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2008 Hemi Limited P013C Constant DTC!!!

28K views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  Overland08FL 
#1 ·
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.
 
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#3 ·
Commiseration

Yes Mike, I will definitely be keeping an I on your thread. There's a high possibility we could be sharing the same root cause to our woes. I'm a little worried though as the only response whatsoever to my thread has been you. I hope some others chime in. Anyway, here's to wishing both of us the best of luck!

Bob
 
#4 ·
Yes Mike, I will definitely be keeping an I on your thread. There's a high possibility we could be sharing the same root cause to our woes. I'm a little worried though as the only response whatsoever to my thread has been you. I hope some others chime in. Anyway, here's to wishing both of us the best of luck!

Bob
Bob,

Have you checked your exhaust for leaks and ensured your wiring harness is providing a solid electrical connection.

Mike
 
#5 ·
My dealer did check the exhaust for leaks and actually found a cracked bolt at one of the joints downstream of the sensor in question. They said there wasn't a detectable leak but that it might fix the problem. It didn't.

I have not heard anything about the wiring harness grounding but I will be sure to mention it to them. Thank you.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the link as my troubles are very similar and the problem continues.

I've been having an O2 Sensor code problem P0153 since Oct 2011 or for 16 months now which started when I had less than 110,000 km (emissions warranty). How do you start a case with Jeep because my Dealer has no idea what to do as I refuse to pay anymore than the $2K spent to date.:dunno:
 
#8 ·
The dealership actually got involved and started the case for me or just gave me a number to call, i don't really remember. They did tell me that it was about $2000 dollars in parts and labor when it was all said and done. It is was a brand new system when they were done. All I had to pay was the $75 dollar as it was still under under warrenty.
 
#9 ·
Well just as an update, it is now April 2013 and my check engine light is still coming on in cruise conditions above 60mph on the highways. The following work has been done in an attempt to ameliorate the problem: replaces downstream 1 and 2 oxygen sensors, replaced PCM, tightened up possible exhaust leak, checked continuity of wiring harness to oxygen sensors. Nothing has turned up and they have now more ideas. I have tried to get them to replace the cat per some stories on this forum but Chrysler is balking since they said it would cause over 1800 to fix.

I have noticed that if I switch the trans into manual mode then the light doesn't come on . I can keep the selector in "5" and it doesn't seem to produce the conditions causing the problem. This suggests to me that it has to do with the MDS system, the trans pcm coding, or maybe lift-throttle coast-down conditions above 60mph. Then again, maybe it's the cat.
 
#10 ·
According to the article below, Chrysler deals with each letter sent in. Give it a shot, what's the worse thing that could happen?

Chrysler complaints dropping

Posted on March 29th, 2013 • by David Zatz


According to Mopar CEO Pietro Gorlier, who also has responsibility for working with Chrysler dealerships, the company has been getting fewer complaint letters from customers, especially given its increase in sales. Mr. Gorlier told Allpar last year that he tried to read each letter himself.

While Mr. Gorlier noted that “the more Chrysler becomes successful, the more customers are becoming demanding,” he also said that they were seeing both a trend of fewer complaints, and “a significant improvement in the satisfaction of the customers that are calling us to sort out problems.

The time to sort out problems, the response time, is becoming much better. It took a while to get to that point, but in the last 18 months, finally the trend is going the better way.” Mr. Gorlier credited the decline in complaints to higher quality vehicles, improved internal processes, and better communication with dealerships. He also said that, while there was no guarantee that a customer would get what they wanted, “ everyone who is writing to us is going to be contacted, the case is going to be analyzed, and there are no automatic answers or no automatic ways of dealing with a problem. We may say no, but that is after an analysis of the case.”
Mr. Gorlier also talked about steps Chrysler was taking to increase customer satisfaction and involve more dealerships in acting on feedback, state of the art technology being adopted by dealer service areas, the Express Lane service, and the Mopar brand. Full details will be posted next week.
 
#14 ·
It's a website called Allpar.com, which catalogs all things Chrysler and its brands.
 
#15 ·
Which is where the link in my previous post goes to.
 
#16 ·
This is how they describe themselves:

Allpar is the Internet’s largest and oldest Web site devoted to cars, trucks, and minivans made by Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler Group, including Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, and many associated brands.
 
#19 ·
Code p103c

I have a 2007 Jeep Commander Hemi. Only 44,000 miles. I had the same problem with o2 sensors for more than 3 years now. Sensors were replaced, but code still coming back. The engine light seams to appeared after the car reach 60mph or using the cruise control. The dealer don't have a clue and I am not willing to keep giving them more money for nothing. I read online a lot of complains about this car, electrical, sensors, etc. I am thinking what we have is a lemon.
 
#20 ·
I have an 08 Hemi and have had the P103c issue for years. It started by coming on then going away for awhile until eventually it came on as soon as I went over 60 mph. I just lived with it. Last week I took it in for the 5 year inspection of the power train. They found that most of the seals and gaskets were dry and cracked and needed replaced, which they did. And now the P103c issue is gone and so far hasn’t returned. This is what was replaced: gasket cylinder head cover, retainer-crankshaft rear oil seal, seal-crankshaft oil, 2 gasket-exhaust manifold, 8 stud exhaust manifold, 8 bolt exhaust manifold, 4 nut hex flange lock, gasket-engine oil pan. Parts weren’t a lot but I imagine the labor was expensive. It was all covered under the lifetime powertrain warranty.
 
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