Low Turbo Boost Engine Code

While we were in Omaha we had the Oil changed and took it to a dealership at which Kim’s old friend worked and could get us an appointment.  It was billed as an oil change with 50 point inspection.  You know the type.  They check everything and try to up-sell you.  We thought everything that needed to be done would have been pointed out to us.  However, as we got halfway across Minnesota our engine light kicked on and we pulled over to pull the code.  It was a P0299 Low Turbo boost pressure.  We called back to our trusted mechanics back in San Antonio for a read on how bad that was and they said if we didn’t go into limp mode and seemed to have power and no terrible noise coming from the turbo we could probably continue our trip and have it looked at when we return.  They said it might mean a turbo was going out.  We continued as discussed.  They also mentioned we should look for loose hoses or something else that was causing low turbo pressure. 

Once we arrived at our campsite on the shores of Voyageurs National Park, we looked up some videos on what might have caused it to see if we could fix it.  Two additional days driving with the engine light on is unnerving!  The very first video I watched was a mechanic working through the same error code on the same model truck and he was discussing how some air filters were too thick and hindered the air flow. He said we should always try to find the OEM filters since they allowed more air flow.  That set me to thinking about air flow and I figured it was worth checking the air filter in our truck.  I expected it to be nice and clean since we just had the oil changed and the 50-point inspection would have found anything that obvious. 

Well, imagine my surprise when I pulled the filter out and it was black with soot and bugs!  I thought our usual mechanics were changing it and that the latest 50 point inspection would have caught something that odious but NOTE TO SELF: they didn’t and they didn’t!

I knocked what stuff I could out of the old filter and vacuumed it out to get us to the nearest NAPA in International Falls and replaced it.  The next day, the engine light was off.  Turns out my truck just couldn’t breathe.  Don’t trust those “professionals” who are “supposed” to be doing your filter changes.  Do it yourself or at least double check their work! Lesson learned the hard way.