# 2015 FORD F150 XLT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT - Dealer wants $1k to repair



## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Ok this is a very odd (and probably stupid) idea I have concerning my 2015 Ford F 150XLT EcoBoost truck.
Long story short, my Ford dealer diagnosed that the reason for the check engine light being on was due to a faulty sensor located on top of the gas tank. To rectify the issue, they said they have to drop the gas tank to get to the sensor. The bill for this repair is close to $1k. Most of the cost is from labor to empty gas tank and drop it down. The sensor was quoted for about $300. Since I don't have $1k to throw into this repair, I've put it off until I hit the lottery. 
I've been driving for over a year now with the check engine light on without any noticeable problems. So it seems this isn't a serious issue...only an annoyance. However since the check engine light is on, it keeps me from seeing other potential problems. In fact it keeps the computer from allowing the "engine stop/start feature" from working whenever I stop. Not a big deal but I'd like everything to work properly. 
Ok I said long story short.... I have been thinking about what I saw in video of a guy cutting away part of the truck bed to reach an inaccessible component (wasn't gas tank). After the repair, he used the plate he cut out and reinstalled it using steel brackets screwed across the hole and sealant around the seams. 
My question for everyone is this a stupid idea? I can probably do the repair myself unless there is more to removing the sensor. It would save me about $700. Is this a wise or foolish idea?
I invite everybody's opinion harsh or otherwise. 
Thanks and would be happy to answer any questions.
Gary
I've included a repair invoice from local shop who has been very honest and helpful. I replaced evaporative control purge value over 18 months ago which cleared the P2418 code. Then almost a year later the same code popped up. That's when I took it to the local shop who replaced separator assembly shown on invoice. I drove it out of shop and next day the same code and check engine light came on. Local shop deferred me to Ford dealer after telling me they thought gas tank sensor was the only other thing in the system that could be causing it. But due to his expensive cost to drop tank, etc they would be reluctant to do repair without some assurance that replacing sensor would fix problem. Suggested taking it to Ford dealer for their evaluation.


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## Steve2444 (Sep 28, 2020)

8 yr old truck, for 1500, I would cut the hole in the bed, replace the sensor, fix the hole and put in a bed liner, much cheaper than the 1000 quoted.

Part is about 100 bucks at advance auto.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

Or take it to an auto parts store and have them clear the codes... so the ECM can start fresh.

When you fill the tank, do you top it off? Meaning when the pump quits, do you pump just a little more so its completely full? Doing so is bad for the evap.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

XSleeper said:


> Or take it to an auto parts store and have them clear the codes... so the ECM can start fresh.
> 
> When you fill the tank, do you top it off? Meaning when the pump quits, do you pump just a little more so its completely full? Doing so is bad for the evap.


Oh yeah, I’ve been guilty of that a few times but not often. 
thanks!


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## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

4 bolts and the bed comes off. If the bed is empty it is not that heavy to move with 4 guys. Have to serve beer and snacks to keep them around to reverse the process.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Been doing some more research on this possibility and think it's not a doable thing to cut up the truck bed due to the physical size of the repair part. I got the exact OEM part number and looked it up. Photo presented here. 

I'm reluctant to rip into the truck bed not knowing if a reasonable hole would allow access to reach into area to replace part. Cost of part seems to be in the $250-$300 range depending on source. 
BTW, I've cleared the code out half dozen times and it still comes back after a few minutes.
I guess I should have researched this before posting my dumb idea. 
Thanks to all so far.
Gary


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## 660catman (Aug 25, 2019)

SW Dweller said:


> 4 bolts and the bed comes off. If the bed is empty it is not that heavy to move with 4 guys. Have to serve beer and snacks to keep them around to reverse the process.


^^^^^ this. Also in 2015 Ford went to an aluminum bed which makes it a lot lighter. 


Retired guy from Southern Manitoba, Canada.


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## Steve2444 (Sep 28, 2020)

SW Dweller said:


> 4 bolts and the bed comes off. If the bed is empty it is not that heavy to move with 4 guys. Have to serve beer and snacks to keep them around to reverse the process.


Not having had a truck I didn't know this. Yea this is the way to go.


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## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

Rock auto, More Information for STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS CP977

There is a core charge of~$150 on the part. Final price $180 +tax and shipping


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

SW Dweller said:


> 4 bolts and the bed comes off. If the bed is empty it is not that heavy to move with 4 guys. Have to serve beer and snacks to keep them around to reverse the process.


