DPF panic!!

[MLC788]

Had my 62 plate A6 s line black Edition for just over a week now has 115k on clock and feels and looks mint full Audi history and been looked after but everyone I know keeps banging on about dpf’s. This is my first ever newish diesel so have no experience with them. My journey to work is about 10 mins so just as the car gets up to temp I have to switch it off then at the weekend I take it for a gd blast but recently have noticed the heater getting hot pretty quick and when I get home after 10 mins driving the fans are coming on....anyone know if this sounds normal or could be sign of dpf block? Have no warning lights on dash and car doesn’t feel down on power 

cheers 

[Steve Q]

Welcome to the forum Matt, you'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch :) 

The short answer is that Its normal. Your a6 is doing a dpf regeneration which basically means it's burning the soot (particulates) off the dpf. In order for the regeneration to take place the fans have to be on to cool the engine. 

A warning light would come on the dash to let you know if the dpf was clogging up with soot which wasn't being burnt off. 

As long as the car is getting a good motorway run once a week then you'll be fine. You say your journey to work takes 10mins. What kind of roads are you driving on? 

Cheers

Steve

[MLC788]

Hi mate thanks for reply that’s very helpful and kind of put my mind to rest and hopefully can start to enjoy the car now 🙄.....my journey to work is all urban but I do occasionally go the long way home on the fast roads, why’s that mate? People on dpf sites saying don’t take for blast coz can make it worse surely that’s only when it’s doing a regen?

[Steve Q]

Glad I could help :) 

Well I worked in.a volkswagen service department and we would advise customers thar the engine needs to get up to a good temperature. The best place to do that is on a motorway or duel carriageway. Regardless of the dpf or not it's never good for an engine not to get up to motorway speeds. 

Cheers

Steve

[MLC788]

Yeah true....thanks mate will hopefully have a long and prosperous future with Audi 😃

cheers

matt

[Envy]

Hi Matt - Diesels hate short runs but this should not be a problem as long as the regenerations are permitted to complete. Is yours an auto or manual gearbox? The reason i ask is that mine is auto and very seldom gets run past 2k revs short shifting for economy. When mine is doing a regen the only real indication I see is the engine ticking over, when the car is at rest, at 1k revs instead of 800. When I do notice this what I do is put the drive mode into sport so the revs are kept higher before shifting - increased engine revs = more heat and gas flow to assist with the regeneration process. If yours is a manual then just hold onto each gerar a little longer before shifting up.

I used to worry about shutting the car down when parking up at a destination but the car seems to be able to cope with this and commences regens on the next journey. Yours may regen more often due to the shorter journeys. 

[MLC788]

Hi mate 

thanks for reply mine is manual and I do try and and stay in gears even when it’s telling to change up lol this does cane diesel tho but if it sorts the dpf out I don’t mind. I drive a truck all day and that has a light that goes on then off when regen how come Audi hasn’t? I have no idea when it’s doing a regen 

[Envy]

I think a light on the dash would just raise more concern and questions with many Audi owners - there is a trade off between DPF maintenance and economy- I heard that keeping gas flow up is critical hence the more spirited driving.

Note the higher tickover speed of the engine. I try and keep mine between 2 and 2.5k revs when I believe it is in regen mode - easier for me as 70% of my driving is on Motorways although I do also enjoy a spirited A road drive once in a while. 

 

 

[MLC788]

Will look out for idle revs. It’s in Audi for belt, pump and service in 2 weeks 💷💷💷😩 will ask if they can run a check on dpf tbh honest previous owner may have done it but I have no idea of finding out 

[Tomo1971]

Personal opinion - DPF's are not as bad as the first generation ones. I had some trouble with the first dpf equipped car (Skoda vRS PD) but have had none with current Skoda Yeti and Seat Altea - even though they are both used on shorter journeys most the week. 

If you are concerned, you can get cheap ODB dongles and an app that will give a reading on how 'full' the DPF is. My Skoda is at 25% full at 94k and the SEAT at 75% full at 65k - the Skoda, until recently been used on longer commutes of several hundred miles. 

[Beezil]

On 31/01/2018 at 6:36 AM, MLC788 said:

Yeah true....thanks mate will hopefully have a long and prosperous future with Audi 😃

cheers

matt

If you're worried about the DPF even whilst it's fine, get yourself some Forte DPF Cleaner from Amazon. It'll only cost around £15 and is just a fuel additive. I've had several friends who've ended up with DPF light staying on and the garage have told them it's a new DPF needed. When they've chucked a bottle of this through and gave the car a good thrashing, low and behold the light has gone out! And if it doesn't work, it's cost you £15.

[MLC788]

Hi Beezil

thanks for the reply bud....I put some Cataclean in it the other week and all seems to be fine. Trying not to do short trips especially in this cold weather.

Tomo1971 thanks for reply mate will check out dongle seems like a plan am intreaged to know how full it is as she’s done 117k 😳 

cheers

 

[Parky4]

Hi everyone this group looks really helpful I’ve got 2015 a6 avant 3.0tdi 

I’ve had engine light on and glow plug light flashing 

faults showing are dpf related they will clear but come back on again 

I’ve not had a dpf light come up on dash to tell me the filter is blocked 

Not noticed a regen recently so tried to force one but it say can’t do it for safety reasons 

anyone got any ideas or bad similar problems 

[Envy]

Just had a second temperature sensor replaced in DPF section of exhaust. When they fail they flag up the Glow Plug warning light flashing. At around £120 they are not a disposable and mine have failed around the 75k miles mark. Get the codes read and it will identify if it is a temp. sensor and which one 

[Mitch78]

On 10/10/2022 at 3:06 PM, Envy said:

Just had a second temperature sensor replaced in DPF section of exhaust. When they fail they flag up the Glow Plug warning light flashing. At around £120 they are not a disposable and mine have failed around the 75k miles mark. Get the codes read and it will identify if it is a temp. sensor and which one 

Hi all,  I have a6 2017 C7 2.0 190bhp, Glow Plug warning light flashing Car just covered 80k miles would that be the same sensor or something else?  

4 Faults Found:
4698 - ROD - Unknown Error Code 
          - 00 [032]
          Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear

4699 - ROD - Unknown Error Code 
          - 00 [032]
          Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear

21378 - ROD - Unknown Error Code 
          - 00 [096]
          Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
             Freeze Frame:

5170 - ROD - Unknown Error Code 
          - 00 [032]
          Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
             Freeze Frame:

 

[Envy]

Hi Mitch, unfortunately I did not get to see the actual codes that were being logged. Just a very helpful Audi specialist who read the codes and was able to fix the issue. It is possible that the flashing glow plug lamp on the dash could indicate a multitude of faults but in each case mine were the emissions temperature sensors. 

Hope it is something simple.

Tom

[Mitch78]

Finally  get the quote from garage £197 boost pressure sensor. I know is easy job but left them to do it. Sensor itself from audi garage is £78 diagnostic was £40 they mention about hose to the sensor need replace to (about £15-20) so look like the job cost about £50-60.

[Steve Q]

2 hours ago, Mitch78 said:

Finally  get the quote from garage £197 boost pressure sensor. I know is easy job but left them to do it. Sensor itself from audi garage is £78 diagnostic was £40 they mention about hose to the sensor need replace to (about £15-20) so look like the job cost about £50-60.

Glad you got sorted 🙂