← Misfire / rough running on all engines
Symptoms · 6.7 Power Stroke (2011-present)
6.7 Power Stroke (2011-present): misfire, rough idle, hesitation or surging
5 documented failures on this engine list this among their signs. They are ordered from the most widespread down. Each one shows the signs in its record's own words, how to tell it from the others, the usual fix and any recall or bulletin.
Not sure which engine you have, or want the recalls for your exact truck? Check your VIN: it names the engine and lists the campaigns for that model year. Whether a recall is still open on your VIN: nhtsa.gov/recalls.
verified
How widespread: Common
104 NHTSA owner complaints match it, out of 1,754 checked
How it shows up
- hard starting, hesitation, or power loss under load consistent with low-pressure fuel starvation reaching the high-pressure pump
Its other signs
- water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor warnings
- fuel filter restriction/replacement-interval codes
- visible fuel weeping/staining around the fuel filter housing - the factory PLASTIC housing is known to crack over time (S&S Diesel Motorsport product literature, via Dave's Auto Center)
How to tell it apart
- always check the low-pressure supply side (lift pump, filters, WIF sensor) before condemning high-pressure components when diagnosing a starvation-type complaint
- drain the water separator whenever the lamp requests it, and investigate repeated water warnings rather than just clearing them
- inspect the fuel filter housing itself (not just the element) for hairline cracks or fuel weeping, especially on higher-mileage trucks - a housing crack is a durability issue the OEM filter change interval does not catch
Usual fix
replace the lift pump on confirmed low-pressure-side failure
Root cause, parts and sources →
verified
How widespread: Common
49 NHTSA owner complaints match it, out of 1,754 checked
How it shows up
- injector circuit codes P0201-P0208 (one per cylinder), or cylinder-specific misfire codes P0301-P0308
Its other signs
- hard starting, especially cold, with extended crank times as internal leakage bleeds off rail pressure
- white smoke at idle (unatomized fuel from a leaking injector) or black smoke under load (an injector stuck rich)
- fuel dilution of the oil: a rising oil level or oil on the dipstick that smells strongly of diesel
How to tell it apart
- review cylinder balance and fuel trim data at idle and under load; run PCM power-balance/relative-compression tests to separate fuel problems from mechanical ones
- check rail pressure command vs actual during cranking - pressure that will not build implicates the pump/pressure-control valves or gross injector return leakage (a leak-back test isolates which)
- always rule out the low-pressure supply side (Low-pressure fuel supply weakness (lift pump, filters, water-in-fuel)) before condemning high-pressure components
Usual fix
replace failed injectors in matched sets, not individually - pairing one new injector with seven worn ones causes balance complaints and repeat labor
Root cause, parts and sources →
verified
How widespread: Common
8 NHTSA owner complaints match it, out of 1,754 checked
How it shows up
- rough idle, hesitation, or surging as a sticking valve mismeters exhaust gas
Its other signs
- check-engine codes P0401 (insufficient EGR flow), P0402 (excessive flow), P0404/P0405 (valve position faults)
- a valve caked in dry soot with sluggish actuation on inspection (vs a wet, steam-cleaned valve - see EGR cooler thermal-fatigue coolant leak)
How to tell it apart
- command the valve through its range with a scan tool while watching position feedback for sticking or dead spots
- distinguish from cooler failure (EGR cooler thermal-fatigue coolant leak): dry sooted passages = clogging; wet/steam-cleaned passages = coolant intrusion
Usual fix
clean a lightly sooted valve to buy time
Root cause, parts and sources →
aggregated
How widespread: Occasional
6 NHTSA owner complaints match it, out of 1,754 checked
How it shows up
- a momentary shudder, stumble, or brief misfire on hard acceleration after extended light-load driving in humid weather, sometimes with a puff of white vapor from the exhaust
- repeated misfire codes with no corresponding injector-balance fault
Its other signs
How to tell it apart
- pressure-test the charge-air circuit (system capped, soapy water or a smoke machine at the joints) BEFORE condemning the turbocharger for a P0299 - this is one of the most common non-turbo causes of that code on this platform
- owners frequently mistake the condensation-ingestion stumble for injector or transmission trouble - rule out a corresponding injector-balance fault first
- inspect the intercooler end tanks and boots at both ends for oil accumulation, which usually traces back to turbo seal seepage (VGT turbocharger failure - generation dependent (ceramic-bearing GT32 vs...) rather than this mode's own mechanism
Usual fix
replace a failed/split cold-side charge pipe with an upgraded unit
Root cause, parts and sources →
verified
How widespread: Occasional
5 NHTSA owner complaints match it, out of 1,754 checked
How it shows up
- routine wear: extended cranking and rough running on cold mornings, growing worse as more plugs fail; white/gray smoke at cold start that clears as the engine warms
Its other signs
- glow-plug circuit codes P0671-P0678 (per-cylinder) or P064C (control module)
- a 'wait to start' lamp that no longer illuminates (points at the control module/wiring, not the plugs themselves)
- SERIOUS defect, 2011-2013 engines specifically: a broken-off glow-plug tip travels through the cylinder, hammering the piston, valves, and turbocharger - a compression-test-worthy finding on any used 2011-2013 truck with unknown history
How to tell it apart
- individual plugs test with a multimeter: ~1-2 ohms to ground on a healthy plug, open circuit confirms failure
- verify control-module voltage delivery to each plug during the pre-glow cycle before condemning plugs
- on a used 2011-2013 truck with unknown service history, treat a broken-plug-tip suspicion as a borescope-inspection and compression-test item before driving it further, not a wait-and-see
Usual fix
replace glow plugs in complete sets on a high-mileage engine, using a quality torque wrench (routine wear)
Root cause, parts and sources →
Other symptoms on the 6.7 Power Stroke (2011-present)
Hard start, long crank or no-startLoss of power, limp mode or derateWhite smoke from the exhaustLosing coolantOil leak, oil consumption or rising oil levelTicking, knocking, rattle or whineDEF, DPF and regeneration warnings
Everything on the 6.7 Power Stroke (2011-present)Its recalls and bulletins