Interesting! However I wonder why the other repair facilities don't go that route? Is the gas tank directly under the bed or is it under the rear seat area? IDK. 🤔


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

SW Dweller said:


> Rock auto, More Information for STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS CP977
> 
> There is a core charge of~$150 on the part. Final price $180 +tax and shipping


Thanks for that info...I'll be sure to let my local shop know that. Dealer quoted me a new price of $266 but no mention of core exchang.


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## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

My old silver F150, 2003 I pulled the bed for the fuel pump, Dropping the tank seemed dumb to me.
Look at one of the expoded parts diagrams. I have an 2011 and the tank is in the bed area and if I need to work on those parts I will pull the bed. The tank is in the same basic place as the old 2003.


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## digitalplumber (Jul 8, 2011)

FYI these trucks are sensitive to non ford parts, so as a suggestion to you, pay the price for a Motorcraft part. Also, my wifes car went in the shop during covid. COVID has dealers and techs, trying to make up for lost time!


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

digitalplumber said:


> FYI these trucks are sensitive to non ford parts, so as a suggestion to you, pay the price for a Motorcraft part. Also, my wifes car went in the shop during covid. COVID has dealers and techs, trying to make up for lost time!


Well so far that's all I've been using is OEM parts unless there's something I don't know about them. For some reason our dealer service department was VERY busy during Covid. And as side note, Ford dealer still doesn't have but a few new trucks in stock... guess the computer chip they needed is still in short supply. 
gary


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## Synoptic12 (Apr 22, 2018)

“That's when I took it to the local shop who replaced separator assembly shown on invoice. I drove it out of shop and next day the same code and check engine light came on. Local shop deferred me to Ford dealer after telling me they thought gas tank sensor was the only other thing in the system that could be causing it”.

* "He's responsible". What mechanic would defer you to Ford after making a 'repair'? I know Hernando County. I had some land near WEEKI WACHEE and sold it some years ago. Not many, if any are honest today; just the facts.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Synoptic12 said:


> “That's when I took it to the local shop who replaced separator assembly shown on invoice. I drove it out of shop and next day the same code and check engine light came on. Local shop deferred me to Ford dealer after telling me they thought gas tank sensor was the only other thing in the system that could be causing it”.
> 
> * "He's responsible". What mechanic would defer you to Ford after making a 'repair'? I know Hernando County. I had some land near WEEKI WACHEE and sold it some years ago. Not many, if any are honest today; just the facts.


Hold the horses! 😄
Sorry but I didn't relate the entire story for the sake of brevity. The local shop replaced part they tested to be faulty. A day later I was back to them because the check engine light came on again with same code. They took truck back for a few days and came to conclusion that the only thing left replace as far as they knew was the fuel tank pressure sensor. Since it involved considerable expense, he gave me the option of foregoing the repair and taking it to Ford dealer for their diagnosis. That's when I took it to the Ford dealer. The local guy refunded the cost of the part they replaced but said he couldn't refund the labor charge. And he did not charge me for the time they took those 2 days running tests and researching problem. I thought that was fair. This shop has a great reputation in the community and is always very busy. I guess I was luckier than most folks using the local shop. On the other hand I don't trust dealers at all but sometimes it's required to keep warranty.
Thanks for your advice.
Gary


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## Synoptic12 (Apr 22, 2018)

Voxman said:


> Hold the horses! 😄
> Sorry but I didn't relate the entire story for the sake of brevity. The local shop replaced part they tested to be faulty. A day later I was back to them because the check engine light came on again with same code. They took truck back for a few days and came to conclusion that the only thing left replace as far as they knew was the fuel tank pressure sensor. Since it involved considerable expense, he gave me the option of foregoing the repair and taking it to Ford dealer for their diagnosis. That's when I took it to the Ford dealer. The local guy refunded the cost of the part they replaced but said he couldn't refund the labor charge. And he did not charge me for the time they took those 2 days running tests and researching problem. I thought that was fair. This shop has a great reputation in the community and is always very busy. I guess I was luckier than most folks using the local shop. On the other hand I don't trust dealers at all but sometimes it's required to keep warranty.
> Thanks for your advice.
> Gary


If the mechanic replaced the part and there was no diagnostic code being sent through the data port; then the mechanic is 'responsible. I would imagine that he used the OBD II scanner to verify the codes, 'Did he not'? He merely washed his hands for not diagnosing the correct part or sensor failure. He had to read the codes prior to installing the part, "That simple". By the way, most shops will read out the codes for free.

