Omf - dpf regen light on - B7 Passat TDI

[cru22z]

Is this normal???

I took a 20 mins drive on the M7 on Sports mode, when I get to my destination the light pops-up.
I then drove back on the M7 on Manual mode on 4th gear 3000+rpm constantly on 110+ kph..cops where everywhere lucky
none was paying attention to me. Anyways after I exited the light went off.
Does this mean my car is ok?

Is this light bad? should I only be getting this once??
Any experiences please.

[Transporter]

Get the DPF checked by the dealer, they should also check the DPF pressure sensor.

If you do mainly short trips, make sure you don't use accelerator when necessary, less particles will be generated and your DPF will last longer. The key to successful regeneration is the steady speed, engine at full operating temperature, more than 1/2 tank and 1500-2000 rpm, at least 20 minutes drive. The last time I used sports mode in our Touareg V6TDI regenerating through the hills but kept the accelerator steady.

The ECU will regenerate the DPF approx. every 1000km without any light on the dash.

Abrupt driving = more soot trapped in the DPF

[dopey]

I do a lot of short trips (with the occasional long one) and give my car a bootful pretty much every time I drive it.... no DPF issues to report here. I was told to make sure I do give it a good rev every now and then to help clear the DPF *shrug*

Wouldn't be too worried but call the dealer and ask them whether it's worth getting it checked in case they suspect you've got a dodgy sensor or something.

[Transporter]

I was told to make sure I do give it a good rev every now and then to help clear the DPF *shrug*.

That's good for your turbo and not for the DPF. If you do just one or two hard accelerations per day, that's more than enough to keep your VNT clean.
I do it when driving up the hill.

[cru22z]

Thanks Guys, I'll call the dealer for a check -up. Also i noticed the idle RPM was quiet hight at nearly 1k RPM. Do TDI do this? I normally notice it at around 800 rpm.

[Inego]

Higher idle speed while a regen is occurring. I have a Skoda Scout, and the DPF light comes on a couple of times a year - an immediate run for 20 mins or so keeping it about 2000-2500rpm clears it.

But not dealing witht he issue ASAP results in a blocked dpf, as I discovered within 6 weeks of getting the car.

[cru22z]

what happened after 6 weeks of getting the car?

[Inego]

My car was a demonstrator, from an inner city dealer. DPF light came on around 5 weeks after purchase, and I headed to the dealer, who advised pretty much as per owners manual.....only I didn't do it immediately, thinking that there must be some margin and I would be on the motorway at the weekend.

Anyway, between the Wednesday and the Saturday the DPF went from 54% full to 100% full, and spent 5 days days at the (now ex) dealer toing and froing with Skoda Oz before it was sorted.

I understand that the CR engine has fewer DPF issues than my PD, but the moral of the strory for me was if you see the DPF light on do something about it straight away!

[clip]

but the moral of the strory for me was if you see the DPF light on do something about it straight away!

hmmm, I'm thinking the moral of the story is don't buy a TDI!

With all the recommended driving techniques that are talked about, I'm hardly game to drive the bloody thing now for fear of clogging the damn filter! I like to use the go fast pedal quite often, but at 16000k's obviously I'm going to be suffering the dreaded DPF issue at some point very soon by all reckoning

[h100vw]

I don't think it's such a big issue myself. One might say 'that's easy to say as you can "sort the DPF" ' However, I have seen blocked ones on MK5s at 105K and others no where near half full at 150K. Even a MK6 that had 160K up that was blocked. VW blamed his driving style, Eumundi to Cooper Plains daily on the Highway. What you would expect to be the best place for it???

I would have no problems running one personally. I would however be monitoring the DPF regularly, you can check the state of it (well what the ECU thinks it is anyway) with VCDS.

I'd do the pressure sensor at the first sign of trouble and calibrate it. Then drive it.

Gavin

hmmm, I'm thinking the moral of the story is don't buy a TDI!

