DPF Experiences

Your experience of the Diesel Particulate Filter?

  • Never seen DPF lights, no problems

    Votes: 137 58.3%
  • Seen DPF lights, DPF cleared with no problems

    Votes: 56 23.8%
  • Seen DPF lights, had problems clear DPF

    Votes: 26 11.1%
  • Seen DPF lights, new DPF required covered by warranty

    Votes: 6 2.6%
  • Seen DPF lights, new DPF required NOT covered by warranty

    Votes: 15 6.4%

  • Total voters
    235

sm_allen

Guest
Having just ordered a FR TDI, I am very concerned about these DPF Stories. I would be very interested in everybodies real experiences.
 
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cuprascott

Leon FR DSG 150 Tdi
Nov 28, 2006
238
0
Ive had no problems but ive only done just over 1000 miles.

Maybe a bit publicity to watchdog on this might not be a bad thing on this discuss?
 

sm_allen

Guest
If we get a good response that indicates that there is a real problem, might be worth bring the problem to WatchDogs attention.
 
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JonoUK

Active Member
Apr 29, 2007
385
0
North Yorkshire
Would be a good idea for all those who vote post to describe what kind of milage/driving they've done in it too - especially those who've seen lights/had problems. Car Age/Milage/Driving Style

So here I go:
I voted - No problems.
Car Age - 7 months (owned by me from new)
Milage - Shade over 10,000 miles
Driving style - Mainly commuting 35 miles each way over mostly NSL A road or M-way (A19, A1M) occasionally forced to pootle along beind tractors and slow people = foot down as soon as I can overtake.

Not driven consistently hard, but don't feel the need to hang around if the road is clear.
 

cuprascott

Leon FR DSG 150 Tdi
Nov 28, 2006
238
0
I think the fact that this isnt covered by warrenty is disgusting. Certainly when i picked up the FR from the dealer nothing was mentioned around the DPF or certain ways to drive with it.
 

cuprascott

Leon FR DSG 150 Tdi
Nov 28, 2006
238
0
Good idea here goes

I voted - No problems.
Car Age - 2 months 57plate (owned by me from 59 miles)
Milage - Shade over 1000 miles
Driving style - 13 mile commute half along the motor way the rest round the town. Other than that short trips to the shops and the occasional blast.
 

JonoUK

Active Member
Apr 29, 2007
385
0
North Yorkshire
I think the fact that this isnt covered by warrenty is disgusting. Certainly when i picked up the FR from the dealer nothing was mentioned around the DPF or certain ways to drive with it.

I totally agree. Although it doesn't / hasn't affected me. I fear that too many people (1 is too many) will be mis-sold a car that plainly isn't right for them.
I'm sure people wouldn't have had a (such large) problem with the situation _IF_ it had been explicitly mentioned BEFORE the sale took place. ~10% of the value of the car is a horrific amount for the warranty not to cover, regardless of age/milage, especially since it's just not mentioned ever, apparently.
 

pr0ton

Newbie
May 28, 2006
127
0
I have now driven 7000 km's without any problems at all. *fingers crossed*.
About 70% 60-80 km/h, 20% 80-120km/h, and 10% 40-60 km/h. And I usually accelerate quite hard from the lights and crossings. Almost all of my trips are atleast 15-20km's.
 
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S8N

I posed thred yarp?
Apr 8, 2007
322
0
Manchester
I voted - No problems.
Car Age - 10 months 56plate (owned by me from 4000 miles)
Mileage - 9500 miles
Driving style - Mainly commuting 3 miles to work and back. Short runs to the shops and the occasional motorway run to friends/sunday morning jolly.

Considering that this engine is in the A3 and Golf GT, I think this is a bit scaremongering. There are tens of thousands of this engine out in the wild with a DPF with a small handful of problems. I think a lot is based on where you live and how you drive.

Even with my small commute (which is a maximum of 50mph for about 90 seconds at the best of times), there are plenty of opportunities for just about anyone to clear the DPF, you just need to let it rev. Use the DPF regeneration as an excuse to go for a run and give it the beans.

The engine is heavily tuned to deliver the improved performance over the 140. It needs the DPF to keep the emissions down. It says in the manual. I find it hard to be sympathetic when just about anyone can find some small area to rev it up a bit. That's the idea behind the car! :think:
 

FRTDI170

Guest
Done 15500 miles now (did 4000 as demo) and had DPF light on once. Gave it a blast on M62 and not seen it since. I do 10 mile commute each day split 50/50 between M62 and A roads....car is 'driven' at every opportunity, so that may help keep filter clear!!
 