As being told to go to the Ford dealer, 'after the fact' shows incompetence or not having the knowledge.


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

For a simple under the hood, easy to replace part I'll put in an aftermarket part. 

If I'm spending a day or longer changing out a part I won't cheap out and have to do it again in a week or a year.


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## Matt1963 (5 mo ago)

Voxman said:


> Hold the horses! 😄
> Sorry but I didn't relate the entire story for the sake of brevity. The local shop replaced part they tested to be faulty. A day later I was back to them because the check engine light came on again with same code. They took truck back for a few days and came to conclusion that the only thing left replace as far as they knew was the fuel tank pressure sensor. Since it involved considerable expense, he gave me the option of foregoing the repair and taking it to Ford dealer for their diagnosis. That's when I took it to the Ford dealer. The local guy refunded the cost of the part they replaced but said he couldn't refund the labor charge. And he did not charge me for the time they took those 2 days running tests and researching problem. I thought that was fair. This shop has a great reputation in the community and is always very busy. I guess I was luckier than most folks using the local shop. On the other hand I don't trust dealers at all but sometimes it's required to keep warranty.
> Thanks for your advice.
> Gary


I thought what you both did was very fair. Car computers are very good at telling you there is a problem and where to hunt but not very good at telling you what device is causing it.


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## Synoptic12 (Apr 22, 2018)

Matt1963 said:


> I thought what you both did was very fair. Car computers are very good at telling you there is a problem and where to hunt but not very good at telling you what device is causing it.


* Look at Post # 1 "Due to a Faulty Sensor" > The OBD II will provide the data of any sensor. This is prima facie evidence.


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## Thom Paine (Nov 24, 2021)

Synoptic12 said:


> * Look at Post # 1 "Due to a Faulty Sensor" > The OBD II will provide the data of any sensor. This is prima facie evidence.


hmmmm, jus' wondrin', ...

how much real personal experience you have with auto-electric diagnostic systems.
Little experience is suggested. 
Computer electronics diagnosis is Not 100% foolproof.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Synoptic12 said:


> If the mechanic replaced the part and there was no diagnostic code being sent through the data port; then the mechanic is 'responsible. I would imagine that he used the OBD II scanner to verify the codes, 'Did he not'? He merely washed his hands for not diagnosing the correct part or sensor failure. He had to read the codes prior to installing the part, "That simple". By the way, most shops will read out the codes for free.
> 
> As being told to go to the Ford dealer, 'after the fact' shows incompetence or not having the knowledge.


Hope this doesn't offend you but I was present when they were checking the code(s). They read the same codes I had on my ODB2 scanner. Their scanner was miles above mine and had capability to activate components in the evaporator system which was part of their diagnostic tests. They all checked good but we were still getting the trouble code. Mechanic said the only component not replaced was the FTP sensor but was very hesitant to say replacing it would correct problem. He suggested a second opinion from Ford dealer (which they did verify- FWIW). In his research, he found a service bulletin about a similar issue causing this problem that was traced to the PCM module being faulty. He noted my truck could possibly be under a recall or warranty and that the dealer would have to verify this. It's been my experience that the OD2 scanners don't accurately pinpoint the faulty component, only a list of suspected ones. But then again I'm not an auto mechanic....I'm just a biomedical engineer who has diagnosed many problems in medical equipment industry and found that many situations the faulty component wasn't one our test equipment identified. The world of digital servicing is not an exact science by any means...though I wish it was! 
gary
Thanks for your advice and input.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Some folks with Tacomas like mine also pull the beds for doing fuel pumps and tank sending units. One thing about going this route is the possibility of having to deal with very rusty bolts and hardware. If you try this make sure to spray everything thoroughly several times maybe starting a week before doing the work. Also be careful with electrical connectors and wiring to lights and any bed accessories, like my truck bed has an inverter receptacle. Not sure what Fords have.

