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Diesel Particulate Filter Fault :o(

6K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  bmw_daz 
#1 ·
Had the fault symbol for the DPF rear its head on the dash this evening together with a little red exclamation mark in a triangle next to the mileage which I think means service, general service not due until May. Booked in at the dealer tomorrow, just wandered if anyone else has had this and if an easy fix. Hazzard a guess the filter has become clogged up with soot :x Hope it will be covered under warranty :|
 
#2 ·
if its anything like the alfas i work on then they will just carry out as filter regeneration and it should clear out all the soot from the dpf
 
#3 ·
bmw_daz said:
if its anything like the alfas i work on then they will just carry out as filter regeneration and it should clear out all the soot from the dpf
Cheers for that, I'm hoping that will be the case, although reading on BMW Land its £1500 plus VAT for a replacement filter if regeneration doesn't work :eek2: that can't be right :|
 
#4 ·
sounds about right, do a search on google for zafira diesel dpf problems - loads of issues with them

cars with dpf's who spend most of time around town suffer
 
#5 ·
When I had mty 118d I had a problem with the turbo. Variable Vein. Took the car back to BMW who do a regeneratation on the DPF. Performance for about 2 weeks was perky. Went back to nornal afterwards but the way she was talking in the dealers, they do then all the time cause of all the town driving people do in diesels.
 
#7 ·
oilseller said:
chester said:
Had the fault symbol for the DPF rear its head on the dash this evening together with a little red exclamation mark in a triangle next to the mileage which I think means service, general service not due until May. Booked in at the dealer tomorrow, just wandered if anyone else has had this and if an easy fix. Hazzard a guess the filter has become clogged up with soot :x Hope it will be covered under warranty :|
Do you mainly use a particular filling station or brand for your fuel ?
Thanks for the replies everyone :)

I use Gulf diesel all the time, mainly because its down the road from home. The Esso filling station that I used to use next door to work, the pumps would'nt fit the 1er as the nozzles were too small so wouldn't trigger the misfuelling flap. The Gulf station I use is also down the road from my BMW dealer and they tend to use the same filling station.

Diagnosis for the 1er is it needs a new particulate filter which will be fitted tomorrow under warranty :)
 
#8 ·
Without wanting to re open the ' which fuel is best debate one more time , the obvious move after you have your brand new DPF fitted would be to move to a ' known cleaner fuel like ... dare I say it Bp Ultimate or V-Power ... joking aside these two blends will produce lower levels of particulates and may help preserve your nice new DPF !
 
#9 ·
chester said:
oilseller said:
chester said:
Had the fault symbol for the DPF rear its head on the dash this evening together with a little red exclamation mark in a triangle next to the mileage which I think means service, general service not due until May. Booked in at the dealer tomorrow, just wandered if anyone else has had this and if an easy fix. Hazzard a guess the filter has become clogged up with soot :x Hope it will be covered under warranty :|
Do you mainly use a particular filling station or brand for your fuel ?
Thanks for the replies everyone :)

I use Gulf diesel all the time, mainly because its down the road from home. The Esso filling station that I used to use next door to work, the pumps would'nt fit the 1er as the nozzles were too small so wouldn't trigger the misfuelling flap. The Gulf station I use is also down the road from my BMW dealer and they tend to use the same filling station.

Diagnosis for the 1er is it needs a new particulate filter which will be fitted tomorrow under warranty :)
puts me off having a diesel.... it would be expensive to change without the warranty
 
#10 ·
oilseller said:
Without wanting to re open the ' which fuel is best debate one more time , the obvious move after you have your brand new DPF fitted would be to move to a ' known cleaner fuel like ... dare I say it Bp Ultimate or V-Power ... joking aside these two blends will produce lower levels of particulates and may help preserve your nice new DPF !
doubt it would make much difference - diesels with DPF are not suited to urban driving.

do a google search on the topic
 
#11 ·
I may try a different fuel as it might help a little, the garage mentioned that short trips where the car isn't getting up to temp with sustained high revs to burn the soot off doesn't help. Having said that doing a google search turns up that its affecting all sorts of different makes and not always cars doing short trips either. The worrying thing is as the cars go out of warrantly this problem will get ignored, read on BMW land that a replacement filter is £1500 plus VAT for a 3 Series :eek2: Whos going to pay that once the car is out of warranty. It seems though that BMW are better than most in replacing under warranty, looks like SEAT for one doesn't :eek2:

To be honest this didn't occur to me when buying a diesel and went for it on the 1er as I think the car is stronger performance wise than the equivalent petrols. Seriously thinking of chopping it in this year for a 130i :)
 
#12 ·
Or buy a pre FL from 55 or before as they didn't have them fitted only as an option. Thank god i never had one on mine!! lol!! But yes this appears to be a big issue for everyone not just BMW.
 
#13 ·
DPF problems on BM's are very few and far between to be honest, not something that needs to be unduly worried about. I never had an issue with my FL 118d and that did plenty of urban with a few longer runs. Our Cadillac has been the same even with the rather unreliable 1.9 TiD Fiat/GM diesel engine.

As long as the car is allowed to get to operating temprature and run above 40mph for 10 mins once a week or given a spirited drive every once in a while.

VAG have had far more issues with DPF's and the not so clean running PD engines that they have been fitted to. The 1.9 Fiat/GM has has some issues although not major compared to the EGR valve and flywheel issues and alternator issues that blight their reliability.

Various issues are now starting to rear it's head with Turbo petrols in terms of gunging up and turbo issues. For reliability and low complexity you cannot beat a N/A engine. VAG as a wear issue with the cam that powers the fuel pump on 2 litre TSi engines. Also sticking valves and general gunge have cause issues although a catch can has been proven to reduce issues. The issue is the incresing complexity of petrol and diesle engines and tighter tolerances used by direct injection fuel systems.....
 
#15 ·
what did they do then just a regen? or a new dpf
 
#16 ·
bmw_daz said:
what did they do then just a regen? or a new dpf
They tried the regen but didn't work enough to clear the filter so decided fit a new one which was ordered and fitted next day. I asked if it was faulty or down to short trips and mentioned it was faulty. Been for a good run today and was driving great :)
 
#17 ·
ok was just curious glad its fixed now and free too :cool2:
 
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