My new diesel smells like burning rubber and/or the fan stays on after engine is turned off

[Dempsek]

If you are reading this post do not despair!

 

The horrible burning smell coming from your new diesel car is OK. 

 

When you stop and turn the engine off and the fan stays on and the engine seems to be super hot, the car is OK.

 

The above are clear signs of an active DPF regeneration and is normal for your new diesel Skoda car.

 

To comply with the latest emission levels diesels have to capture the large soot particles and burn them up into smaller particles which are kept in the DPF, this process is called regeneration.

 

A lot of regenerations take place during normal driving where the exhaust is hot enough to burn the soot in the DPF and are unnoticed and are known as passive regeneration. 

 

When the temperature in the DPF is not hot enough for an passive regeneration, the ECU injects diesel into the DPF which burns up the soot and is known as an active regeneration.  When you stop the car part way through an active regeneration, often the car smells like it's burning and the engine fan will stay on to cool the car.

 

Mods could you please edit this thread (if needed) and make it a sticky or just delete, thanks

[vrsCR]

Pin this please

[Robfab]

I did always wonder why it did that, so thank you. My mums scirocco does it, my old mk2 did and the mk3 does hence why i never bothered to investigate further but a useful bit of info.

Rob

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[@Lee]

 

Mods could you please edit this thread (if needed) and make it a sticky or just delete, thanks

+1, sticky it in every model section that has a DPF.

[vrsCR]

Or we could get skoda to write it on the steering wheel of every diesel

[VRSmissile]

New cars also have installation grease and oil on the internal parts, when you car is showroom fresh after short drives or long ones you will get a funny burning smell!!

Nothing to be worried about at all!! As dempsek said!

[Griffalo]

I was surprised at how bad the smell was! The DPF got so hot it dried an area on the bonnet. I can see how this would worry a new owner without reading the manual first!

Surely Skoda can mention it at handover?!

[greenstripe]

I think that there should be some mandatory basic information given at handover regarding DPFs and their operation.

 

I know most people don't like to be bothered with boring technical stuff, but I think that it makes dealers look terribly unprofessional, and it is clearly very distressing for some people who are unaware of what is happening during an interrupted active regeneration and thinking that their pride and joy that they have just spent a fortune on is going to burst in to flames or explode.

 

I will always try and help people on this forum by sharing the information that I know as do many others, but I think it very bad that anyone should have to come to a car forum to find out something so fundamental in the first place.

[Neily03]

I think that there should be some mandatory basic information given at handover regarding DPFs and their operation.

 

There is a tickbox on the dealers list for things to go through at hand over for the DPF, I skipped that bit because this was my second car with with one.......

[Chri5B]

{Occasional lurker alert}

 

What a handy thread to find at the top of the forum - I wondered what my new CC GT was up to a couple of times recently when I've parked up.  Really strong burning smell and the fan going full tilt - makes sense now

[Auric Goldfinger]

I think that there should be some mandatory basic information given at handover regarding DPFs and their operation.

 

 

 

I think Dealers should inform prospective car buyers about diesel cars fitted with a DPF and if there requirements warrant them to drive a diesel and perhaps see if a petrol would suit there needs better

 

How many customers who have very little or no technical knowledge about cars/engines actually know what a DPF is. When I purchased my PD 170 Vrs a couple of years ago nothing was mentioned about a DPF or it's function or driving style required.

[Lamboluke]

This happened on me for the first time today. Was very loud but thankfully I knew exactly what was going on thanks to this thread.

Needless to say after a 5 min trip to b&q the regeneration had stopped.

Not smelt any burning though.

[Dempsek]

You do not always get the smell, I found my 1.6TDI Fabia hated Sainsbury's diesel and smelt horrible to the point it nearly took my breath away.

