PM Filter Not Ready

[AAR#2]

Almost at wits end and will try about anything.

Couple weeks ago, just prior to my first emission test coming due, my battery finally needed replaced. Pulled the battery and ran for a new one, didn’t realize the issues I’d have once it’s disconnected longer than 20 min.

After 3.5 hours wait the climate controls and backup camera finally started working, I didn’t think anymore of it until a week later when I went to emissions testing where I was told the truck wasn’t ready for two tests. Out I go and proceed to drive more than a few miles over a week or so, back in and down to 1 not ready, PM filter.

Back out I go and with the help of a newly borrowed OBD reader. Now I can check for smog readiness. I’ve now run a tank of fuel plus and not ready. Tried these ridiculous drive cycles (no two agree on what it should or may be) and still not ready.

I checked on the state web site and it stated that you can have up to 2 emission tests “not ready” and be tested, but after a third trip to the state emissions center they apologized and stated that while the web site isn’t clear, that applies to gas vehicles only and all tests need to be ready for diesels.

Having previously owned a 99 Cummins I asked if he can do the tail pipe sniffer and again I was told sorry, that’s reserved for 3/4 ton and up trucks.

So now I have 3 incomplete test notices with me, the application for registration (now lapsed) and the OBD reader I keep in the truck at all times. Feels like I’m getting PTSD from checking it after drives and seeing it remains “not ready”. Often daily and many times more than once a day.

Making things worse I don’t normally drive the truck daily, so racking miles is more than a little inconvenient and out doing laps to burn fuel feels insane

Is there some trick to getting this thing to register as ready?

 

[ayoslickxd]

Im in same boat and my pm had come on while driving in nyc traffic then i had to reset cause check engine light and it hasnt came back on yet

 

[AAR#2]

Im in same boat and my pm had come on while driving in nyc traffic then i had to reset cause check engine light and it hasnt came back on yet

In my situation there is no, and never been an issue related to a check engine, only an ill timed battery replacement.

 

[tom318]

How do you know its not ready? I don't have any emissions testing where I live thankfully but I'm not sure how one would know if its ready or not? I did 108k miles before my truck ever gave me the message to keep driving to clean the DPF. Now at 124k miles I get that message about once a month. From my experience my truck would do a regen every 700-1k miles so going out and doing 20-30 miles likely wont do a thing. I know dealers have the ability to force regens but I'm sure they will want $$$.

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

I've read elsewhere that Ram's modern diesel emissions systems need to go through at least 1 (sometimes 2) regens before the computers will read the filters as "ready." Whether that is a forced (parked) regen or a regen while driving I don't know. The best way to induce a parked regen in my experience is with a quality scan tool or AlfaOBD. A parked regen may help give your truck the kick in the *ss it needs in order to pass an emissions inspection. If you don't have access to a scan tool, the best bet to get the truck to regen on it's own would be to drive the thing. Idle time, city driving, warming it up in the morning: all of these things will help soot up the DPF and make the truck do a regen. If your truck doesn't give you a "Exhaust filter nearing full, continue driving to clear" message, you can simply pay attention to the truck while driving, the idle will raise up to ~800 RPM while idling at a light during a regen, the exhaust will sound different, and the throttle response will be slightly snappier. continue driving the truck until the message says "Exhaust system regen complete" or until the idle drops back down to ~650 RPM. In my experience, like Tom318 above, my truck does a regen every 1000 miles or so of mixed driving, or every 30-40 engine hours. As much of a pain as it is, if I were you, I would drive the truck as often as possible and keep those incomplete test notices handy so you can show them to any police officer who pulls you over for a bad inspection. Apologies if I'm repeating things you've already heard, and of course I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, if that's the case please let me know.

