So my truck has had issues with a CEL code p0174 for almost a year now. Seems like cold weather causes the issue. It never came on over the summer but today reared it's ugly head. So it has been to multiple dealers.. chrysler has been called... but unfortunately once summer hit and the light stopped coming back no one could do anything. DCX wouldn't send a tech out without light on.

So my question is... since in PA after 12 months lemon law is not a factor... What happens when a vehicle literally can not be fixed? Am I just screwed and need to trade this truck in or what? Truck has 31500 miles now issue started at 20000... over 9 months ago...

 

You are running a tad lean, and probably just lean enough to trip a CEL if it's only showing up when it's cooler (cooler air is more dense, requiring more fuel to be mixed with it). It should not be causing any driveability issues (truck should perform as normal) but is merely a "nuisance" CEL.

Often times, a better breathing air flow or contamination from an oiled filter will cause this CEL, do you have a CAI?

Dropping in a cooler thermostat is a good way to fix a A/F ratio that is a tad lean as well.

As far as what recourse you have if it's been through multiple dealers and lemon law is NOT an option, would be to take it to a REAL mechanic to be evaluated.

I wouldn't sell the truck and lose my a$$ on it just for running a tad lean and tripping a minor CEL...

 

I believe there is a way to search the history of issues with the computer......they could do that on my wife's Suburban....it had some issues, but would never do it when we were at the dealer. They looked back in the error codes and found out what was wrong.

 

no i don't have a CAI just stock. I have been wanting to mod the truck but with warranty issues i did not want to chance it. The truck is more than well maintained. In fact I just did plugs and the old ones looked great. Nice and tan on the insulator with a tad of white.

It only seems to happen on a cold start going down my drive right after. Which is a roughly 15-20 % downgrade. Never happens on the road.

and i totally agree i don't want to sell/trade it. I love the damn thing. But I won't lose my ***. I only owe 9k on it. So that's no big deal.

And hammer, you're right it's just a nuisance.. the truck runs great, gets a steady 15-16 mpg (which as i understood to throw this code my truck would have poor mpg due to it running as much fuel as possible yet stll not getting the A/F to go down)
My thing about it is that the truck is only 2.5 years old and wasn't 2 when this started. If the truck was older i would accept this... but still under warranty I find it just insane


and yes stored codes are there but they apparently do no good for the dealer. The dealer now wants to have a tech from dcx but they won't do that for "stored" codes apparently

 

You could also have an exhaust manifold leaking from a broken or loose manifold bolt and it is sucking in fresh air and mixing with the exh. That will also get you a code like that.

 

well i'll give a rundown of all the parts put on the truck so far.
First - 4 new 02 sensors
Second - New PCV valve
Third - New Y-Pipes and catalytic converter assembly
Fourth- New Powertrain control module
Fifth - more 02 sensors

so at this point i don't even know

 

IDK buddy. Have you complained to the dealer or Daimler Corp? Filed with BBB or FTC?

 

Idk either man.. I've complained at the first dealer which it's such a long story dude that you wouldn't wanna read it. After 4 months at one dealer took it to another.. they were willing to help but still their best techs couldn't figure it out (at least they admitted it instead of throwing parts at it like the other dealer)

So they wanted DCX to send an engineer so their manager got ahold of DCX about it... DCX refused to send one out seeing as they weren't selling dealer.. well selling dealer was the previous one that was ****ing me over so I started calling DCX to get an engineer out to the new dealer... at this point warm weather hit and with it being over a week with no CEL even though the second dealer said that there was still a problem (since they hadn't fixed anything)...
Chrysler said until light comes on they can't do anything.. well like I said light won't come on above 60 degrees so all summer and such was ok until last sunday.
So now i'm back to fighting with DCX to get a tech out to look it over.

It's sad all I want is the truck fixed and it seems like chrysler would rather me get an attorney involved. I currently have spoken with a lemon law attorney and they said that since the truck is still under warranty and DCX can't fix it/ doesn't want to that i'm still entitled to lemon law compensation.

I don't want to get rid of my truck so I'm not thrilled about this but I'm not going to get on my knees and beg chrysler to fix the truck when it shouldn't even be a question whether they would or not.