It is said that many make sure to sell their diesel cars just before the particulate filter closes in order to pass the cost on to the next owner.
A friend was told that the diesel particulate filter (DPF) on his utility vehicle had to be replaced. The bill came to twenty-something thousand, about half of what the car is worth. Then he heard that it is quite common to sell the car just before the filter gets clogged. If you are looking for a used diesel car, you must be careful not to fall into the particle filter trap.
When the particulate filter became standard in 2007, it was said that it would last the whole life of the car if you made sure to run the engine warm once a week. Then the filter's self-cleaning mechanism will burn accumulated soot, maintaining its ability to clean.
Joke or fact?
I have applied for Finn.no after car advertisements that contain wording that the particle filter has been changed. The purpose of the search is to find which car models are most often replaced - and at what mileage this is done. It is naturally assumed that the seller has informed about this. At least it would jeg done.
If you have PSA's turbodiesel with 109 (110) horsepower, you should read on. On these engines, the factory(s) recommend changing the particulate filter at the 120 km service. This includes cars such as the Volvo C000, S30, V40 and V50 with the eDrive engine. Also Ford Focus, C-Max, Peugeot 70 and 308, as well as Citroën C407 and C4. In my search, I found the most Volvos, followed by Peugeot, Ford and a solitary Mazda. All with the same engine.
I also found some other engines involved, including the PSA group's 136 HP, which is also found in Volvos (2,0 D), as well as the Ford Mondeo. A couple of BMW X3s with 150 HP are also included. One of the sellers states that this model should be known for having to change the particle filter.
Basically, all cars with particulate filters can experience a clogged filter if they are only driven for short trips without the engine getting hot. Incorrectly adjusted nozzles, engine management faults, fouled EGR valve, failure to add additive (cleaning fluid for those filters that need it) can also cause the filter to clog. The particle filter is monitored by a pressure differential meter which detects whether the filter is clogged. If the pressure difference between the incoming and outgoing air becomes too high, the yellow engine control lamp lights up. I have read that the workshop's diagnostic system can measure the pressure difference and show how dense the filter is in percentage. The owner can then receive an early warning that the filter will soon need to be changed.
How much does it cost to change the particulate filter on a V50?
I have seen stated prices from well over NOK 12 to just under NOK 000. A particle filter from Walker can be bought in online stores for just under NOK 7. A BMW X500 owner has stated that changing the particle filter cost him almost NOK 3. If you have a car where the filter is not to be changed at fixed service intervals, I think you have to count on twenty-something thousand to change.
I have checked the proportion of Volvos with the PSA engine of 109 HP that have recently changed the particle filter. I find 1 in 8 cars with a mileage of 120-140. On cars with a mileage of 000-100, the proportion is 250 in 000. Although most particle filters were changed around the recommended mileage, the changes span different mileages, - the first around 1, while many only happened between 10-100. On cars that have run more than 000, the particulate filter may have been changed earlier, so they cannot therefore be added weight. I think it is understandable that many choose to postpone changing the particle filter, even if it should have been done according to the service schedule. As mentioned, there is an excellent warning system that flashes the yellow engine light when the filter needs to be changed. There may be several tens of thousands of kilometers ahead, depending on how the car is driven.
Another car model that stands out is the Peugeot 407. Not as many of these were sold as the Volvo, but the proportion that have recently changed their particle filter seems to be the same. What amazes me is that it looks like particulate filters are only changed on 109 HP engines. I only found one car with newer HDI engines with 112 or 114 HP that states that they have recently changed the particle filter. Nor any newer Volvo with an eDrive engine.
What about Volkswagen?
The particulate filters on the VAG engines seem to be doing well. However, Volkswagen is included on another list I put together, namely those who state that they have recently changed the EGR valve. This is a mandatory exhaust function that leads part of the exhaust air back into the engine's intake. The valve is most often replaced due to sooting. The price for a replacement at an Audi/Volkswagen brand workshop is between 15-20, depending on the model. However, I do not have enough data to claim that Volkswagen needs to replace the EGR valve more often than other makes. I'm also getting a few Fords on the list, so I'll leave it at that.
So what do you do if the yellow engine light is on on the diesel car?
If the particle filter is clogged, pour a cleaning agent (e.g. valvolines or STP) on the tank and drive the car as the remedy's instructions say. You must at least at one point go at a high rpm over time. If the light is still on, reset the fault code with a fault code reader. Should the EGR valve be dirty, it can be cleaned or disconnected completely. The car runs at least as well without it - at least until the next EU inspection.
*creamed* Then you put your car up for sale, - or...?
