<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">So we have had our first problem and of course it happened while we are on the road in the middle of nowhere South Dakota !!
We were a couple of hours outside of Hill City headed towards Fairmont,MN on our way back home when our check engine light goes on and the engine coolent gauge spikes. We aren't showing any physical signs of overheating. No leaks, smoke or smells. But we pull off the road anyway and turn off the engine. After 5 minutes we start up the engine and it is cool and we are good to go. Chad says there is no way if the engine was really overheating that it would have cooled off that much so quickly. We take off and 80 miles later it happens again. We pull off again and the same thing happens. So we take off yet again and this time only get about 5 miles. We don't think we are overheating so we try to just push though it thinking we can have it checked out when we get back home. The fail safe kicks in though because the engine thinks we ARE overheating. We can't go over 30 mph at this point. So we pull off again and pull out the manuals. We call the dealer who gives us the number to our local Ford dealer back home. He gives us the number for the Ford RV service department and the people there were great, We talked them through what was happening and we were told that this has been happening to some of the RV's with this chassis. They asked us if we could get about 30 miles East to Chamberlain where there was a Ford dealer who could see us. We start up the engine and all seems well and we made it all the way there without another incident.
When we get there the guy that helped us says first thing "I always hate it when I see an RV come in" and he wasn't sure where the diagnostic port was (we didn't either). He says that's ok and he goes in and puts in some of our info in his computer in the office and brings us out a printout.
It says "Some 2005-2007 F-Super Duty and F-53 Motorhome chassis vehicles equipped with a 5.4 l or a 6.8L (which we have) engine may exhibit an engine temperature gauge indicating an overheating condition with the malfunction indicator lamp".
The action is "if it is determined that the engine is not physically overheating istall a new thermastat and crossover pipe. They have been revised for improved cooling system flow characteristics".
He never actually checked to see if we were overheating, so apparently we are fine. They didn't have the parts in stock and wouldn't be able to get them in until Friday or Saturday (it is Wed. today). This was a small shop and didn't seem all that familiar with rv's. Sioux Falls was a few hours away and could get the part for us on Friday and it is a much bigger dealer. So we called them and they got the part of order for us.
Luckily I had my Trailer Life directory and my laptop with me and I began checking around for a campground in Sioux Falls. First time I ever had to make spur of the moment, on the road campground reservations. My mom and stepdad are also traveling with us in their own car so we had to find a place with a hotel not too far away.
We ended up at the Jellystone at exit 402 off of I-90 in Sioux Falls. They were very accomodating on the phone, this is our first time at a Jellystone. They let us make reservations for today and tomorrow and possibly Fri and Sat if we should need them. We are right near the freeway, but the campground is clean and has activities for the kids. We have a decent corner site on a hill.
The dealer is going to have the part Friday morning and should have us on the road by that afternoon as long as there isn't really a problem with overheating. It didn't really throw us off track too badly. We should be able to pull into the campground we are already booked at in IL on Friday night. We will be getting a later start than we had planned and now have further to drive since we are about 120 miles west of where we were supposed to be. So we will most likely spend one extra night at that campground in IL so we can have the whole weekend to relax before taking the final 380 miles home.
All in all I guess things could be worse. Part of me is upset this wasn't a recall item. We could have had this taken care of before we ever left home. I would have been mad had this happened on a trip when we were on a strict time table. But I am not going to let it bother me. It's not Winnie's fault. She has been handling really well and we don't blame her.
THANKS FOR READING THIS FAR !!</span>
</span>
Linear Mode
