DPF light on dash ??? 170 Sport

[Imizz]

Hi guys,

got a 08 170 sport, I just got a DPF light come up on the dash, any ideas how what and why??

it says something about driving at a certain speed in 4th or 5th gear and it should go out, otherwise VW dealers.. in the manual..

anyone else had this before??

[DSG4ME]

I've been studying this issue closely, from what I've gleaned you must let regen complete if it's already in process, idle will raise to 1000 RPM when it's doing it, and it's advisable to give the car a spirited blast down the motorway using a lower gear to maintain 3000+ RPM and get things hot enough for burn off, supposedly the recommended way is 20 minutes above 40mph, but I've read plenty of ppl who it plain hasn't worked for.

I also found a Miltek replacement pipe, but it's for a Golf, and is supposed to replace the dpf but keep the sensors in place so you don't have to mod the ecu mapping, how well this solution works I really don't know.

I'm at a bit of a loss to the whole idea, to me all it does is collect soot to then at a later time still blow it out of the tailpipes, added to that it then in turn uses more fuel and creates extra back pressure in the engine, all adding up to nothing gained for resorces, or the enviroment, or the owners pocket for that matter.

[Quatrelle]

It's supposedly caused by not driving the car hard enough to keep the DPF clean. What a joke! How on earth are you supposed to drive a 170 hard and stay within the speed limits?

Really begs the question why put one on a powerful car when regenerating it is difficult. Self-regeneration doesn't seem to work.

DSG4ME - I read somewhere that 15 mins at 2300 rpm should work - having read your comments, that's doubtful. Obviously needs a regular 'Italian tune-up'.

Fortunately my 140 hasn't got one....

[ToMBoY_C]

How coincidential! I was driving home just the day before last, DPF light was on however I maintained a nice 50mph speed (Average Speed Check area) Then all of a sudden, that annoying "bong" sound and a disco of lights on the dash: ECU, DPF and Coil was flashing, also my cruise was taken out and I wasn't able to rev the car over 3000rpm.

After limping my way straight to VW, they told me I had not met the DPF Regeneration requirements! In a 50mph area with average speed checks! Also they said this was NOT a warranty job, and could cost in the region of £1500!

Shocked I didn't know what to do, I was advised not to drive the car home thus not to damage the car anymore.

Fortunatley they gave me a courtesy car, and the next day told me that all costs would be covered by them. Lucky for me! I can only guess it's because I'm 22 and they would like my custom for years to come!

This issue needs to be addressed, as stated previous, how can you drive the 170 hard and not get points on your license!

So am I right by saying that only the 170 has this DPF crap!?

[Flash2]

So am I right by saying that only the 170 has this DPF crap!?

No, the new 1600 diesel Polo has one too and it's causing big problems because Polos are mainly used to drive in town so the DPF never gets a chance to regen.
These cars have only been on the road a matter of months and I know of one car that has had the light come on twice within the first 500 miles.

One of the techs in the VW dealer I do work for had to do a regen drive on a Golf. They take it on test drive with their diagnostic machine. It shows a bargraph of how much soot has been cleaned out of the filter. He was telling me he had to drive for 70 miles before it was completely cleaned and the warning light went out. Every time he came into some heavy traffic the bargraph started heading in the wrong direction and it took miles of motorway to get it back to where it was. I don't see how this thing is helping to clean the enviroment when you end up having to drive an extra 70 miles going nowhere.

Jim.

[Imizz]

I rang VW Dealers on Friday afternoon on this, they told me to "drive for 30 minutes, in 4th gear, doing 40mph an holding at 40mph" this had to be done right or else the engine management light would come on, and also "the DPF is NOT under warranty...!!!"

for a second opinion, i rang a mate, he's a "VW Specialist" in 'Huddersfield', he said "ingnore what the manual and the VW dealers say, and take the car onto the motorway, using 4th gear, 70mph, just bit over 3000revz, for upto 30 miles" this will work "Guaranteed".