But I would look at how the tank is mounted before making a decision. I changed the fuel pump on my old Chevy S10 by dropping the fuel tank in my tiny single car garage. It was a PITA but doable. Just run the gas down as much as possible first. Of course, this hardware will also be rusty so plan for that. And IIRC, it requires some tricky maneuvers to disconnect the fuel lines and tank electrical connectors after letting the tank down slightly, then once disconnected you lower it the rest of the way. Make sure you know what needs done with that before attempting.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

raylo32 said:


> Some folks with Tacomas like mine also pull the beds for doing fuel pumps and tank sending units. One thing about going this route is the possibility of having to deal with very rusty bolts and hardware. If you try this make sure to spray everything thoroughly several times maybe starting a week before doing the work. Also be careful with electrical connectors and wiring to lights and any bed accessories, like my truck bed has an inverter receptacle. Not sure what Fords have.
> 
> But I would look at how the tank is mounted before making a decision. I changed the fuel pump on my old Chevy S10 by dropping the fuel tank in my tiny single car garage. It was a PITA but doable. Just run the gas down as much as possible first. Of course, this hardware will also be rusty so plan for that. And IIRC, it requires some tricky maneuvers to disconnect the fuel lines and tank electrical connectors after letting the tank down slightly, then once disconnected you lower it the rest of the way. Make sure you know what needs done with that before attempting.


Thank you for info and advice. I was thinking that removing truck bed wouldn’t be a walk in the park also but a option to consider. 
I feel like I shouldn’t let this issue go on much longer so I’ll be making a decision soon after weighing all the advice and options.
Thanks for your input,
Gary


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

SES light came on 5 years ago on my 2003 Silverado. Had it scanned at Autozone and it showed "vapor canister vent valve solenoid" faulty. Bought a new one which sits on my work bench to this day. It doesn't affect the running of the engine or anything else. I may put it on one of these days.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Mike Milam said:


> SES light came on 5 years ago on my 2003 Silverado. Had it scanned at Autozone and it showed "vapor canister vent valve solenoid" faulty. Bought a new one which sits on my work bench to this day. It doesn't affect the running of the engine or anything else. I may put it on one of these days.


Yeah I hear ya! The only thing in my case as mentioned earlier is fact that any further CEL warnings may be ignored since it's on already. IDK if a more serious problem occurs if the light will change? Hopefully it would! And since the CEL is on, my auto stop/run engine feature won't work because of the computer wants everything A ok before allowing truck engine to shut off when stopped for red light or stop signs. Minor inconvenience too because when the battery starts pooping out, the computer won't allow engine to shut off ... that gives me an early warning that I should check battery. Otherwise eve runs like a charm. To do or not to do, that is the question! 😁
Gary


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

This will probably get you a fail on the emissions tests that are required in most places. If you live in one of those best to take care of this ASAP on your own good time and not wait for it to maybe become a crisis.



Mike Milam said:


> SES light came on 5 years ago on my 2003 Silverado. Had it scanned at Autozone and it showed "vapor canister vent valve solenoid" faulty. Bought a new one which sits on my work bench to this day. It doesn't affect the running of the engine or anything else. I may put it on one of these days.


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## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

This is just a WAG, but replace your fuel cap. I endured many trips to the repair shop and finlly went for emission testing immediately after getting my Ford van out of the shop. The fuel cap failed their test, I replaced it and had no more problems.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

I confess to not reading the whole thread. My 96 has 220K and the check engine light has been on for 184K of those miles. The stupid sensor was replaced twice under warranty. After that I said f it.

The one time I had a true problem the engine would only run in safe mode and I got it repaired.


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## Matt1963 (5 mo ago)

raylo32 said:


> This will probably get you a fail on the emissions tests that are required in most places. If you live in one of those best to take care of this ASAP on your own good time and not wait for it to maybe become a crisis.


They stopped doing emission testing in my state (Washington)

I guess that's not a country wide thing?


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

raylo32 said:


> This will probably get you a fail on the emissions tests that are required in most places. If you live in one of those best to take care of this ASAP on your own good time and not wait for it to maybe become a crisis.


Emissions testing lasted about 2 years here in the 80's. Stopped and not to return. I had a Monte Carlo that I built a mild 350 CU IN removed the convertors that couldn't possibly pass. Added two can of fuel conditioner to a half tank of gas and it passed way below requirements.


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## Matt1963 (5 mo ago)

Maybe in the future and because cars and trucks have computers already, they will include diagnostics with the car. Shouldn't be hard. I would guess they don't now because they want the service income.

To answer your original question, on an older Ford pickup I had, I did cut out an access hole to replace a fuel pump. It was easy and to this day I have no idea why they don't have those access covers.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

GrayHair said:


> This is just a WAG, but replace your fuel cap. I endured many trips to the repair shop and finlly went for emission testing immediately after getting my Ford van out of the shop. The fuel cap failed their test, I replaced it and had no more problems.


