DPF - Diesel Particulate Filter is a filter that works in the exhaust system of newer diesel vehicles to reduce emissions by capturing and storing soot. Because the DPF is clogged with soot, it sometimes needs to be burned out. At this point your vehicle will undergo DPF regeneration.
You may have experienced an orange light on your dashboard that looks like an exhaust pipe with small circles in it. When this happens, the vehicle will let you know that the filter is starting to clog, and you have to drive for long periods of time at higher speeds to allow the exhaust to heat up and burn the soot. If everything is fine with your vehicle, 45 minutes is usually enough.
(Depending on the system your vehicle has) There is a fuel injector that adds fuel to the DPF to bring it to a higher temperature. When this happens, you may notice an increase in engine idle speed when stationary. The car should not be turned off when this happens, as soot accumulation will become higher if the program is interrupted.
When a DPF becomes clogged to the point that it can no longer regenerate itself, it will typically go into limp mode and emit a check engine light. This could leave you stranded on the side of the road or on the highway with no choice but to call a tow truck and take the car to a repair shop for a forced regeneration. Most of the time, they can do a forced regeneration, burn the soot out of the DPF, and you're good to go.
This is where car scan tools come in, saving you money and time getting your vehicle off the road. The scan tool allows you to view data on the DPF and also perform forced regeneration yourself.
To perform a forced regeneration, you will need a full system scan tool. Please contact us to ensure your vehicle make and year is covered.
We highly recommend the MK808BT Pro as you can keep it plugged in to monitor DPF soot levels, or keep it in the glove box and use it as needed.
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