DPF Problems? (Possible scout purchase)

[Potster]

Its been a while since I posted on here, I swapped my Superb for a MK5 Golf GTI last year and now fancy coming back to Skoda as I need a large estate car with 4x4....so I'm looking at the Scout.

How bad are the potential DPF problems? only 1 in 5 of my journeys takes me more than 5 miles from home. With maybe between 2 to 4 200 mile trips per month.

I've read all sorts of horror stories online ranging from skoda to audi models suffering £1500 replacement issues and limp mode incidents requiring dealer reset.

Thanks in advance!

[London Les]

I think you will be alright, as long as you get the longer trips in occassionally. I had a Scout as a courtesy car, which had been used as a demonstrator in SE London traffic/log jam. The DPF came on pottering back home from the dealership, but when out again on the A40 headed out of London.

Don't know whether you know the 4-5 mile section from Earl's Court to the M40, but its a 40mph restriction, with a roundabout and several sets of lights, and that was enough to heat up the DPF, and clear it.

I rememeber I looked at the trip computer when I picked it up, and it had done 500 miles at an average 8mph!

[Max Damage]

That has just happened to my vRS. Went into limp mode with the dash like a christmas tree. Gets 2 miles away from the dealer and suddenly DPF light and glow plug lights go out and the car runs fine!!!!. However the engine emmisions light stayed on so I have left the car at the dealer to get it checked. Going to be tomorrow now before I hear anything which is annoying as I need the car.

Edited 22 July, 2008 by Max Damage

[Niall]

I've had my Scout since Feb and have never seen the light come on.

I do however, live and work in rural South Scotland so the shortest journey I do is the office commute which is 11 miles each way on predominantly empty national speed limit A-Roads; plenty of time to get up to heat and burn that soot! Anything else is generally at least 30 minutes away. In all honesty the opportunity for soot to build up is pretty limited with the driving I do.

So - to buck the trend of DPF postings on here, "the DPF has not even been remotely a problem for me."

Forums always bring the horror stories to the top, no one ever posts with "I again drove from A to B on an as usual mundane journey, and once again nothing went wrong with the car"

Niall

.....Cue DPF light coming on on the way home tonight to spite me?:P........

[London Les]

Have a look at this. Interesting point that driving economically in sixth might be a problem. Good excuse for a blast!

Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) : Diesel particulate filters - The AA

[Max Damage]

Ahh so driving economically on the motorway in 6th which is what it was designed for is a problem :thumbdwn: Not good really but alas mine is at the dealer after DPF light and then glowplug light coming on for a check up. I assume from this they will say all ok especially since the lights went off but VAG need to sort this issue out for owners. It seems the whole VAG range with the 170bhp engine is afflicted with this issue.

Currently waiting for the missus to pick me up from work in the little put put Honda:(

[skomaz]

I have had a standard 4x4 TDI with DPF for a year now and have never seen the DPF light come on. The majority of it's journeys are the 5 miles to and from work via nursery (so two shorter journeys) but once a week it gets a 15 mile or so run at 70ish to take my daughters to a swim school.

[stokey]

I've had my scout for 4.5 months now and done 6500miles never had a any problems whatsoever. I drive 20 miles to work, but since the massive fuel cost rises i've been doing this at 50 mph in 6th getting 50 + mpg ( brim to brim not fuel computer which incidently isn't that far off). I was concerned at the time of purchase that I was buying a diesel that i couldn't drive economically, but thankfully that hasn't been the case

[Niall]

but since the massive fuel cost rises i've been doing this at 50 mph in 6th getting 50 + mpg

Snap! (I've been cruising at 60 mph with not dissimilar results).

Makes covering distance with intent that once in a while even more of a guilty (and expensive) pleasure!

Certainly up here the majority of the few people going faster than 70mph on the motorways nowadays are blatantly on company fuel cards!!

Niall

[octavia5]

Skoda dealers have a leaflet on DPFs and it is essential reading before you by a car with one, it stresses that choosing a car with a DPF is YOUR choice and if your driving patterns do not suit the DPF and it needs replacing then YOU PAY.