I WISH !!! I'll try that but with my luck it ain't gonna fix the problem. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll be sure to let you know if by some miracle it fixes the issue. 
gary


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Matt1963 said:


> Maybe in the future and because cars and trucks have computers already, they will include diagnostics with the car. Shouldn't be hard. I would guess they don't now because they want the service income.
> 
> To answer your original question, on an older Ford pickup I had, I did cut out an access hole to replace a fuel pump. It was easy and to this day I have no idea why they don't have those access covers.


I would certainly be happy if they indeed started that modification ! But like you say, then they couldn't get in on the service income. Dirty rats! 😀


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Matt1963 said:


> They stopped doing emission testing in my state (Washington)
> 
> I guess that's not a country wide thing?


Nope not in Florida (yet or ever I suspect).


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

That's how it is done now. You plug in to the OBD port at the test center or DIY kiosk and if there are no codes you pass. Print the cert right on the spot. Of course they could make the newer cars phone home and report an emissions code in real time, but I don't see that happening. 



Matt1963 said:


> Maybe in the future and because cars and trucks have computers already, they will include diagnostics with the car. Shouldn't be hard. I would guess they don't now because they want the service income.


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## jayhitek (Feb 16, 2021)

I would post this on the Ford F150 Forum - Community of Ford Truck Fans
It's where I go when I have questions about my 2013 F150


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## AngelArs (Sep 8, 2012)

This ^^^

They may come up with better ways to handle this issue.

If you do decide to take the bed off I strongly recommend buying an induction heater for the bolts. Penetrating fluid will not work on bolts that old unless you live where it's warm 365 days a year. Check out some videos on how well they work. Also, Regarding the OBD scanner, most consumer scanners are all the same at that price point. The only exception I've found is the Autel MaxiAP AP200 Obd2 Scanner which gives a much deeper analysis. You might also want to buy a Haynes repair book on your truck and see what they say about your issue, and how to go about fixing it (_just make sure you don't buy it from eManualOnline as they are a total scam_).


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## jayhitek (Feb 16, 2021)

Odds are someone went through this exact thing.. and can tell you want it took or cost them to fix it.


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## Voxman (Sep 4, 2016)

Thank you all for those recent suggestion. I will look into that forum that was mentioned. I haven't really researched removing truck bed to gain access to the fuel tank area. It seems to me, all that is needed is just to move the truck bed back far enough to allow the repair work but I defer to those who definitely know more about this sort of thing.

Again I appreciate the feedback and will hopefully come back and post what the outcome was to all this thinking!
Gary


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I would run it till not much gas is left and drop the tank. It is not a big deal if it doesn’t have a lot of fuel in it. The light is on for a pollution part. Some cars will disable the AC and lots of other systems for an emissions fault to ratchet up the urgency to get it fixed. If the stop/start is all that doesn’t work, you are lucky. If it is an Ecoboost, wait till one of the $3000 turbos fails.


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## Tcoradeschi (5 mo ago)

Voxman said:


> Ok this is a very odd (and probably stupid) idea I have concerning my 2015 Ford F 150XLT EcoBoost truck.
> Long story short, my Ford dealer diagnosed that the reason for the check engine light being on was due to a faulty sensor located on top of the gas tank. To rectify the issue, they said they have to drop the gas tank to get to the sensor. The bill for this repair is close to $1k. Most of the cost is from labor to empty gas tank and drop it down. The sensor was quoted for about $300. Since I don't have $1k to throw into this repair, I've put it off until I hit the lottery.
> I've been driving for over a year now with the check engine light on without any noticeable problems. So it seems this isn't a serious issue...only an annoyance. However since the check engine light is on, it keeps me from seeing other potential problems. In fact it keeps the computer from allowing the "engine stop/start feature" from working whenever I stop. Not a big deal but I'd like everything to work properly.
> Ok I said long story short.... I have been thinking about what I saw in video of a guy cutting away part of the truck bed to reach an inaccessible component (wasn't gas tank). After the repair, he used the plate he cut out and reinstalled it using steel brackets screwed across the hole and sealant around the seams.
> ...


Dropping the fuel tank yourself should not be that big a deal. It’s a big piece of rotomolded plastic, held in by a couple of straps. It doesn’t need to be drained, but the closer to empty you get it, the lighter it will be.


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