Mercedes A180d 2017 model. DPF question.

[Salty seadog]

The engine light came on the other day, solid amber.

RAC diagnosed a DPF differential pressure sensor fault. The report had the word implausible after this sentence.

The next day the light went out.

Am I in the clear?

Cheers SSD.

 

[Drago]

Its a Renault engine, so quirky lights coming on and then disappearing once they've got you worried are quite likely.

 

[Salty seadog]

Its a Renault engine, so quirky lights coming on and then disappearing once they've got you worried are quite likely.

It is indeed A Renault engine,

I don't want to see that light on ever again after ignition.

 

[midlife]

I guess it has an obd 2 port. Cheap lead / dongle and phone app to check?

 

[Salty seadog]

I guess it has an obd 2 port. Cheap lead / dongle and phone app to check?

It will be OBD2 I'm sure. I would hope the RAC have better than a phone app.

 

[RoubaixCube]

From my quick googling its a sensor that tells the car to start 'DPF Regeneration' which basically amounts to something like trying to blast all the soot from the filter if the sensor detects it becoming clogged and building backpressure and backpressure isnt a good thing.

Im not a qualified mechanic by any means but Ive been told the best way to clear a DPF filter is to take the car and go for a more spirited ride down the motorway. Drive it for about an hour if possible but the idea is that the heat cycling of the DPF burns up or blasts out all the soot that could be potentially clogging it up.

if the light comes back up after that. Take it to a dealership or a mechanic you trust who can have a closer look at it. Maybe the sensor is faulty.

 

[CXRAndy]

Or scrap it and buy EV

 

[biggs682]

Or scrap it and buy EV

And have some other warning light come on that causes concern after some usage , swapping to an EV is not the answer to all problems.

 

[rogerzilla]

Modern diesels are only really suitable if you do a lot of high speed mileage (e.g. motorways). Otherwise the DPF tends to clog.

 

[Drago]

Were on our third scalextric car and ive yet to become one of the insufferable EV prats. Permission granted in advance to slap me if I start talking in a smug adenoidal voice when discussing EVs, and start carrying a tartan thermos everywhere.

I'd obtain a cheap ELM327 dongle and download torque pro, scan for codes.

 

[sleuthey]

With anything DPF related, I would undertake an "Italian Tune-up". Take it to a motorway/dual carriageway when quiet and drive for 20 mins in a low ish gear at 3000 revs.

 

[CXRAndy]

And have some other warning light come on that causes concern after some usage , swapping to an EV is not the answer to all problems.

Pretty much is. Diesels when cleaning out the dpf, burn and emit billions of particulates. To do this, drive at high revs to raise the dpf to high temps.

EVs never need to clean up their emissions

 

[biggs682]

Pretty much is. Diesels when cleaning out the dpf, burn and emit billions of particulates. To do this, drive at high revs to raise the dpf to high temps.

EVs never need to clean up their emissions

And suffer range anxiety.....

 

[CXRAndy]

And suffer range anxiety.....

Any EV capable of 200 miles before recharge never need to worry. If you sign up to Tesla with their app, you can use the best network in the world

 

[fossyant]

Keep the EV waffle to EV threads, this is about DPF issues. It's unfortunate but the DPF and Ad-blue systems cause all sorts of issues when they fail, and they do. Usually aren't cheap to fix either.

You may want to get something like an Autel ODB2 reader, about £120 - they do a lot more than the cheap ones.