With all the recommended driving techniques that are talked about, I'm hardly game to drive the bloody thing now for fear of clogging the damn filter! I like to use the go fast pedal quite often, but at 16000k's obviously I'm going to be suffering the dreaded DPF issue at some point very soon by all reckoning

[Transporter]

Thanks Guys, I'll call the dealer for a check -up. Also i noticed the idle RPM was quiet hight at nearly 1k RPM. Do TDI do this? I normally notice it at around 800 rpm.

The increased idle during regen. as well as a bad odour is normal at that time. The active regeneration (activated by ECU) last around 10minutes (the first 10 minutes or so, is to increase the DPF temperature). The speed you're driving is not very critical, try to keep it between 1500-2000rpm by shifting into S mode if you can. What is important is the exhaust temperature, so the engine must be under the load you can help it buy turrning the accessories ON (A/C, heated seats, head lights, window demister). The steady throttle during regen. is also important.

[Inego]

hmmm, I'm thinking the moral of the story is don't buy a TDI!

Nope, I'm happy with my TDI, the only issue being it's mainly used for short inner city trips, so rarely gets up to temp for a regen. I suspect the initial problem with mine was complicated by the fact that it had been a true demo car, so had a had a couple of months of very soft inner city running.

It's been fine since, apart from needing forced regens, as I say, a couple of times a year. If I do go with an alltrack replacement, it will beingteresting to see how a CR engine fares

[Transporter]

Nope, I'm happy with my TDI, If I do go with an alltrack replacement, it will beingteresting to see how a CR engine fares

It SHOULD be all good.

My daughter's MY12 Tiguan TDI 103kW DSG, is driven mainly in the city 7km morning and 7km back in the afternoon, so far so good, I monitor the DPF on regular basis and even under these conditions, she should get at least 200k km from the DPF. She is using Moreys Diesel Smoke Killer at every fill up, though. She also has much better fuel economy than on her last car Golf5 2.0TDI.

[cru22z]

Been driving to the city at peak time so heaps of traffic.
On the way home yesterday the bloody dpf light came on again
During crawling traffic on the M4. I rang the service dept before
they closed as suggested no need to bring car in again and when I get the chance
Drive it hard for half hour. I said that's impossible now in the traffic.
He said just whenever I get the chance. So I hanged up and guess what
even crawling traffic the light went off. I didn't even go fast I was cruising at 10kph.

[Greg Roles]

The DPF will do a regen itself at 40% load. No lights, the only way you will notice is the car get's a little "rough" and the idle usually raises to 1000rpm. This happens all the time without people knowing.

If this fails a few times, and for it to work the regen must go on for a good 10mins, and requires better than 60kph, as the car needs load to reach the magic 500 degree mark, it will throw that DPF light and the instruction at 60%. This is alerting you to the fact you really want to be driving to suit a regen at this point - but donlt stress, the car is nowhere near a major problem at this point. A good 10-15mins of regen and you will be back to "zero".

If this fails enough times and the DPF reaches 80% it will put the car into a limp mode, restrict the boost, and tell you to go to a dealer, where they will force a regen - exactly what you do with a Vag Com cable - and what I do quite often. My DPF is at 106kms and it;s "capacity" is definately reduced - no doubt the Viezu race tune isnlt helping - but I monitor my soot levels with it weekly, and when it nears 40% I often force a regen and go do my DPF lap of hills that helps raise the temps. I have to do this as I have to manually close the intake flap given my major intake mods, but I'd HIGHLY recommend a Vag Com cable - there's one currently for sale on here for $200 which is a good $100 below cost.

Don't stress about your DPF, just go drive, it actually needs throtte and load to raise the temps, it's very interesting to drive around with an EGT gauge for a while - you learn a lot.

Common rail is much better at dealing with DPF's, like Miro suggests running Morleys Smoke Killer in the MKV PD's is a great idea.

I am hopeful a solution to this entire problem will be out soon.