normal,driving I was told I would get 5,000 miles to 5 gals of def. I know pulling under load you use a lot more but I was shocked when I looked at the guage? Is this normal? I'm going to the dealer to inquire and buy so,e more!

[spoon059]

#1 DEF is inexpensive. I don't have a clue how many mpg's of DEF I'm getting, its inconsequential.

#2 your DEF gauge is not a gauge at all. It is wildly inaccurate. You will get a warning when you are within 200 miles of being empty. That is the only accurate measurement I have seen. Therefore, it is quite possible (even likely) that when your gauge read FULL, it was actually significantly less than full.

#3 I wouldn't buy DEF from the dealer, Mopar doesn't make their own, but they charge a lot more to slap their sticker on the same bottle.

#4 Try to buy your DEF from busier diesel locations. DEF has a shelf life, which isn't normally an issue... but if its been sitting on a shelf for 12 months because of a low volume of diesel customers, it may become an issue. I buy mine from my local diesel station that goes through DEF containers pretty often.

#5 Don't worry about DEF usage. Your truck runs cleaner and gets better fuel economy for a minimal expense of adding DEF. Fill it up and enjoy the drive!

[NHIrish]

Yea...about normal and the same on my Chevrolet. Don't forget you are pumping more fuel through the system, so DEF usage increases.

[naturist]

The composition of DEF is fixed by the EPA. No special sauce or secret ingredients are allowed, they aren't even permitted to put any dye in it to pretend theirs is different from the next guy's. It is made of two of the cheapest substances known to humankind so there isn't even much incentive to cheat on making it. So there is no reason to buy any but the cheapest price DEF you can find. From whichever supplier you find it.

[SweetLou]

That would be about normal. My 2013 used one box that you can pick up at Home Depot for a good price to go about that far. When you reach 1/2 tank, one box to fill it. $12 is not that bad.

[1jeep]

I think consumption has a lot to do with the trucks gearing also. My previous 2011 F250 6.7 had 3:55 gears and I would use about 4 gallons every 5k miles. my current truck with the same open highway empty driving is drinking about 6 gallons every 5k miles.

[guidry]

Way cheaper to buy anywhere else but the dealer. Walmart, truck stops etc. If you are pulling a load you will not get the mileage otherwise. But it wouldn't hurt to have the truck checked out.

[4x4ord]

I've got about 20,000 miles on my truck. It started out full and I just filled for the 3rd time. Total usage has been 5 jugs....12.5 gallons.

[Old-Biscuit]

What speed are you driving?

What RPM's?