We understand your Ford F-250 is having difficulty getting its emission monitors (readiness flags) to complete. The emission monitors are programmed to run while your truck is being normally operated. However, due to different driving habits, the criteria required to run a monitor may not always be met. Following the Ford F-250 drive cycle below should allow all emission monitors to complete. The drive cycle must be followed accurately.
Take extra caution when performing the drive cycle on public roadways. Perform the drive cycle at your own risk. If you feel you might not be able to perform the drive cycle safely, or obey all traffic laws, seek the assistance of a smog check repair station which will be able to perform the drive cycle on a dynamometer and be utilizing specialized OBD II drive cycle readiness tools/scanner/computer. Mode 6 (emissions diagnostics tool) is especially helpful for a well trained smog technician. Note: An incomplete evaporative monitor will not cause a smog check failure. The EVAP monitor is the only monitor allowed to be incomplete on a 2000 & newer vehicle (as of the time of this post).
How to Perform Drive Cycle for Ford F-250 6.0 Diesel Engine
The Ford F-250 drive cycle below will complete or make ready your truck's emission monitors, including the EVAP monitor, Oxygen Sensor monitor, EGR monitor, Secondary Air Injection, and Catalyst monitor. If after completing the drive cycle your F-250 will still not complete any or all the monitor(s) we have to recommend visiting a Ford service center or the smog check repair center.
Air Injection Monitor Tip: The secondary air injection monitor which checks for the performance of the air injection system and air injection pump requires the monitor run during a cold (engine) start. Once the engine warms up, the monitor is done checking the air injection pump and will continue on checking the performance of the remainder of the AIR injection system. With that said, it's not the number of miles driven which resets the air injection monitor, rather the number of cold starts required to get all the other parameters required for the air injection monitor to to run. Starting the engine after the vehicle has sat for at least 8 hours in normal weather conditions would be considered a "Cold Start". Since the air injection monitor takes into effect ambient air temperature, it is best to perform a cold start on a morning.
START HERE
- Turn ignition on, but do not crank engine until WAIT TO START indicator turns off, or 10 seconds has passed (whichever is greater).
- Start engine. Allow engine to idle with transmission in Park or Neutral for 40 seconds.
- The following conditions must be followed to run certain OBD-II monitors that require engine to be under a load. On A/T models, select OVERDRIVE CANCEL to perform test in 3rd gear. On all models, turn on accessories (headlights, A/C compressor, blower fan, etc.). DO NOT use hazards or PTO. Select an uphill or level road. DO NOT select a downhill road. Driving downhill will unload engine and defeat test.
- Accelerate steadily to 3rd gear (A/T) or 4th gear (M/T) and keep engine speed at 1500 RPM for 3 seconds. Accelerate steadily from 35 MPH to 65 MPH in about 15 seconds (A/T) or 11 seconds minimum (M/T). Repeat this procedure 3 times while maintaining conditions set in step 3) . Before proceeding, turn all accessories off and disengage OVERDRIVE CANCEL. On A/T models, go to next step. On M/T models, go to step 6.
- On A/T models, drive vehicle in 4th gear continuously for one minute. Accelerate steadily from a full stop to 4th gear and then return to a full stop. Repeat this procedure 10 times, then go to next step.
- Before continuing, use NGS tester and select EOT PID from PID/DATA MONITOR & RECORD menu. Ensure EOT PID value is more than 140°F (60°C). Allow engine to idle for 20 seconds in Park or Neutral. Turn ignition off. Start engine and allow engine to idle for 40 seconds in Park or Neutral. Repeat QUICK TEST in appropriate SELF-DIAGNOSTICS article. Drive cycle is complete.
- If DTC P1000 is present after performing drive cycle, repeat step 4 maintaining a minimum MFDES PID value of 37 milligrams/stroke with engine speed at more than 1500 RPM for 11 seconds. Also, maintain a minimum MFDES of 37 milligrams/stroke with engine speed at more than 2300 RPM for at least 6 seconds. Repeat step 6. MFDES PID value must remain less than 12 milligrams/stroke for 11 seconds.
Prerequisite: No trouble codes present, Intake Air Temperature (IAT) above 32 Degrees (F); Engine Control Temperature (ECT) is above 167 Degrees (F)
- Idle vehicle 4 minutes (achieve closed loop)
- Drive 3 min at steady speed above 50 mph
- Drive 2 min at steady 40 mph
- Drive 2 min at steady 50 mph
Misfire Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle
- For applications with the Fuel Level Input (FLI) circuit to the PCM (terminal No. 12), check the fuel gauge and the FLI PID on the scan tool (if available). The Misfire Monitor can only be tested if the fuel gauge reads above one quarter full or the FLI PID is above 15 percent (percentage fuel tank fill).
- Start the engine and drive the vehicle to a location where speeds can reach 55 to 60 mph and coast down to 40 mph without traffic interference.
- Accelerate at wide-open throttle to allow vehicle to shift at red-line (if equipped with a tachometer). Immediately return to normal speed limits.
- Perform the following drive procedure three consecutive times. Accelerate on highway to 60 mph. Maintain speed for 30 seconds. Coast down with foot off the accelerator pedal from 60 mph to 40 mph.
- Re-run Quick Test.
