EPA Diesel DEF Fix Promises Millions in Savings for Family Farms

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August 12, 2025
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10 comments
EPA DEF Fix

At the Iowa State Fair, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced they are proposing an EPA DEF fix promising millions in savings for family farms.

EPA DEF Fix

The EPA diesel DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) fix will change how the engines operate when they run out of the fluid. This fluid is essential to the operation of diesel engines with Federally-mandated emissions equipment.

This fix is planned for 2027 models and will change the way the software works to allows farmers and diesel truck operators more time to add DEF fluid and allow them to keep going longer with more power while in limp mode without the fluid.

Here are the proposed new changes for levels and timing before the engine reduces power or becomes completely inoperable.

Motor Coaches

CategoryTimingLevel
Initial3,000 miles / 40 hours 10% Torque Reduction
Secondaryn/an/a
Final10,500 miles / 200 hours 50 mph
Before4 hours5 mph

HD Trucks

CategoryTimingLevel
Initial650 miles / 100 hours 15% Torque Reduction
Secondary4,200 miles / 80 hours30% Torque Reduction
Final8,400 miles / 160 hours25 mph
Before4 hours5 mph

HD Pickups and LD Cars

CategoryTimingLevel
Initialn/an/a
Secondaryn/an/a
Final4,200 miles / 80 hours45 mph
Before4 hours5 mph

Nonroad

CategoryTimingLevel
Initial36 hours25% Torque Reduction*
Secondaryn/an/a
Final100 hours50% Torque Reduction**
Before4 hoursIdle Only

*Nonroad constant speed engines (e.g., agricultural pumps) and gensets do not have an initial inducement step as any torque reduction may limit product functionality.
**Nonroad equipment can be restarted with full power 3 times for up to 30 minutes after inducement.

This should apply to most diesel engines since 2010 that have used selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems that inject DEF into the exhaust streams to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions.

“We have heard loud and clear from small businesses across the United States that the current DEF system is unacceptable. It is unacceptable that farmers, truckers, construction workers, and many other small businesses continually experience failures of diesel-powered equipment when they need it most—costing millions of dollars in lost productivity,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a statement. “Today, we are responding to those concerns by calling on manufacturers to take action to update their software and eliminate the unnecessary sudden loss of power and frustrating shutdowns that too many Americans have experienced.” 

To be clear, the EPA “issued clear guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software in existing vehicles and equipment to prevent these sudden shutdowns.”

It is up to engine and equipment manufacturers as to whether or not they wish to comply.


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testerdahl

Administrator

2,716 messages 4,601 likes

At the Iowa State Fair, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced they are proposing an EPA DEF fix promising millions in savings for family farms. EPA DEF Fix The EPA diesel DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) fix will change how the engines operate when they run out of the fluid. This fluid is essential to the operation of diesel engines with Federally-mandated emissions equipment. This fix is planned for 2027 models and will change the way the software works to allows farmers and diesel truck operators more time to add DEF fluid and allow them to keep going longer with more power […] (read full article...)

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S
Saddle Tramp

Moderator

1,061 messages 1,198 likes

It was a great video. You set things straight and nipped any exaggerations in the bud. You'd think the diesel owners would be happy with the step forward but man the comments are full of whiners!

Reply 2 likes

Avatar of Fightnfire
Fightnfire

Moderator

1,253 messages 2,150 likes

It was a great video. You set things straight and nipped any exaggerations in the bud. You'd think the diesel owners would be happy with the step forward but man the comments are full of whiners!

Ignore the comments completely and please stop making video reactions to them. Alienating people, your audience. Who cares what they comment, they clicked and watched.

Reply 3 likes

Avatar of TheDo114
TheDo114

Well-known member

762 messages 1,203 likes

Ignore the comments completely and please stop making video reactions to them. Alienating people, your audience. Who cares what they comment, they clicked and watched.

Gotta agree with you on this one. It’s great trying to correct things, but it feels more and more like an attack on people instead of pure education. It can be funny, like the Tacoma hitch pin one, but it’s a slippery slope.

Reply 4 likes

Avatar of testerdahl
testerdahl

Administrator

2,716 messages 4,601 likes

Ignore the comments completely and please stop making video reactions to them. Alienating people, your audience. Who cares what they comment, they clicked and watched.

Huh. Good feedback. I guess I can see that now. I must have had some left over irritation when I did that video. As Rocky said, the stuff in the basement is gone, so I should be good to go.

Reply 1 like

Avatar of Fightnfire
Fightnfire

Moderator

1,253 messages 2,150 likes

Huh. Good feedback. I guess I can see that now. I must have had some left over irritation when I did that video. As Rocky said, the stuff in the basement is gone, so I should be good to go.

I feel like this has been the norm for a while. EPA, Emissions, Tariffs, Reliability in new vehicles, Turbos vs. NA., Car Guy Online, several others. You've had a string of months of topics with very passionate views on both sides. Hear the other side or don't and Just disagree. I posted on the forums about this several months back because it just seemed to be where it was headed.

It's perfectly fine to post a video see some comments either pointing out things that were missed or completely disagreeing and then make a follow-up video to dig a little deeper on the topic. Personally, I'd like to see it not done in a way where the disagreeers are being mocked or poked.

It's a hard watch.

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Avatar of testerdahl
testerdahl

Administrator

2,716 messages 4,601 likes

IMG_4203.jpeg

Has anyone noticed this? I asked him to define the new style.

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Avatar of Fightnfire
Fightnfire

Moderator

1,253 messages 2,150 likes

View attachment 1041

Has anyone noticed this? I asked him to define the new style.

My take, it has been different, I've noticed it. I think if people agree with your theories and takes some of them enjoy you sticking it to the other side.

The people on the other side don't, hence the comments being negative lately.

Unfortunately the majority of your audience is probably somewhere in the middle, like everything, like me. So your dividing the audience. I could do without it.

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Avatar of testerdahl
testerdahl

Administrator

2,716 messages 4,601 likes

Honestly, my energy level is higher due to the channel being on absolute fire right now. The amount of views is hitting record levels as are the number of new subscribers. Plus, TikTok and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) are on fire too. The website is doing great too and I can’t wait for our MSN results. We had a great month.

I haven’t seen a million views in 3 years.

IMG_4206.jpeg

Reply 3 likes

S
Saddle Tramp

Moderator

1,061 messages 1,198 likes

Does that mean Tim get's a cut of our tax dollars as compensation? I figure a 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% payment.

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