DPF Regeneration During COVID-19 Lockdown.
What to do about your diesel particulate filter during lockdown.
One of the inevitable effects of Ireland being placed on lockdown due to the Coronavirus is that we’re all driving our cars less. This could present a problem for anyone with a modern diesel car. For some years now, diesel particulate filters (DPFs) have been fitted to all diesel cars, and these devices capture and store soot produced by diesel engines in order to reduce emissions.
The catch with DPFs is that they only have a limited capacity and at some point the excess soot needs to be burned off. In order to do that, the car needs to be driven for around 15 to 20 minutes at 2,500rpm or higher. This process is known as DPF regeneration.
However, if people are only using their diesel cars for short journeys during the lockdown, though, their DPFs might not be able to regenerate. The best advice to give owners of modern diesel cars is to avoid (where possible) using them for trips of less than 15-20km’s in order to avoid clogging up the DPF. When a DPF has built up too much soot and hasn’t been able to burn it off, a warning light will come on. If this happens during the lockdown, you should not use your car at all until you can get it looked at by a garage at the earliest opportunity.
It may be possible for a mechanic to use specialist equipment to carry out a forced DPF regeneration, which is the ideal outcome. If this can’t be done, though, a whole new filter may be required, and this can be a costly exercise. If drivers ignore the warning light and carry on using their car with a full DPF, they risk blocking the DPF altogether, in which case the car will enter limp-home mode.
If drivers of diesel cars are in any doubt about the state of their DPF and are unsure what to do, the best advice is to call a garage and seek expert mechanical advice. Stay safe & stay well in the meantime.
