cliffcoggin

If having the heater on maximum prevents the problem, it is likely because it is the only effective way to cool the engine, i.e. there is a fault in the engine cooling system. Years ago it was a well know way to prevent engine over heating when the radiator became blocked. Few motorists nowadays know about such tips.

It may just be a faulty oil pressure switch, but without a diagnosis you can't be certain.

Did you renew the filter at the same time as the oil? Are there any unusual knocking sounds under load? Is there any drop in performance? Is there any smoke from the exhaust?

Does that mean no cost to you?

I bet that pained the branch manager.

You need to be sure. Were they VCDS equivalent or just cheap Ebay purchases?

I suggest you get a proper diagnosis on a professional grade reader, before spending money at random on fixes that may or may not solve the problem. For what it's worth my guess is the DPF, but guesswork can waste an awful lot of money.

Thre'pence ha'penny?

Any comment Talek on the above responses, which I know you have seen?

That was the one I was asking about. From your description above it is evident there is no laser involved. It's just a gimmicky name for a stick with an adjustable stop. It sounds an ideal solution, though the name is a little deceptive.

Yes you have excessive pressure in the crankcase that is blowing the oil out, and it is nothing to do with the filler cap. The usual cause is the EGR (exhaust gas return) valve being blocked. A less likely cause is more blow past at the piston rings than the EGR can cope with, though that would give other symptoms such as smoke and poor performance.

Andrew/Dave. Both problems sound very like limp mode, which can happen without any warning lamps lighting up.

I agree, but it has to be admitted that finding the dipstick and checking the oil level is neither easy nor clean for anybody new to motoring.

That could be useful tip. Do you know if the level sensor need to be calibrated, or does it assume the existing level is correct and adapt itself to suit?

I believe regenerations trigger extra fuel via the normal engine injectors rather than a separate injector, but I am not certain. Let's wait for others to chip in.

Frank. I really can not believe 3/4 of a tank in 15 miles without badly affecting performance or generating enormous amounts of smoke. That equates to about one and a half miles per gallon if my arithmetic is correct! To my mind either the fuel is leaking at a considerable rate, which I am certain you would see, or the fuel guage is wrong. My money is on the fuel guage. I don't know easy it is to remove the sender from the fuel tank and replace it with a new one, but that may be the quickest way to prove the point. Ideally I would want to drain the tank then add a measured quantity of fuel before driving it until the tank is empty, but that's not really a practical proposition.

Only a little smokey? The sort of consumption you report should lead to rapid blocking of the DPF or a dense black impenetrable cloud behind the car which would get you stopped by the police. Is it possible the fuel guage is reading wrongly and the consumption is much less than you thought? Alternatively there may be a diesel leak from the fuel pipe only while the engine is running.

Very probably. It was in the BMW of a similar age that I briefly owned. Do let us know how you get on.

You may well have a leak caused for example by a blocked condenser or a faulty pressure switch. I suggest the same as Steve, an aircon specialist rather than a Kwikfit cowboy.

Mark. DAB has always been patchy depending on geography, so I guess it will be worse than normal in your region. Having said that, many radio reception faults are caused by a poor aerial connection so it would be worth checking yours as a first step.

Agreed, which I'll bear in mind for the future.

Many folk post video or audio recordings of strange sounds that can rarely be heard by us. Owners become attuned to the sound of their own cars, and can immediately hear odd sounds that others can not. Sorry, but I hear nothing but a harsh exhaust note.

Is what bearings? I see or hear nothing strange.

Do please let us know of success.

Sold three times Kev? That's a nice little earner.