Hey folks,
I just noticed that there was a recent post to this board by Go4x4it about a constant DTC similar to mine that won't go away. Well, I've got pretty much the exact same problem. My Jeep is 100% stock however and has just under 80K miles on it. Here's the sordid history.
A few years ago the CEL came on while driving but disappeared before I made an appointment for service. Then a few months down the road it happened again. And again. And again. Eventually I scanned it at the local auto parts store and it came up as P013C - DOWNSTREAM OXYGEN SENSOR SLOW TO RESPOND. I cleared the code and headed down the highway. Eventually it came back on again so I took it to a local guy I know and he confirmed it was the same code and we replaced the oxygen sensor in question with a MOPAR OEM part and cleared the DTC. Instantly a second DTC appeared. This time it displayed P013A, another oxygen sensor. Again we replaced the sensor in question and cleared the codes. A few days later the P013C code was back. My guy told me I needed to go to the dealer.
The Vehicle was submitted to the local dealer about 3 weeks ago and they read the same code. I told them about the oxygen sensor replacements and they checked all of them but said they are fine. They diagnosed it for a couple days and then said they found an internal fault in the ECU, so the entire thing was replaced under the lifetime powertrain warranty. Four to five days later the code was back on. Took it in a second time and they diagnosed a possible small exhaust leak as there was a cracked bolt on one of the pipe joints downstream from the sensors. Code stayed off for about two days and that brings us to a few days ago. I immediately swung by the dealer and they did a quick scan: same old P013C. I asked if it could be something with the fuel system or the cat and they said there is no indication of that and they didn't find anything like that when they were diagnosing it.
So now I'm more or less dead in the water. The code comes on pretty quickly no whereas it used to be a few weeks or months. I cannot use remote start anymore since it's always on and I can't keep going to the autoparts store to clear it. Does anyone here know what the most economical and convenient way to clear the code would be since I might be doing this a lot in the near future? I'm thinking about writing a letter to Chrysler but I'm not sure how much good that would do. Oh, and one other thing -- before the ECU replacement my engine would readily enter the MDS mode even if the CEL was lit up. Now since the replacement with the new ECU it no longer will do that. So I am no longer getting the fuel economy benefit - albeit quite marginal - of the MDS.
I like my Jeep for the most part but this is wearing me thin and I think the dealer has no idea what to do. I'm not crazy about starting to take stabs in the dark and accruing repair bills that may or may not have any impact on the situation. Any suggestions or opinions are more than welcome.
Thanks... Bob I.
I just noticed that there was a recent post to this board by Go4x4it about a constant DTC similar to mine that won't go away. Well, I've got pretty much the exact same problem. My Jeep is 100% stock however and has just under 80K miles on it. Here's the sordid history.
A few years ago the CEL came on while driving but disappeared before I made an appointment for service. Then a few months down the road it happened again. And again. And again. Eventually I scanned it at the local auto parts store and it came up as P013C - DOWNSTREAM OXYGEN SENSOR SLOW TO RESPOND. I cleared the code and headed down the highway. Eventually it came back on again so I took it to a local guy I know and he confirmed it was the same code and we replaced the oxygen sensor in question with a MOPAR OEM part and cleared the DTC. Instantly a second DTC appeared. This time it displayed P013A, another oxygen sensor. Again we replaced the sensor in question and cleared the codes. A few days later the P013C code was back. My guy told me I needed to go to the dealer.
The Vehicle was submitted to the local dealer about 3 weeks ago and they read the same code. I told them about the oxygen sensor replacements and they checked all of them but said they are fine. They diagnosed it for a couple days and then said they found an internal fault in the ECU, so the entire thing was replaced under the lifetime powertrain warranty. Four to five days later the code was back on. Took it in a second time and they diagnosed a possible small exhaust leak as there was a cracked bolt on one of the pipe joints downstream from the sensors. Code stayed off for about two days and that brings us to a few days ago. I immediately swung by the dealer and they did a quick scan: same old P013C. I asked if it could be something with the fuel system or the cat and they said there is no indication of that and they didn't find anything like that when they were diagnosing it.
So now I'm more or less dead in the water. The code comes on pretty quickly no whereas it used to be a few weeks or months. I cannot use remote start anymore since it's always on and I can't keep going to the autoparts store to clear it. Does anyone here know what the most economical and convenient way to clear the code would be since I might be doing this a lot in the near future? I'm thinking about writing a letter to Chrysler but I'm not sure how much good that would do. Oh, and one other thing -- before the ECU replacement my engine would readily enter the MDS mode even if the CEL was lit up. Now since the replacement with the new ECU it no longer will do that. So I am no longer getting the fuel economy benefit - albeit quite marginal - of the MDS.
I like my Jeep for the most part but this is wearing me thin and I think the dealer has no idea what to do. I'm not crazy about starting to take stabs in the dark and accruing repair bills that may or may not have any impact on the situation. Any suggestions or opinions are more than welcome.
Thanks... Bob I.