TDI PEP

LEON MKII FR TDi
Apr 22, 2002
373
0
Ilkeston, Derbyshire
Visit site
Had my car 5 months and covered just under 10k miles now. Never seen the DPF light.
I work nights commute about 60 miles round trip mostly motorway and dual carriageway and my wife uses the car during day driving anything from 10-120 miles.
 

FRTDI170

Guest
My mate runs an A4 170 quattro - just spoken to him & he's had DPF light on a few times. Took it back to stealer and they initially told him to drive on motorway in 4th @ 50+ and it cleared it. Kept coming on, so he took it back again & they ran it for two weeks to test it. Didn't come on again, but interestingly he was told that if there was a fault it would be sorted under warranty. Whether they would have backtracked in the event of a fault.....
 

Richie D

Full Member
May 24, 2005
87
0
Shropshire
I think the fact that this isnt covered by warrenty is disgusting. Certainly when i picked up the FR from the dealer nothing was mentioned around the DPF or certain ways to drive with it.

Being a potential Leon/Altea FR owner next year can you answer these?
What is the correct way to drive with it?
It's not covered by warranty, have there been costs involved when people have had problems?

Cheers
Rich

I should have read this first..http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=146706
 
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yorkphil

Guest
I voted - No problems.
Car Age - 3 1/2 Months 07 Plate
Mileage - 5000 miles
Driving style - Mainly commuting 40 miles to work and back including a mix of Motorway and City (ie traffic jams)
 

Daz_25

Guest
voted - No problems.
Car Age - 1 month
Milage - 1200 miles
Driving style - Stop start commute to work of about 12 miles, then lots of small journeys during the day. The car gets to stretch its legs on the way home when I tend to really open it up.
 

leonfr170

Active Member
Jun 16, 2007
126
0
had my car approx 6 months now. done around 15,000 miles on it and drive 110miles/day on average.
have had the light come on and the car recovered to dealer. heres the fun bit - since i broke down and didn't book it in its being treated as a low priority and therefore bottom of the list of cars in. also, no courtesy car has been offered or provided and im being told they don't have any spare. won't know if its covered by warranty or not until they look at it so i have ticked both boxes. i spoke with seat UK earlier and explained the problems i ave had. they are looking into it but its not up to them if i can get a courtesy car or not. again, i wasn't told about the dpf issue at time of purchase and regularly drive it at over 50mph with 3,000 rpm so this should not be happening. the attitude f both the dealer i have been to and Seat UK stinks as they are treating it as my problem and not theirs.
there will be some fun and games if i find out i have to pay for any repair work i can tell you[:@]
 

Jace

Sneaker Freaker
Whats a DPF light :D


Done 3500 miles so far, never once has it come on. [B)]


I think the DPF is more suited to M'way drivers than townies, mine gets a 35mile run twice a day, & the odd few miles run now & again, I always wait until the temp guage is at 90 before giving it some too, allows the car to warm up correctly.


Based on this, I will be having her mapped in the near future, well actulay, once I've sorted the garden decking out, its next on the list :funk:
 

mister.c.

mister.c.
Jul 5, 2004
494
1
Considering that this engine is in the A3 and Golf GT, I think this is a bit scaremongering. There are tens of thousands of this engine out in the wild with a DPF with a small handful of problems. I think a lot is based on where you live and how you drive.:

For those who were not aware, some thoughts from the A3 community over at Audi Sport. Its a long thread (and not all directly relevant for the DPF) but essentially Leon owners are not alone.

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=37777
 

OLDOILER

Full Member
Jul 28, 2005
1,292
1
Wiltshire, UK
dpf light

Voted no DPF lights
15K miles, mixed bag of driving remapped at 11k goes to regen mode quite a lot some of my travels at three figures and had ecu derating using a Shell V diesel. Have changed my driving habbits and now seldom use 5/6th gears unless on motorway/ fast road.
The warranty issue is VERT subjective and the dealership - mine with accept the first failure thereafter its subject to negosciation.
Also had a problem with mpg and and Dealership got 50mpg - ac off and 4th gear at 65mph [that meets Seats requirements!!]
 

john q

Guest
new fr

hi all im ment to be picking up my new fr 170 tomorrow not sure im looking forward to much now with all these problems??