Non VW …but car related advice required.

[YellowBay69]

Hello good people of the Early Bay Forum , I’m calling upon you for your help and support. I own a2010 Seat Alhambra 2l Diesel. She’s a big old bird that has a hard life ferrying the family around. I recently needed to replace rear bulb only to find out so need a special tool to undo the light cluster. Local garage didn’t have it so MrsG booked it into VW garage for replacement bulb. Which they did. But then they said it needed a software update insisting that it should be done. MrsG pointed out it was a 14 year old car and is running fine .. did it need to have it done. But blokey insisted.
As soon as she got it back there were a myriad of engine warning lights on and car was really underpowered. She doesn’t drive fast and it’s an automatic so wasn’t until I took it out and drove I realised something was wrong. It wasn’t in full limp mode - just felt it was only a 1ltr engine pulling a 2tonne car.
Took it back and they said they didn’t know what was wrong. Then few days later they said that DPF internals had been removed.

I have had 2 mot at 2 different mot stations and never failed on emissions test.
Looked at full mot history and car never failed on emissions at all in past.

So simple question is can a 10 year old diesel car pass emissions test with no dpf???

Previous owner was housewife with family too.

Just feel a bit helpless and like I don’t trust this VW garage at all.

 

[YellowBay69]

Well made a lot of enquiries and turns out a car can pass it’s mot without a dpf filter.
So turns out i’ve bought a car without a dpf

 

[Velgreeno]

I would try and help but i have no idea what a dpf is ha. I have only just got my head around watches you can use to pay things on . True story ha. Only thing i would say is surely the garage should have known that its not an mot fail and sounds like they are on the make ? Is that a vw dealer garage ?

 

[YellowBay69]

Ha …. diesel particulate filter. Sits in exhaust and collects nasties from exhaust gas … so that it can pass emissions.
Stupid thing is when it decides it wants to it just spits it all out in one go so it makes no difference whatsoever!!
Apparently when they regularly get clogged up people get them removed (internals only) then remap ecu to account for a 0 reading from the sensor. It’s illegal to do and illegal to use (£1000 fine) and can nil your insurance.
So - stupid Vw garage insisted on updating ecu and car gone into limp mode because it’s getting a 0 reading from the dpf.
Now stupid VW garage are having to pay some dodgy teenager to remap ecu to ignore dpf reading so I can get the car back in the drivable state it was in when I initially took it to them …. FOR A BULB CHANGE!!

 

[YellowBay69]

Anyone want a Seat Alhambra- very cheap

 

[NigelDenham]

I’m just having dpf issues this week on my transit custom. Nightmare…
Most people don’t even realise it’s there, but if you have problems they can be huge, e.g. Ford dealers have hinted the bill could be pushing 3 grand to replace that and the exhaust gas recirculation valve if I put it in there.
Garage up the road won’t touch them, as they’ve been bitten before with thinking they’ve fixed it then customers coming back in with the same problem.
However, I was told that it’s definitely an mot fail if it’s not working, and as you say, a very hefty fine if it’s discovered it’s actually been removed, so I can only guess that as all diesels have had to have them since 2015 maybe something older can get away with it?

 

[Velgreeno]

Ha …. diesel particulate filter. Sits in exhaust and collects nasties from exhaust gas … so that it can pass emissions.
Stupid thing is when it decides it wants to it just spits it all out in one go so it makes no difference whatsoever!!
Apparently when they regularly get clogged up people get them removed (internals only) then remap ecu to account for a 0 reading from the sensor. It’s illegal to do and illegal to use (£1000 fine) and can nil your insurance.
So - stupid Vw garage insisted on updating ecu and car gone into limp mode because it’s getting a 0 reading from the dpf.
Now stupid VW garage are having to pay some dodgy teenager to remap ecu to ignore dpf reading so I can get the car back in the drivable state it was in when I initially took it to them …. FOR A BULB CHANGE!!

Ahhh right ok. My god it sounds like you're having a time with it and really not good dude. How they getting on with fixing ?

 

[YellowBay69]

I’m just having dpf issues this week on my transit custom. Nightmare…
Most people don’t even realise it’s there, but if you have problems they can be huge, e.g. Ford dealers have hinted the bill could be pushing 3 grand to replace that and the exhaust gas recirculation valve if I put it in there.
Garage up the road won’t touch them, as they’ve been bitten before with thinking they’ve fixed it then customers coming back in with the same problem.
However, I was told that it’s definitely an mot fail if it’s not working, and as you say, a very hefty fine if it’s discovered it’s actually been removed, so I can only guess that as all diesels have had to have them since 2015 maybe something older can get away with it?

There are companies that do a cleaning service. Maybe worth checking out.

 

[andrewblackwell]

That’s true, a company in Hartlepool called Re-Nu do DPF cleaning using a kiln overnight at 600+ degrees, amongst loads of other useful car restoration services.
Our Clio with the K9K engine has been lit up on & off this year, suspecting DPF clogged or pipes to/from sensor being split/ clogged which gives same error. Pig to get to on a Clio, used an endoscope on the iPad to inspect for splits, looked OK so I tried a DPF cleaner called Forte which allegedly is the only one worth worth trying. 3 bottles used, so £45 spent before the light went out.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Not much help but.... I had a 530d 02 reg some years ago and my mrs used to drive it round town like an old dear for months on end, I then used to take it out and have a good laugh by flooring it on a dual carriageway and watching the giant cloud of black smoke behind me.
Some years later I realised what a DPF was

 

[Darren2030]

My lad has a Vw polo 2010 plate he bought last year for his first car only uses it small journeys to work so had endless problems with the dpf light on and getting clogged up. They need a good run out on a motorway at a certain speed for 30-40 mins prob once a month to regenerate themselves and clean out all the soot they build up, honestly they are a nightmare if only used around town or on small journeys.

 

[NigelDenham]

There are companies that do a cleaning service. Maybe worth checking out.

Tried that, but apparently the whole emissions system has self destructed in a circle of maliciousness! Needs EGR valve, the dpf has too high an ash level to clean, and there’s also a fuel vaporiser that’s there to aid the self-regenerating.
Just had their estimate today for £2190.
It’s only done 59k and has plenty of long journeys.

 

[YellowBay69]

 

[YellowBay69]

I feel your pain