DEF low in less than 2 weeks

austingta · July 21, 2016

I have a new Duramax with less than 800 miles on it. My 1000 mile range DEF alert (and the DIC reports 29% remaining) popped up today. Is this thing drinking this stuff, or did it come to me without being filled up?

I have an email into my salesman.

bwh2003 · July 21, 2016

They forgot to fill it. Happens all the time when dealerships do the delivery prep for a customer.

trpshoot · July 21, 2016

I have only had my truck for about 5 weeks and just went on a week long trip, at less than a thousand miles I received the warning and my DEF was at 29%. I bought two gallons from the dealer and filled. I have no idea if it brought the DEF tank to half or what? Wish there was an actual gauge for the tank DEF that gave out real time level info all the time.

newdude · July 21, 2016

Ya dealer is supposed to fill it at time of delivery. I'd make a trip back and see if they will kindly do so like they were supposed to.

ShotgunZ71 · July 21, 2016

I've got almost 13k miles on my 2015 Dmax, the DEF has been filled only twice, at the oil changes. I'd say yours wasn't filled upon purchase. Kindly call the dealer and ask them will they fill it for you.

austingta · July 22, 2016

The dealer's salesman did respond today, and he said bring it in and they will top it off.

Cowpie · July 28, 2016

They better! Not like it is going to break the bank. Many locations in my area that have bulk totes of the stuff, DEF is going for around $1.80 - $1.85 a gallon.

KMGZ400 · July 28, 2016

It wasn't filled at the dealership, mine was only half filled when I got it.

DirtyMaxintheMac · July 31, 2016

They sent me off with the truck with def in the back seat. Filled it up after a couple days.

austingta · August 1, 2016

They better! Not like it is going to break the bank. Many locations in my area that have bulk totes of the stuff, DEF is going for around $1.80 - $1.85 a gallon.

DEF is going for over 10.00 per gallon at O'Reillys, and around 10.00 on amazon.

austingta · August 1, 2016

It's a crappy filling system if you ask me. AC Delco fluid is in flimsy 2.5 gallon containers and the fill spout in the engine bay is 15 feet off the ground. You have to hold the container up over your head to get it started. It uses a stupid little funnel / spout that barely screws onto the flimsy jug. You can't tell when the tank is full at all, so it burps ammonia all over you.

If I have to do it again, I'm going to a truck stop where i can use a proper nozzle. Not likely though, since factory covered maintenance will take care of it for a couple of years. I'll be ready for something else by then.

Cowpie · August 2, 2016

The best place to get DEF topped off is commercial heavy truck dealerships and heavy truck Lube shops. All of them usually have the 275 gallon totes there and pricing recently is $1.80 to $1.85. They will fill pickup DEF also. Even my commercial tire dealer has a tote in the shop and price is $1.80 a gallon. Was just in there getting new shocks up front on my semi and steer tires spun up.