"Reduced Engine Power" Light?

[3-Fan]

Yesterday I was installing my new CB and had the ignition switch on so I could listen to the NASCAR race on my XM radio. I had it on for probably a good 1/2 hour when I noticed the Message Center was flashing "Reduced Engine Power". I kinda freaked so I started the truck up. Started fine, but when I pressed the throttle, no accerlation of the enigne. I shut it off, started it again and got the same results. So I shut it off, dug out the owners manual. Looked up the message and the first thing it says (pg 2-119) V-8 Gasoline Engines ONLY. Last I checked I had a diesel under the hood. Checked the cross referenced mentioned (Engine Overheating) and it states that the enigne alternates firing groups of cylinders to prevent engine damage. A loss of power and engine performance will occur but will aloow you to drive it to a safe place.

Why in the world did this happen to my truck? Should I take it into the shop. The engine had not been on for 14 hours or so. And I have a diesel not a gas engine. Could there be a electronic throttle control system fault as stated in the maunal under 8.1 L gas engines only? The truck ran just fine this morning coming to work.

Any Help??

[DURA-MAX3]

Did you have the ignition to acc. or run. if you had it in run the glow plugs would be affected, maybe this has something to do with it.

[3-Fan]

Ignition switch was to run. Good point on the glow plugs, but why does the manual only refer to this mesaage in gas engines only?

[mackin]

3-Fan ,

You should of received ,with you Max ,a diesel supplement manual, in addition to the main one all trucks get......Go on back test that service after the sale speech,and see if they will fork one over......

MAC smile.gif

[ 07-15-2002: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>

[DURA-MAX3]

I would look in the supplemental manuel for something about it, you should have got one with the bigger manuel that came with it. I think i would still call the dealer and tell him or her about it just in case. Good luck hope this helped...

[3-Fan]

I forgot about the diesel supplement, duh!! In there it states that a computer monitors the operation of the electronic accelerator. And if this message comes on while I am driving, the copmuter is indicationg that the vehicle has a problem and I should take it in for service.

Of course it says nothing about when the engine is NOT running.

[mackin]

3-Fan ,
If it runs fine and throws no additional SES ........IMHO, Forget it ever happened....

MAC smile.gif

[Little_Wiley]

Had same problem. Take it into a dealer at first chance or you can end up like I was.

While on my way back to Jax, Fla from Norfolk, same error showed up. Called dealer and he said that I should get it to a dealer when I get home. Decided to not worry with it until Monday. This was a Friday. Pulled into a place to eat on Sunday. When I started to leave, I put it in gear and pressed GO pedal and engine would only Idle. Ended up having to be towed to dealership so they could replace the electronic sensor on the accelorator.

[3-Fan]

I did in fact take it to the dealer yesterday. He plugged the Tech 2 in and said that it showed that all 3 of my accelator sensors had failed at the same time. Which if they did fail I wouldn't have been able to drive it there. The only conclusion that we were able to come up with is when I was running some wires under the dash for my CB and XM radio that I might have accidentially jarred or shorted something on the accelator with the ignition on causing it to throw the light. The tech pulled the TCM and looked at it for a while and said that he couldn't find anything wrong. He did say that the way they routed the wiring around the TCM was crappy since it was so close to the moving belt and fan. I guess I drive it until she won't go. It has been 6 days now and all is running fine.

Thanks for the info though.