I follwed my mate instructions, on to the "M62 towards Hull" 4th gear, 70mph, 12 miles in to later, guess what?? it worked, the DPF light went off :approve::approve::approve:

I came off at next junction and headed back on to the M62 to do the same process back for a couple of miles.. then i let the car rip open up..

Maaaaaaan, what instant burst of "va va vooooooooooooooom" :firedevil:firedevil


So try these instructions.. for those who are struggling with the DPF light, or when it does come on in the future....

"ingnore what the manual and the VW dealers say, and take the car onto the motorway, using 4th gear only, speed up to 70mph, just a bit over 3000revz, for upto 30 miles" this will work "Guaranteed". :biggthump:biggthump

[DSG4ME]

Potentially up to a gallon of fuel to clear it then, so much for the economy side of things.

Your mate is spot on, this is the way I would do it myself, you need heat and flow for it to happen, and 40mph in top ain't gonna provide it.

Thx for letting us know I'm sure it will save someone a fortune down the line, but I would say one thing, if you have 2 lights on it could be risky clearing it this way if the dpf blocks up and back blows the engine, it's the same principle as a spud up the tailpipe, might be a good idea if two lights are on to do it with Vag-Com connected so you can evaluate the soot level as things are happening.

[mhurer]

Just an observation, but those that seem to have problems with clogged DPFs seem to be those that drive short journeys and sit in traffic etc (excluding problems with sensors). If this is the case then why buy a diesel in the first place, as surely the economy is going to be poor, possibly the same as petrol.

I drive 75% motorways and 25% town, and in the 18 months I have had my 170 DPF I have not run into any problems with it (yet, sods law something will go wrong today!).

[DSG4ME]

I need a diesel because I'm a cabby myself, the question I'm asking myself is, are these problems caused by ppl who never give the car a chance to clear itself, i.e potter to the shop and back, go see a mate 3 miles up the road and ignore the light until it's too late, or is it simply the system doesn't work as it should do?


A friend runs a Pug 307 SW, the hassle he's had with it is unbelievable, full fuel system, exhaust, cat, dpf and finally a mth ago the engine blew up, how much of this is a 1.6 engine or bad tech I don't know, but even allowing for the fact that Frog cars are crap, the PSA diesels are normally quite good lumps.

[gamichea]

So am I right by saying that only the 170 has this DPF crap!?

140 Common Rail lumps have it too, & the torque characteristics of the CR encourage a more relaxed driving style than the PD IMO. The other day, cruise on at 60-65 in 6th, I slowed for traffic waiting to turn. Without thinking about it I resumed cruise at about 1200rpm/40mph still in 6th and it just steadily pulled away with no hint of protest. Don't think I would have got away with that with a PD.

Those of us in the habit of revving hard thru the gears occasionally for the benefit of the injectors are hopefully generating some worthwhile extra gas heat and flow thru the DPF. Every little helps!

[DSG4ME]

Yeah, can you imagine it, someone who bought a 140 new and PAID!!!! £300 extra to spec a dpf, the 170's always had one as standard iirc, but for a while a 140 could be had dpf free, I think all the new CR engines have one now though regardless of output.

[Imizz]

i've had my 08 170 Sport DPF for the past 10 months or so, and use it for cabbing, so most of my journeys have mixed runs, i am averaging between 40/45mpg locally, with power when needed, and am loving it :approve:.
to top that i am the only one with a 170 sport. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

there are not many cars that will avarage that on cabbing, had avectra SRi150 cdti, not giving anything even close to that, and neither petrol ones. An A4 2.0tdi S.Line would be a good match..

[DSG4ME]

i've had my 08 170 Sport DPF for the past 10 months or so, and use it for cabbing, so most of my journeys have mixed runs, i am averaging between 40/45mpg locally, with power when needed, and am loving it :approve:.
to top that i am the only one with a 170 sport. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

there are not many cars that will avarage that on cabbing, had avectra SRi150 cdti, not giving anything even close to that, and neither petrol ones. An A4 2.0tdi S.Line would be a good match..