If you want to buy a used diesel car with DPF, you know what to check!
*DPF CHANGED ON THE FOLLOWING CARS*
2007 Audi Q7 232HP (215'KM)
2007 BMW 325 197HP (167'KM)
2008 BMW 525 197HP (157'KM)
2005 BMW X3 218HP (175'KM)
2006 BMW X3 150HP (170'KM)
2007 BMW X3 150HP (180'KM)
2007 BMW X3 150HP (130'KM)
2008 Ford Focus 109HK (112'KM)
2008 Ford Focus 109HK (143'KM)
2008 Ford Kuga 136HP (175'KM)
2010 Ford Kuga 136HP (101'KM)
2009 Ford Mondeo 116HP (290'KM)
2009 Honda Accord 150HP (105'KM)
2009 Honda Accord 150HP (110'KM)
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 155HK (140'KM) *CLEANED DPF*
2007 Mazda 5 110HP (157'KM)
2008 Nissan Qashqai 2 l 150HK (95'KM)
2007 Opel Vectra 1,9CDTI (100'KM)
2003 Peugeot 307 107HP (213'KM)
2004 Peugeot 407 136HP (172'KM)
2005 Peugeot 407 109HP (113'KM)
2005 Peugeot 407 109HP (180'KM)
2011 Peugeot 508 112HP (180'KM)
2012 Peugeot 508 SW 112HP (225'KM)
2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara 129HP (149'KM)
2007 Volvo C30 109HP (175'KM)
2007 Volvo S40 109HP (245'KM)
2006 Volvo V50 109HP (200'KM)
2006 Volvo V50 109HP (125'KM)
2006 Volvo V50 109HP (220'KM)
2007 Volvo V50 109HP (130'KM)
2007 Volvo V50 109HP (150'KM)
2008 Volvo V50 109HP (120'KM)
2008 Volvo V50 109HP (120'KM)
2008 Volvo V50 109HP (200'KM)
2009 Volvo V50 109HP (160'KM)
2009 Volvo V50 109HP (109'KM)
2009 Volvo V50 109HP (128'KM)
2011 Volvo V70 109HP (122'KM)
2010 VW Passat 1,6 105HK (120′)
Of all 139 Volvos for sale with a 109HP engine and a mileage between 100'-250', 14 stated that the DPF had been replaced (14 of 139).
Of all 55 Volvos for sale with a 109HP engine and a mileage between 120'-140', 7 stated that the DPF had been replaced (7 of 55).
See
thank you, beautifully written 🙂
Changed the DPF on the 08-Nissan X-trail at 170'km in Sweden for 23'SEK while BnH should have 32'NOK. Was certainly common, but I feel cheated, no one informs you of this when you buy a car!
Haha and people are worried about battery life on electric cars😂
I have changed the particulate filter at 249000 km, now it is 310000 close again, I was told that if it could be cleaned, it got better, does anyone know about it
Hello. Going to change mine now. 124000. The workshop told me that I could not expect another 120000 because The engine no longer runs as clean as when it was new. I will have the old filter returned when they replace it now to remove the innards so that it is ready for the next replacement👌
Great article! As a car owner, I feel deceived by the industry's unwillingness to create systems that work and are better equipped for improvements than what exists today. I have recently changed the EGR on a 1,6 TDi cayc which sits in a Skoda. Used a local workshop after the brand workshop had made a diagnosis per phone about a clogged dpf due to emergency mode and flashing incandescent light. Price 23-26.000.- to change since it wouldn't allow itself to be cleaned when it was clogged... I contacted a local workshop who wanted to forcibly run the cleaning process, but they could not raise the operating temperature of the engine to more than 73˚C even though the needle in the dash stood at 90 and then the process cannot run. Changed the thermostat and got it measured at 86˚ and ran the process so that they measure 98,7% open filter. It then turns out that the EGR valve is not working as it should and needs to be replaced. The explanation from the workshop as a possible cause was the use of STP's cleaner which has loosened larger particles and thus destroyed the valve function in the EGR since the operating temperature of the engine was low and thus the soot formation much higher than normal. I therefore bought myself a new diagnostic device to be able to keep track of operating temperature, dpf's flow, error-free egr etc. In total, all this came to 22.000 with the replacement of the thermostat and egr, which required 2 almost identical disassembly jobs due to the thermostat's idiotic location cf. back then the cars were a bit more DIY.
Hi, does anyone know if the Volvo v50 2005 diesel does not have a particulate filter?
Hello. Thank you Terje Bjørnstad, there was a lot of information to read here. Looks like diesel owners need to be aware of this.