Dpf, Really A Problem? I Don't Think So.

[ajt]

I bought a 1.6 TDCi Focus just over 6 months ago. It had 82,000 on the clock. I wanted the DPF version, to get the lower tax rate.

I don't drive massive distances, avergae 7,000 a year. I had a petrol before that avergaed 23mpg, my diesel averages 36mpg. The ecomomics of the newer car work out cheaper.

That is until I have to top up the EOYLS every other month and replace the DPF every time the MIL light comes on @ a cost of £1800 a pop. (<- This is not actually true, but if you read enough posts about DPF then you might believe it is.)

The DPF on my car should have been changed at 75K, and was advertised with FSH, so I enquired if it had been done. The guy selling feigned a complete lack of knowledge regarding the DPF change and implied I was talking rubbish. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE DPF (touch wood), 3000 miles later.

Is the DPF "guranteed" to fail on 1 in 2, or 1 in 10 or 1 in 1000 or......

Of the 1000's of diesel cars sold with DPF how many have actually failed? And of these failures how many were down to people ignoring the MIL when partial regens have occured?

I think there is a lot of hype about how crap DPFs are because the silent majority don't post on forums saying "DPF still working fine".

So for all those people who scaremonger about how evil DPFs are, especially ones who don't even drive diesels, could they please backup their authorative knowledge with some published statistics on failure rates.

Whilst we are talking about it, what do we mean when we say failed DPF. I assume it to mean clogged up beyond an on car regen with enough failed regens to set liump home mode. Even then I would think the DPF could be taken off and cleaned with some oven cleaner (designed to remove greasy soot (think about it)) and a pressure washer. The limp home mode would still need to be cleared, but a lot cheaper than a complete replacment (just a thought, I bet dealers/indies make more money out of replacments, rather than off car cleaning)

So anybody on here got a DPF that is NOT giving them any grief (other than me)?

I know I'm tempting fate;)

[ford_focus]

Mine's done 79k. No problems with the DPF (yet)

[wase16ll]

the biggest problem with dpf is lack of understanding by the owners...which to be honest is down to the dealers not emphasising the importance of it.

any owner that only use the cars for short, around town journeys, will suffer far more dpf problems than those that give the car a decent regular run.

the cost of the system when it goes 'wrong' is ridiculously high, even if you found somewhere that was willing to clean it out for you...its not a 5 min task.

end result is a diesel is not cost effective for someone doing the short sharp journeys, thats where the dealers really fall short, you would be much better off with a petrol model especially when you compare the fuel prices.

personally, although i totally understand the need for a system like this, i think they need to improve technology, until they do, not only am i not interested in ever buying one, i also have no interest in ever getting involved in repairing one...the few second hand car dealers i know, absolutley loathe them, to the point that some wont touch them unless the system is 100%...very rare

[jeebowhite]

+1 on Tony's comment, he has it spot on. Its all about how the car is driven, if its allowed more than sufficient opportunities to passively regen, it will never need an active regen and will live longer, otherwise, short drives dont get it hot enough, the soot builds up more frequently and chokes the exhaust, requiring forced regen leaving behind deposits that can never be removed, thus adding to the likelyhood of a premature replacement.

Kind of like your tea cup. If you always drink from it, but never wash it, it stains, then in the end you get fed up and want rid. But, if you wash it regularly, it lasts longer :D

[marklord83]

Ive got 2.0 tdci with 106000 on it on orignal dpf I had to top ip eloys just toped up with a litre as it last around 7-10 thousand miles I think, when I first bought the car 3 years ago I was doing a long drive and when trying to accelerate on motorway and the car wud judder violently so pulled over switched engine off left it a few mins started up and set off on my 200 mile trip home with no problems, I can only assume it was dpf clogging up as this didnt happen again until 2 months ago so I took it to my mate who said there was error code on saying dpf so he did a regeneration on it and its good as new again, if it ever gets so bad where it needs replacing ill try cleaning it, if that doesn't work ill just drill holes threw it lol make sure whatever oil you use is low ash oil as the stuff I used wasnt this time ove used Mobil fe 300 5-30

[Lenny]

Mines got 106,000km on the clock,

Been remapped, egr blanked, performance induction and 2.5" exhaust

Absolutely so problem with the dpf and no mention of fluid on any of the services, leeding me o believe its a ceramic dpf which don't require fluid,

But I'm booked in for dpf internal removal on the 13th

[marklord83]

Lenny what car have u got? I thought removing dpf brought error codes up on the focus ?

[Lenny]

Lenny what car have u got? I thought removing dpf brought error codes up on the focus ?

Its a 2010 ford focus 1.6TDCi DV6

The service is costing me 395euro

They will remove the dpf from the car,

Cut it open on the factory weld

Remove the internals,

Weld it closed again,

Return it to the car

Connect up pipes and sensors

All appears to be untouched,

They then remap the car to remove the files that communicate with the dpf

So the ecu won't know what a dpf is when complete and the focus will become a good old diesel car,

I've been told I can expect a 10-15bhp increase too but we will see

[marklord83]

Thats all good then mate

[marklord83]

How about the egr cos ive also heard that if u blank it the sensor that picks up the flow of the gasses brings up a code? I wouldnt mind blanking mine off but cant be bothered clearing the code all the time if thats what happens

[Lenny]

How about the egr cos ive also heard that if u blank it the sensor that picks up the flow of the gasses brings up a code? I wouldnt mind blanking mine off but cant be bothered clearing the code all the time if thats what happens

I've got my egr blanked and no errors have popped up,

Its blanked almost 6 months now

[marklord83]

Hmmm might do it then looks easyish thanks for advice mate