As a newbie, please excuse if I have errored in any manner of placement and or duplication and would be pleased if you can assist  in any way.

 

In early 2015, I purchased Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI with 93k and imported from the UK to Ireland. About 2 months ago at about 120k, the DPF indicator came on and I followed the driving instructions as set out in the manual. This cleared the DPF indicator, however it returned a few days later and failed to complete its regeneration and went to limp mode. I returned to the purchase (not Skoda agent) garage who advised that they had cleaned both the GRV and DPF.

 

About a week later the DPF indicator returned and despite fairly extensive driving as set out the manual, the DPF indicator remained on. I again returned it to the garage and have now been advised that the ECU has been remapped and that I should have no further problems with the DPF indicator.

 

Leaving aside the environmental and non-specification issues I now find myself with. If the DPF continues to collect the Diesel Particulate and these are not removed by the regeneration process – will the filter become saturated and block completely or what are the long term consequences?

 

Thanking you

 

There is a point where the DPF is so full of soot that it physically cannot regenerate. This will happen if you get the light on and carry on driving, then it will start going into limp mode and then continued use will totally bugger it.

 

If everything is ok with the car such as thermostat and the sensors on the DPF and you are doing sufficient runs to carry out a regeneration then it looks like your DPF could be on its way out and need replacing or removing altogether.

 

They might have cleaned it but if it got into that state in the first place then something is wrong or its full of ash and getting to the end of its life.

 

I would see how it goes for now. Not sure what the engine remap was, do they meant the emissions software update?

Edited 17 July, 20169 yr by SuperbTWM

All DPFs have a finite lifespan. The sulphated ash in the engine oil cannot be burned away during a DPF regeneration. The engine's ECU keeps track of this ash content as the miles rack up, via a calculated figure.

Once the ash gets to a certain level, the ECU effectively writes off the DPF and requires intervention.

This intervention may be in the form of a DPF cleanout or replacement and ash counter reset, or it could be a DPF delete operation where the guts of the filter are removed and the ECU mapped to ignore the DPF altogether.

The ash content is a readable value in VCDS or the dealer's software. This will tell you how much is calculated to be in there.

It would be nice of the supplying dealer to inform you of exactly what it is they've done to your car!

Rubbish about the DPF being un-usable etc etc, the whole idea is that because the regeneration means the temp of the exhaust goes up to 700 odd degrees there is a chance if there is a lot of soot it can cause a fire (ive never actually heard of one happening at all)

 

Ive owned my car over 4 years and had the whole DFP thing and go into limp mode, basically it will try 10 times to do it, if not it will go into limp mode and stay there until you complete the recommended drive or perform a forced regen with VCDS..

 

All of my problems came down to a faulty pressure sensor in the engine bay, after this was replaced a vcds check showed my ash content at 65% so would have been considered a write off pretty much, but a forced regen and careful drive got it down to 0.7% which is pretty good...

 

this happens on and off depending on your driving and  certainly for me continues to happen... ive just got used to it now and when it starts running like a dog you know its trying to perform one so i just go for a drive up and down a dual carriage way in 3rd about 50 for while until it stops!!

This may be a silly question but are you using a good quality diesel in your vehicle?

Alot of DPF issues are down to poor 1, quality diesel being used, which is usually bought from Supermarkets etc. Stick to quality fuel and it may reduce your symptoms.

2, the wrong type of oil.

3, a combination of both the above points.

It would do no harm in getting an oil and filter change ensuring you get the correct oil for your vehicle put in. Many people on here have stated skodas require Vag specific oil (I believe the specs are 507).

It could be that when the car was last serviced they did not put in oil that met these requirements therefore is clogging your DPF quite quickly, as others have mentioned ash content in oil is what clogs the DPF.

I wouldn't worry about the diesel from supermarkets because there are plenty of topics about that and many say that they use it all the times and somehow nothing bad happens. In the meantime some of the premium fuel users have lots of problems...

I wouldn't worry about the diesel from supermarkets because there are plenty of topics about that and many say that they use it all the times and somehow nothing bad happens. In the meantime some of the premium fuel users have lots of problems...

I've done 65k miles in my octavia, all using bog standard supermarket diesel. I have had the dpf light come on once, after being stuck for an hour and a half in terrible traffic in Nottingham city centre.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

About a week later the DPF indicator returned and despite fairly extensive driving as set out the manual, the DPF indicator remained on. I again returned it to the garage and have now been advised that the ECU has been remapped and that I should have no further problems with the DPF indicator.

 

You can't simply map out the DPF, you have to physically remove the DPF (or gut the insides) first. The remap then codes out the sensors that allow the car to communicate with the DPF, effectively fooling the car into thinking it doesn't have a DPF.

 

If this is what they have done then fine, they have done a proper job.

 

The legality and ethics of it is another issue. Assuming the car is under warranty I'd be wanting a brand new DPF fitted, given that their initial efforts to clean it failed.

The legality and ethics of it is another issue.

 

What about ethics? Some people somehow have the feeling of guilt about their removed DPF but they shouldn't .

If they are able to pass the MOT that means they have normal smoke level and there's nothing bad about that.

Thanking all for your advices and I now comment:

 

1. The ECU Re-mapping as I understand means the ECU has now been programmed to ignore the DPF which is still intact in the exhaust line and my main concern is what happens next?