If push really comes to shove you should have an 8 years 80k miles warranty on the emissions systems. Perhaps your dealership could do the right thing and give you an hour worth of a technician's time for them to plug in and force a regen. (Every parked regen I've ever performed has been done in about 20 minutes max.) That or they could simply do a full diagnostic as to why your emissions system is giving you an error on what I assume is a reasonably new vehicle, 2020 or newer. All of this on warranty of course...

Also, could you post some details about your truck? Year, Mileage, Stock/Modified/Tuned. May help with your issue. Does your truck let you know when it regens? Do you drive the truck on short trips only, or do you regularly take it out on the highway.

 

[AAR#2]

I've read elsewhere that Ram's modern diesel emissions systems need to go through at least 1 (sometimes 2) regens before the computers will read the filters as "ready." Whether that is a forced (parked) regen or a regen while driving I don't know. The best way to induce a parked regen in my experience is with a quality scan tool or AlfaOBD. A parked regen may help give your truck the kick in the *ss it needs in order to pass an emissions inspection. If you don't have access to a scan tool, the best bet to get the truck to regen on it's own would be to drive the thing. Idle time, city driving, warming it up in the morning: all of these things will help soot up the DPF and make the truck do a regen. If your truck doesn't give you a "Exhaust filter nearing full, continue driving to clear" message, you can simply pay attention to the truck while driving, the idle will raise up to ~800 RPM while idling at a light during a regen, the exhaust will sound different, and the throttle response will be slightly snappier. continue driving the truck until the message says "Exhaust system regen complete" or until the idle drops back down to ~650 RPM. In my experience, like Tom318 above, my truck does a regen every 1000 miles or so of mixed driving, or every 30-40 engine hours. As much of a pain as it is, if I were you, I would drive the truck as often as possible and keep those incomplete test notices handy so you can show them to any police officer who pulls you over for a bad inspection. Apologies if I'm repeating things you've already heard, and of course I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, if that's the case please let me know.

If push really comes to shove you should have an 8 years 80k miles warranty on the emissions systems. Perhaps your dealership could do the right thing and give you an hour worth of a technician's time for them to plug in and force a regen. (Every parked regen I've ever performed has been done in about 20 minutes max.) That or they could simply do a full diagnostic as to why your emissions system is giving you an error on what I assume is a reasonably new vehicle, 2020 or newer. All of this on warranty of course...

Also, could you post some details about your truck? Year, Mileage, Stock/Modified/Tuned. May help with your issue. Does your truck let you know when it regens? Do you drive the truck on short trips only, or do you regularly take it out on the highway.

I’ll start with 2020, 32k miles, bone stock, never seen a notice of regen. The majority of the miles have been longer trips (several towing) and even when driven more local it tends to be a 30 min drive when taken out. Not many short runs under the 30.

Since the battery replacement I’ve put on about 900miles, and trying to vary it between city and highway. Maybe I just need to keep doing what I’m doing or as suggested I throw in the towel and head to the dealer (last ditch choice)

I ride my bike to work and normally the truck sits for days sometimes weeks without being run. I’m currently out of the country for 3 weeks making this even worse for trying to rack up useless miles

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

Since the battery replacement I’ve put on about 900miles, and trying to vary it between city and highway. Maybe I just need to keep doing what I’m doing or as suggested I throw in the towel and head to the dealer (last ditch choice)

Unfortunately it does seem that those are your options. Keep driving it till everything resets, or see if the dealer could help you without losing your shirt. If your dealers service dept is willing, like I said, a parked regen should only take just about 20 minutes. If the issues persist after that, schedule a service and have them take a look at the truck under the emissions system warranty. Keep us posted about what your outcome is, I'm curious to see the resolution.

EDIT: Just read that forcing a regen on an automotive engine may not reset the PM filter to "READY" so perhaps more driving is the only solution. Sorry for the somewhat Non-solution

 

[AAR#2]

Unfortunately it does seem that those are your options. Keep driving it till everything resets, or see if the dealer could help you without losing your shirt. If your dealers service dept is willing, like I said, a parked regen should only take just about 20 minutes. If the issues persist after that, schedule a service and have them take a look at the truck under the emissions system warranty. Keep us posted about what your outcome is, I'm curious to see the resolution.

