My boss bought a 2022 F-250 Powerstroke, but it’s been a nightmare in cold weather. The truck is basically unusable when it’s freezing out, and we’re in Northern Minnesota, so that’s most of the year. It blows blue smoke, gives low-power check engine lights, and even warns on the app that it’s in reduced power mode.
We’ve taken it to the dealer multiple times. They claim the DEF system freezes below 12°F and that it’s the owner’s responsibility to replace filters when it does because freezing damages them. They also told us that when idling, the truck only uses four cylinders and has an open thermostat, so it doesn’t warm up unless you’re driving over 4 mph.
They even said some trucks need a complete DEF system upgrade with heated lines to fix this issue. But now they’re saying our truck already has a heater. On top of that, the remote start doesn’t warm the engine at all—apparently because the EPA won’t allow it. So even if you idle for hours, the engine never gets warm.
The dealer keeps blaming “extreme conditions” and owner neglect for all these problems, and every visit costs us a couple hundred bucks. They’re claiming the blue smoke is normal when the DEF system is frozen, but it seems ridiculous to me that a brand-new truck would perform this poorly in the cold. Is any of this legit, or are they just making excuses? It feels like we’re being scammed.
Your dealer is lying to you about so many things. Here’s a breakdown:
DEF Freezing: True. DEF freezes at 12°F, but it’s designed to thaw with an electric heater in the tank. You shouldn’t have to replace filters because of freezing—there aren’t even filters in the SCR system.
Idling on 4 Cylinders: False. The 6.7 Powerstroke doesn’t have cylinder deactivation. It has dual thermostats that stay closed until the coolant gets warm.
Engine Won’t Warm at Idle: False. Diesel engines are efficient, so they don’t warm up quickly at idle, but this isn’t because of the EPA.
Blue Smoke: Not related to the DEF system. Blue smoke means the engine is burning oil, not that the DEF is frozen.
Your dealer is either incompetent or trying to scam you. Ford designed the 6.7 to handle extreme climates, so this isn’t normal.
Keelan said:
Following this because it sounds like total BS.
Exactly my thoughts. I drive a ‘99 Cummins, so I don’t have experience with this newer stuff, but it seems insane that an engine developed in 2010 would have issues like this.
@Sky
I’m in northern Alberta, and while DEF systems can act up during cold snaps, they’re generally fine as long as the tank isn’t empty. Up here, the tanks come with heaters by default. Mercedes Sprinter vans are a different story—they’re completely useless in the cold, and Mercedes doesn’t seem to care.
Your dealer is terrible. Take this up with Ford directly and escalate the issue. The blue smoke doesn’t sound like a DEF issue; it could be a stuck injector dumping fuel into the exhaust. Also, the DEF freezing isn’t owner neglect—that’s why the tanks are heated.
This shouldn’t be happening on a new truck. Push Ford to fix it under warranty.
@Corey
There’s already a case open with the dealer. Apparently, the truck has over 59 codes stored in the computer, and it’s only got 3,000 miles on it.
Leith said:
Find another dealer. Sounds like the DEF heater isn’t working, and that’s a known issue.
They told us they can’t troubleshoot until the DEF freezing issue is fixed. But they’re charging us hundreds every time for diagnostics and claiming we need to replace filters even though I’ve been told there aren’t any filters in the DEF system.
Taj said: @Sky
There are no filters in the DEF system, and the fuel filters aren’t affected by a frozen DEF tank. They’re just taking your money.
They’ve already charged us $200 for filters and said it was our fault for letting it freeze. They also claimed they found codes deeper in the system that aren’t accessible through regular scanning.
I’ve got a 2021 F-350 Powerstroke in Northern Canada, and I haven’t had any of these issues. The only thing I’ve been warned about is not filling the DEF tank to the brim in winter because it can expand when it freezes and damage the pump. I also use a winter front to keep the truck happy in extreme cold.