[gullyg]

I think Dealers should inform prospective car buyers about diesel cars fitted with a DPF and if there requirements warrant them to drive a diesel and perhaps see if a petrol would suit there needs better

 

How many customers who have very little or no technical knowledge about cars/engines actually know what a DPF is. When I purchased my PD 170 Vrs a couple of years ago nothing was mentioned about a DPF or it's function or driving style required.

 

Missed this post...

 

When I did the handover with the dealer he mentioned the DPF and I said I already knew about it.  He still made sure to tell me there was a booklet on it in the paperwork bundle in case I had any questions.

 

It's a Skoda leaflet on DPF stuff, covers regens.  Think it was >>THIS<< but can't be sure as it got turfed a while ago.

 

No mention of it before but to be fair I walked in and said "I want <insert exact spec here>".

Edited 3 February, 2014 by gullyg

[vRSuper1]

_{Hi, so glad I noticed this topic. I've noticed my VRS Octy 3 TDI estate has been doing this recently and wondered what the hell was going on. Good post this and has put my mind at ease!!}

[Neily03]

 

Missed this post...

 

When I did the handover with the dealer he mentioned the DPF and I said I already knew about it.  He still made sure to tell me there was a booklet on it in the paperwork bundle in case I had any questions.

 

It's a Skoda leaflet on DPF stuff, covers regens.  Think it was >>THIS<< but can't be sure as it got turfed a while ago.

 

No mention of it before but to be fair I walked in and said "I want <insert exact spec here>".

 

 

This bit seems a bit odd:

 

 

What should I do if the DPF warning light comes on?

When the light shown illuminates,

it means the vehicle needs help

to carry out DPF regeneration. The procedure

involves the vehicle being driven in a certain way

to help increase the exhaust temperature. Drive

continuously for about 10-15 minutes at a speed

of at least 23 mph whilst maintaining an engine

speed of 700 rpm or above. Higher engine speeds

are perfectly acceptable where conditions allow

 

The manual states much higher revs, 700rpm is only just ticking over.......

[Smeghead]

Had this exact thing twice so far (car's only 1 week old and 160 miles on it). Glad I found this thread.  Have other minor issues but now at least I can take this one off the list.

 

Dealer did mention DPF at handover but not specifically how the active regen function worked.

[littleade]

Covered in depth towards the back page 60 on

 

http://www.natef.org/NATEF/media/NATEFMedia/VW%20Files/2-0-TDI-SSP.pdf

[jonnybgood]

This happened on me for the first time today. Was very loud but thankfully I knew exactly what was going on thanks to this thread.

Needless to say after a 5 min trip to b&q the regeneration had stopped.

Not smelt any burning though.

No burning smell for me either when the fan runs on after engine switch off nor with my previous car.

Only time I got burning smell with my last car was when dpf warning light came on and I took it for a 20 minute run to allow the regen to clear the partial blockage.

[Neily03]

Mine stinks of burning every time, as did my mkII vRS.

[Partist]

I think that there should be some mandatory basic information given at handover regarding DPFs and their operation.

 

 

 

The handover form at Westgate Skoda in Grimsby had a section on it about the DPF, hence the salesman covered it with me.

[Neily03]

The handover form at Westgate Skoda in Grimsby had a section on it about the DPF, hence the salesman covered it with me.

 

Same with me at Claybank Skoda in Eccles but we skipped it as I was trading in my old mkII vRS CR so knew all about them.

[xtrailman]

Personally I think every car fitted with a DPF should have a dash indication showing a regen is in process.

 

I have read of a Fiat model having such a light.

[Smeghead]

Personally I think every car fitted with a DPF should have a dash indication showing a regen is in process.

 

I have read of a Fiat model having such a light.

 

That would be good - or even a countdown timer so at least you'd have some idea how long it's got left to run instead of sitting there on idle waiting for the damn thing to finish.

[Neily03]

That would be good - or even a countdown timer so at least you'd have some idea how long it's got left to run instead of sitting there on idle waiting for the damn thing to finish.

But there's no need to wait for it to finish, it perfectly capable of dealing with regens itself.