 

2. Service - the car has been serviced using oils to the correct specifications.

 

3. Diesel Fuels have been sourced from various sources, but I would hope that diesel supplies in Ireland are unlikely to be a factor.

 

4. Faulty Pressure sensors - can somebody let me have a recommendation for a VCDS - I have a bluethooth EODB (E Bay cheap) running on Outlis OBD Facile software version 2.52.0413.

 

Once again thanking you

You can't simply map out the DPF, you have to physically remove the DPF (or gut the insides) first. The remap then codes out the sensors that allow the car to communicate with the DPF, effectively fooling the car into thinking it doesn't have a DPF.

 

If this is what they have done then fine, they have done a proper job.

 

The legality and ethics of it is another issue. Assuming the car is under warranty I'd be wanting a brand new DPF fitted, given that their initial efforts to clean it failed.

 

My understanding is that the remap has coded out the sensors, but they have not removed the DPF insides and I am wondering where this will ultimately lead too?

Then this is bad.

 

If the DPF is still present it will continue to clog. Without the sensors the car won't even try to clear it. Once full the exhaust system will become blocked and the car will break down.

What about ethics? Some people somehow have the feeling of guilt about their removed DPF but they shouldn't .

If they are able to pass the MOT that means they have normal smoke level and there's nothing bad about that.

 

We all know where DPF removal threads end up. You are either for it or dead against it. I was trying to avoid the subject of whether we should or shouldn't remove them.

 

Ultimately the car is polluting more with it removed than it was when it was fitted and working correctly, regardless of a valid MOT.

 

I've no issue with it being done, as long as people are aware there are legality concerns and of course the fact that the cars emissions are adversely affected.

Then this is bad.

 

If the DPF is still present it will continue to clog. Without the sensors the car won't even try to clear it. Once full the exhaust system will become blocked and the car will break down.

 

You have confirmed my fears and this seems to be an accepted practice with some garage operators in Ireland at the moment

Rubbish about the DPF being un-usable etc etc,

 

Are you trying to say the DPFs last forever?

The legality and ethics of it is another issue.

I believe that the mot test is changing in regards to DPF'S whereby the tester must check for a filter if one was fitted by the manufacturer even if the vehicle meets emissions standards if there is not a DPF when there should be. The car will fail the MOT.

I am not certain as to when this law change occurs or if it has already came into force

I believe that the mot test is changing in regards to DPF'S whereby the tester must check for a filter if one was fitted by the manufacturer even if the vehicle meets emissions standards if there is not a DPF when there should be. The car will fail the MOT.

I am not certain as to when this law change occurs or if it has already came into force

 

Already in place for a few years and a visual check only on the presence of the filter part of the exhaust which is why the common way forward is to gut the dpf

Already in place for a few years and a visual check only on the presence of the filter part of the exhaust which is why the common way forward is to gut the dpf

There are more changes afoot http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/dpf-diesel-particulate-filter/will-my-car-fail-its-mot-if-i-have-the-dpf-diesel-particulate-filter-removed-or-gutted

They are looking to test the DPF efficiency, therefore if they have been gutted, they won't be very efficient. Doesn't say when these changes are coming but looks like they are soon.

There are more changes afoot http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/dpf-diesel-particulate-filter/will-my-car-fail-its-mot-if-i-have-the-dpf-diesel-particulate-filter-removed-or-gutted

They are looking to test the DPF efficiency, therefore if they have been gutted, they won't be very efficient. Doesn't say when these changes are coming but looks like they are soon.

 

Again old news - that info has been circulating for about 3 years at least already and is usually an article from an outfit with a vested interest - as that one appears to be.

 

It won't happen any time soon.

Agreed, changes to the MOT tests take time to eventually filter through.

 

When those changes require the test centre to invest in expensive equipment you can guarantee it'll take even longer.

 

In theory it is easy to test for DPF removal today using the current soot test. A zero reading would suggest the DPF is present and functioning correctly, anything more might suggest the DPF has been removed / gutted or is not working correctly.

I would say most of the time they are deleted because the old one is kaput as deleting it is the cheaper option and has the benefit of making the car more usable by freeing up power, so if they did bring MOT rules into force where they were checked then your not losing anything because you needed one anyway.

 

Those than remove them for tuning purposes would have to put the original working unit back in again or find somebody prepared to pass it regardless

I have found this online -

It is an offence under the Road vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations

(Regulation 61a(3))

1

to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it

no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to

meet. Removal of a DPF will almost invariably contravene these requirements,

making the vehicle illegal for road use. The potential penalties for failing to comply with Regulation 61a are fines of up to £1,000 for a car or £2,500 for a light goods

vehicle.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diesel-particulate-filters-guidance-note

So if the vehicle somehow manages to still pass an mot, the vehicle is still illegal to be used on the road. As MOT and the law are two different things.

Yep, discussed many, many times on here. Done to death.

 

This is why I mentioned the 'ethics' of having it removed.

 

We all know about the legal perspective, but once past that some people like to take you down the guilt road.

At the end of the day it's the owners prerogative whether they want to remove the filter or not. It's not for anyone on here or anywhere to say otherwise.

We all have opinions on the matter which is human nature.

I personally feel that the DPF is there for a reason and shouldn't be removed as the manufacturer fitted to serve a purpose.

But each and every one of us has and is entitled to their own opinions