Are you a rank car or do you have it running for hours at a time chasing the radio?

I assume you've not had any dpf issues yet then? and is yours a PD or CR engine, I suspect it's a PD due to age.


It's a sport I'm after right now, dealer keeps ringing me with offers, but until I can be 100% confident this car can live with the Superb I have I'm shy to release the folding, plus an 09 Highline is only 2k more to buy, so in view of potential probs I might be better off having the newer car tbh, even though I don't really like the H/L model over the Sport.

[Imizz]

Not a rank car, am booking only..

I've not had any DPF problems or anything else with the car apart from a "crankshaft oil seal leak" dealers replaced that, timing belt, and tensioner under warranty..

It's late 2008 170 Sport with DPF, and a 'BMR' Engine Code, and currently 32K miles on it..

[DSG4ME]

Is she an 08 or 58?

[Imizz]

Is she an 08 or 58?

last of the 08.. the guy i bought off said its a 140 sport, i noticed the red I and straight tail pipes on it, so went to VW Dealers and they confirmed it as 170 sport with BMR engine code.

[martin1810]

If you read this it will give you a better idea of what the dpf is for and what it is doing.
www.aa-academy.com/Training/Learning%20Zone/Diesel%20Particulate%20Filter%20(DPF).asp

If you have a dpf and don't read this you could end up with serious bills.

[Imizz]

If you read this it will give you a better idea of what the dpf is for and what it is doing.
www.aa-academy.com/Training/Learning%20Zone/Diesel%20Particulate%20Filter%20(DPF).asp (http://www.aa-academy.com/Training/Learning%20Zone/Diesel%20Particulate%20Filter%20%28DPF%29.asp)

If you have a dpf and don't read this you could end up with serious bills.

thanks, have printed it out to read later on..lol cheers

[Stuart W]

Are you a rank car or do you have it running for hours at a time chasing the radio?

I assume you've not had any dpf issues yet then? and is yours a PD or CR engine, I suspect it's a PD due to age.


It's a sport I'm after right now, dealer keeps ringing me with offers, but until I can be 100% confident this car can live with the Superb I have I'm shy to release the folding, plus an 09 Highline is only 2k more to buy, so in view of potential probs I might be better off having the newer car tbh, even though I don't really like the H/L model over the Sport.

I know a taxi driver who had a Superb with the 140 PD DPF and he had no end of problems with the filter, although he did a lot of long distance stuff.

The Skoda dealer - who shift most of their motors to taxi drivers - told him that Skoda had told them not to sell any more of that engine to taxi drivers because the DPF was incompatible with stop-start, short urban driving.

Anyway, his problem was resolved when the oil pump thingy went at around 90,000 miles and cause 'catastrophic engine failure', the engine was rebuilt under warranty, but I don't think he kept it long after that.

He then got one of the earliest new-style Superbs with the 170 CR lump, which I think has a DPF.

Not sure what Skoda's view on this one was, but I'll get round to asking him sometime!

[DSG4ME]

Cheers Stu.


This is why I've been doing a lot of asking, the oil pump drive is a real issue in the 2.0 PD's, and his DPF experience is the reason I'm loath to buy a car with one fitted, they might be ok on the CR's as the engine was designed with the DPF in mind, but the PD pre-dates the DPF tech, and it looks like a make do effort imo, it's funny how the 1.9 PD in all BHP's is so reliable and yet they added 100cc and 10 bhp to it, and all of a sudden it became a reputation killer, I'm unsure if it's user error but 2 of the Octy owning lads at work both have a ring of oil around the oil filler suggesting either a messy mechanic, or the engine is blowing it.

[Dook]

My 170 sport is an 07, just come up to 3 years old, 37k miles, with DSG. No problems with DPF whatsoever, in fact, no problems with anything whatsoever, aprt form the obligatory glovebox squeek! I do a 20 mile commute, some of which is stop start, but the bits in between I do tend to hoof it a bit!