[Guest wilkopilko]

Potster,

1 year of ownership, 25k miles consisting of a lot of London traffic I have not yet seen this problem, however most of my working days end in driving back home on a motorway for at least an hour - so this may be why?

[Allams Skoda]

I've sold quite a number of Scouts/vRS 170BHP and I've not heard of any problems.

PM sent also.

[thewez]

Had my scout since jan and do 3.5 miles each way to work and NEVER had the light come on......

The 2.0 8V tdi in the scout uses a gt1646 turbo, this is smaller than the 1749's fitted to the 2.0 16v tdi. Anyhow being smaller means that it will have hotter exhaust gases, thus easier to burn off and thus a potential reason why the 140 dpf doesnt seem to have the problems of the 170????

Edited 21 July, 2008 by thewez

[Max Damage]

I don't see how that Skoda leaflet would ever stand up in court. If you drive your car like any normal car and the DPF fails it is Skodas fault for a stupid design fault and that sounds like simply trying to weasle out of paying. Reminds me of the coil packs screw up a few years ago

[Dook]

I have the Passat 170 TDI, which comes with the DPF as standard. Just had the first service at 18k, no problems whatsoever. My commute is 20 miles each way, and is a mixture of stop start jams and 70mph stints. I have also done 180 miles at pretty much constant 60 to get 53mpg back from Liverpool, and definitely in either circumstance, no DPF problems.

[Max Damage]

Mine has done 32k with the problem just starting. Looks like using 1 tank of BP ultimate diesel and doing 60mph in 6th gear to conserve fuel on the motorways has done the damage. In my view this is a design fault and as such is a warrenty repair.

[Tomo1971]

I have had a standard 4x4 TDI with DPF for a year now and have never seen the DPF light come on. The majority of it's journeys are the 5 miles to and from work via nursery (so two shorter journeys) but once a week it gets a 15 mile or so run at 70ish to take my daughters to a swim school.

Probably cos its not got a dpf, lol.

Isnt it just the vRS and the scout that has them?

Steve

[skomaz]

Probably cos its not got a dpf, lol.

Isnt it just the vRS and the scout that has them?

Steve

Hey I'm not that stupid... The option codes include "7GG = emissions concept EU 4 with particulate filter" so the 4x4 DOES have a DPF.

[Allams Skoda]

Newer 4x4 TDi have DPF standard early 2005/2006 models did not.

[Max Damage]

GOt the car back. Sensor replaced under warranty and advised to thrash it once a week to regenerate it as it is not designed to do 70mph on a motorway

[Penguin]

I agree on the design flaw business; having to "thrash" a car to clear filters if doing slow journeys seems a nonsense.

Most people buy diesels to maximise MPG and reduce fuel costs - then you're advised to drive it hard! I rather think EU V ? is getting rather silly - viz trying to catch all the diesel soot. What happens when it burns off....it must still come out the exhaust as some form of carbon when "regeneration " takes place .

At this rate we will soon be all towing big balloons attached to the exhaust to be emptied into carbon sinks at each fuel station:(

Get Arnie from Kalifornia" to work here...hydrogen iz good for dem!

[ged.fi]

I rather think EU V ? is getting rather silly - viz trying to catch all the diesel soot. What happens when it burns off....it must still come out the exhaust as some form of carbon when "regeneration " takes place .

The minute particles are a real health issue in urban areas, whereas a slight increase in CO2 "only" has a global effect. Thus trading less soot for more CO2 makes perfect sense. It's not quite the same thing as catalytic converters, which actually reduce the amount of emissions, but a good close second

[Potster]

Thanks for the info guys, think I'm going to put the new car purchase off until September, see if there is any more info on facelifts/CR engines.

[auroan]

I agree on the design flaw business; having to "thrash" a car to clear filters if doing slow journeys seems a nonsense.

You do not have to "thrash" a car with a dpf to clear it's filters. Anyone who says so clearly doesn't understand it. The manual states that you need to drive at or over a certain rpm for a short period to raise the exhaust gas temp, which clears the filter.

This means typically driving at 40mph in 4th for about 10 mins. Hardly thrashing it.....

[Max Damage]

This means typically driving at 40mph in 4th for about 10 mins. Hardly thrashing it.....

If only it was that easy