EDIT: Just read that forcing a regen on an automotive engine may not reset the PM filter to "READY" so perhaps more driving is the only solution. Sorry for the somewhat Non-solution

Appreciate the help, and will respond back with an outcome.
I don’t return to the states Tilly he 12th, so it may be a while

 

[Chris3058]

I’d drive it a lot when you’re back. Let it do the passive regens or like said above - dealer forced regen and diagnostic. It’s under warranty right?

 

[ayoslickxd]

I just fixed mines …. Drive the truck locked in 5th gear on (60 mph) it leaves you at 3100 rpms. highway driving for 30ish miles should force the dpf to fill and do regen …. Reset truck on and off and it should be active

 

[AAR#2]

Well I got back from my trip and wanted to provide an update.

Back in country for about 3 weeks now and tried several “drive cycles” as everyone appears to have a cycles they claim works. What I can report is that none appeared to do the trick, and I haven’t attempted any sort of “cycle” in weeks. since then I’ve just continued to make my usual runs, typically more freeway than surface streets, each time becoming more frustrated when I plug in the reader at the end of each trip, only to see “Not ready”. Feeling defeated I came to the conclusion I would make an appointment at the dealer next week, though I continued checking to see if by some miracle it would become ready.
Well yesterday was the day, I had just completed a 30 mile mostly freeway run, pulled into the parking lot and hooked up the sensor . . . All emissions were ready for test, total miles it took to achieve this was 1,347.

So I suppose it’s just a slow system to get ready. Hopefully this helps someone else to get a rough estimate of time it may take. I’m not suggesting that my number is the magic number that will always work but an indicator of roughly the time it takes to become “Ready”

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

Patience and time. Glad the rig is running and ready. Finger crossed it doesn’t give you anymore issues like this down the line.

 

[KOOPS]

if push really comes to shove you should have an 8 years 80k miles warranty on the emissions systems. Perhaps your dealership could do the right thing and give you an hour worth of a technician's time for them to plug in and force a regen. (Every parked regen I've ever performed has been done in about 20 minutes max.) That or they could simply do a full diagnostic as to why your emissions system is giving you an error on what I assume is a reasonably new vehicle, 2020 or newer. All of this on warranty of course...

Do the gen3 2019+ Eco's have the same 8yr/80k emission system warranty?

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

Do the gen3 2019+ Eco's have the same 8yr/80k emission system warranty?

According to Ram’s website yes.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Appreciate the help, and will respond back with an outcome.
I don’t return to the states Tilly he 12th, so it may be a while

I missed this thread. I coulda' have helped you out, if you'd have left the keys and your cc...

Always happy to help out a fellow RAM owner, ahem.

 

[KOOPS]

According to Ram’s website yes.

Can you post a link? I saw something but I believe what I saw was for the models which pre-dated the 2020 year.

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

The pre 2020's may have been affected by the extended warranty that Ram had to give after having to re tune all the early EcoDiesel trucks, 2014-2018 trucks were under that if memory serves me correct. However all 2020+ trucks fall under the U.S federally mandated 8 years/80K miles. It doesn't cover everything, but a lot of major components, SCR, DPF, DEF injection systems, ETC. What is Covered in a Ram Emissions Warranty? A Complete Guide. Important part is highlighted pink.

 

[KOOPS]

The pre 2020's may have been affected by the extended warranty that Ram had to give after having to re tune all the early EcoDiesel trucks, 2014-2018 trucks were under that if memory serves me correct. However all 2020+ trucks fall under the U.S federally mandated 8 years/80K miles. It doesn't cover everything, but a lot of major components, SCR, DPF, DEF injection systems, ETC. What is Covered in a Ram Emissions Warranty? A Complete Guide. Important part is highlighted pink.

Thanks for the link!!