When you live in your RV full-time, the fear that something will happen to your home is never far from your mind. At least, it isn't in mine. So the day the dashboard started dinging with an ominous check engine light - emissions, my heart jumped to my throat. The Internet abounds with stories of DEF sensor issues and subsequent engine derates. Compound the issue with unavailable parts or shipping delays, and we're talking months here, not days.
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| The stuff of nightmares |
We were less than an hour to our destination, traveling along the crowded Cincinnati beltway when the ominous dash message appeared. However, we didn't dare risk ignoring the dash message. Taking a deep breath, I looked up to see a blue sign indicating a rest area only two miles ahead. Yes! Thank you Lord!
We pulled into the rest area and started making phone calls. Harold quickly reached Cummins Sales and Service of West Chester, OH. Not only did they answer the phone, they said to stop by and that they'd diagnose the codes. We plugged in the address to discover that they were only fifteen minutes away. Thank you Lord! Not only were they close, they were a true Cummins shop as opposed to a Cummins authorized facility. Yes!
It was an agonizingly long fifteen minutes where we prayed the engine wouldn't derate. A derated engine means that you'd be crawling along the interstate at a whopping 5 mph because the engine's computers protect the engine by limiting output and speed.
After checking in at the service counter at Cummins, the customer care advisor checked the codes and contacted the shop foreman for a plan of action. Knowing that we were full-timers who were physically there at the facility, the foreman said to pull the coach into a just-emptied bay. Immediately after their lunch, the technicians started their testing. Yes! Thank you Lord!
We sat in the customer lounge, thankful for the prompt attention. The testing procedures took a little longer than expected, but they kept us apprized the whole time. Ultimately the testing did not show any system or part failures. They then cleared the codes, chalking it up to an abnormality. Yeah, no parts needed for now.
It was around 8:30 at night when they finished (Cummins was open until midnight). We opted to drive to our campground since it was only about an hour away.
The day's events reminded us why we like to keep our travel days to four hours or less and why we like to travel on weekdays as opposed to weekends. We were so thankful that God provided for us. I did not need to fear or worry. The stuff of nightmares was a reminder that God is indeed Jehovah Jireh!
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