Every diesel with a DPF has the potential for problems, however, and it all comes down to your driving style. As we said, diesels aren't suitable for just being used around town – they need longer drives too.
We seem to get fewest reported problems from Hyundai/KIA 1.6 CRDIs and Renault/Nissan/Mercedes 1.6 dCi 130s.
Do all diesel cars have DPF? Since 2009, manufacturers of diesel cars have been legally required to fit all diesel cars with DPFs, so all modern diesel cars have DPFs installed.
Car fleets name the Mazda 6 as the most problematic vehicle fitted with a DPF, with 21% of enquiries coming from this model. The BMW 120, 320 and 520 series comes a close second with 13% of enquiries. BMW 330 and 530 models also made the top five.
The Court acknowledged that Toyota developed an effective fix for the defect in May 2020 and subsequently offered it free to owners, and also extended the warranty on the item to ten years/unlimited-km.
The courts found that those who purchased a so-called 'relevant vehicle' (HiLux, Prado or Fortuner) in the right period of time (between 1 October 2015 and 23 April 2020) were affected by the defective design of the DPF.
A DPF can last up to around 100,000 miles if maintained properly. After the car has exceeded that mileage, you could be looking at paying a large amount of money for a replacement - so always properly check MoT and service records when buying a used car.
Since DPFs and EGRs effectively reduce engine performance by obstructing your exhaust and diluting the fuel/air mix in your combustion chambers, removing them may result in: Improved fuel economy. Decreased engine temperatures. Minor increases to engine power.
"Maximum court-imposed penalty for an individual is $22,000!" Is a DPF delete legal? Okay, so the $22,000 question: is it legal, and can you get fined for deleting the DPF? The short answer is, yes you can get fined, and no, it's not legal.
Are Truck Emission Deletes Legal? Although a DPF delete could provide some advantages, there is an excellent reason for not deleting a diesel truck — it's illegal. According to EPA regulations, it's against the law to tamper with emissions equipment in any way, including performing a truck delete.
The cost of DPF delete varies depending on the make and model of your vehicle. Generally speaking, it will cost between $500 and $2000 to have a DPF delete carried out by a professional. However, it's also possible to do it yourself if you're handy with tools and know your way around a car engine.
Euro 5 exhaust emissions legislation introduced in 2009 to help lower car CO2 emissions effectively made DPFs mandatory, and since then, around one in two new cars a year have been diesel-powered.
EGR system:
Frequent short trips cause the EGR valve to become clogged with deposits even faster than it already does when the vehicle is operated normally. If the EGR valve is heavily contaminated, it can no longer work properly, which leads to an error in the fault memory and the engine control light lighting up.
Over time the DPF can become blocked with a residue of ash from the soot trapped in the filter being burnt off in a process called regeneration. Periodic maintenance is required to keep the DPF functioning correctly which in turn will keep the running costs of your Isuzu's low, maintaining performance and reliability.
Active regeneration will be initiated every 300 miles or so depending on how you use your car and will take 5 to 10 minutes to complete. But it's a problem if your journey's too short and the regeneration doesn't finish. During active regeneration you may notice: Cooling fans running.
The easiest and cheapest method of DPF filter cleaning is by driving the vehicle for a long-distance at high revs per minute.
Nevertheless, a general rule of thumb to follow is that you should run the engine at least 40 mph and at least 2500 rpm. Ignoring the DPF light, or failing to clear the blockage in a timely manner, will lead to continued soot build up in the DPF.
Alter your driving habits
Do your research and find out how many miles you need to drive, and at what speed, to initiate the regeneration process and allow it sufficient time to complete. This will prevent any build-up of soot and particulates in the filter and extends the life-expectancy of your DPF.
Protecting Equipment. Today's aftermarket equipment makes it even more important to reduce idling. When idling, the vehicle is not operating at the ideal temperatures that allow soot to burn off the diesel particulate filter (DPF).
How Often Does DPF Regeneration Occur? Active regeneration happens roughly every 300 miles and is triggered by your car's electronic control unit (ECU) once your soot level is approaching 40 to 45%. Passive regeneration should occur when you take your car on longer journeys at higher speeds.
Is premium diesel better for a car's DPF? There is no evidence to suggest that premium diesel makes much difference to the DPF, however running your car with a low tank can cause issues. If your fuel warning light is on, some cars won't start the active regeneration process as it increases fuel consumption.
Replacing DPF Filters is expensive…
Needing to replace or clean a blocked DPF Filter is expensive, but can be easily avoided, with the use of Cost Effective Maintenance products.
For on-highway vehicles, the DPF should be pulled off for its first cleaning after 150,000 to 200,000 miles, and then every 100,000 miles after that for preventive maintenance cleaning, Anderson notes.
In most cars, the process is designed to happen in the background without the driver knowing – but that's part of the reason why DPF issues have become so common.