# E90 330D Diesel Particle filter failure



## Dizzle77 (Mar 27, 2010)

I have a 2006 e90 330D Warning light came up a couple of weeks ago whilst on a long distance motorway trip. Since then I have taken the car to an independant BMW garage. They initiated a regen of the DPF then told me to drive the car for 20mins without turning the engine off. I did this, but wanring light still displayed

A few days ago I then took the car back to them. After connecting up the computer they realised that the regen had not initiated then told me that I would need to drive it on the motorway for this to happen. Once again, I did this, but I'm still getting the warning light.

My thoughts are that the DPF is completely knackered and may need replacing? These things aren't cheap though. Guy at garage reckons around £1200:doublesho

They have offered to remove the DPF and re-tune, but I'm not too keen on this solution. 

Any tips on what else I could do or is the only solution to replace the part?

cheers


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

If the dpf is knackered (ash/soot build up blocks it) then yes the only option is replace it or have it removed and then re tuned to to suit.
Its not a lifetime part sadly, some fords are every 75k miles for replacement intervals


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

Dizzle77 said:


> My thoughts are that the DPF is completely knackered and may need replacing? These things aren't cheap though. Guy at garage reckons around £1200:doublesho
> 
> They have offered to remove the DPF and re-tune, but I'm not too keen on this solution.


What is Your mileage? as if is low first I will look into why DPF failed, it may be just sensor around DPF faulty which is not to expensive.

And last why You not so keen on DPF delete ?


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Italian tune up?


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Ford 1.6 tdci it's a 75k service item and the lease companies don't always change them. They are a complete pain and the reason why come 76k they fall apart.

I'd have it gutted and remapped.


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## Dizzle77 (Mar 27, 2010)

Alzak said:


> What is Your mileage? as if is low first I will look into why DPF failed, it may be just sensor around DPF faulty which is not to expensive.
> 
> And last why You not so keen on DPF delete ?


The car has 105k on the clock now.

The reason why I am not too keen on the idea of having it removed is because to me the car needs it otherwise it wouldn't have been fitted in the first place. That's the way I see it, but I have limited knowledge of these sort of things. Also they said it would cost me around £700 to go down this route.

The car is already remapped.

Speaking of which the guy who did my remap a few years back (56k miles) did say that the DPF was throwing up error codes, but no warning lights ever came on - certainly not since I've owned the car anyway.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

The car doesn't need the dpf the euro nanny state says tht you must have it. All it does is cause problems.


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## Mike vas (Mar 28, 2012)

I have the same car mate and a member on few bmw forums. I've done a lot of reading into this. They come from factory with dpf to meet European regs etc. majority get them removed and mapped to suit to remove any error messaging etc. 
I'm planning to do the same when the time comes.


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## Dizzle77 (Mar 27, 2010)

I get you, but if the DPF is there burn away soot/particles from exhaust system, how will these particles be removed if the DPF no longer exists? Would they just build up and cause blockage later on down the line? Or is it the DPF that actually causes the blockage in the first place?


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## Mike vas (Mar 28, 2012)

Not sure exactly how it works. I guess it will just come out the back end. I know it can clog up faster if you only use it for short journeys etc that's why they need a good run on motorway now and again. 
I would join the forums if I were u. All the info is on there
Here u go 
www.bimmerforums.co.uk/
http://www.bmwland.co.uk/


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

The soot has always been there, even 15 years ago when peugoet started pushing diesels more technically. 15 years ago a diesel would run forever and would out last the rest of the car. Now, I'd put them down as being quite a lot less unreliable. Yes injectors have got more advanced but the way the modern diesel works is to recycle the crap it produces and try to burn it off, this one of the reasons why people mess with the egr system. This usually blocks up and also gums the turbo up.

All the dpf does is collect the soot and then when it feels like it the car will decide to burn it off by getting red hot and then washing it away with diesel. We have had 6 ford focus tdci's off hired because of the issues the dpf causes. One of the main problems is people think by opting for a diesel that they are saving money on fuel, but in town a little 1.0 petrol will be miles better on fuel than a 1.6 diesel. Diesels have there place, buses,trains and boats oh and pounding up and down the motorway all day every day. I've changed our pool cars to 1.2 petrol Polos, anything living in town and doing short journeys won't be diesel.

So if I was you I'd get the dpf off and get it mapped to suit. The car will feel better or it, produce more power and better mpg, the soot won't get collected, it will just get chucked out the back like it is supposed to. If you want a new dpf then I know on a focus they were just under £1000, it is a service part and by the time you put a BMW badge on it god knows how much it will be


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## borinous (Mar 25, 2010)

As a lot of people have said i would go down the DPF delete and re-tume mate. There isnt even anything on the MOT that checks this. its not like a De-Cat on a petrol engine where the emissions are affected and will get flagged on an MOT.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Brother in law had his one cleaned out £400 within few months same again so he got a pipe to replace it and remap from firm in Glasgow it's like a new car and fuel economy about same he is well pleased


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## Bigstuff (Mar 2, 2012)

yip - howk it out and map. 

Only risk is future MOT changes may check for it. You'll have time to punt it before that though.


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

Here you go, have a butchers at this !

http://www.ecotune-scotland.co.uk/p...57N_DPF_Removal_Pipe_Kit_No_Software_Included

http://www.ecotune-scotland.co.uk/p...ff_software_upgrade_iFlash_programmer_DPF_OFF


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

Dizzle77 said:


> The car has 105k on the clock now.
> 
> The reason why I am not too keen on the idea of having it removed is because to me the car needs it otherwise it wouldn't have been fitted in the first place. That's the way I see it, but I have limited knowledge of these sort of things. Also they said it would cost me around £700 to go down this route.
> 
> ...


Looks like Your DPF come to an end of its life ... 105k and remapped this can be Your answer ...

DPF is there to make green people from UE happy and obviously car manufactures when time for new one will come as You have to fork out usually something around £1.5k for new one ...

Get Your DPF removed by recommended tuner this way YOu will never see a dreaded DPF light again I removed mine about 9 months ago and this was best idea ever, no more lights no more worries simple as, juts make sure YOu do not drive to long with light on as You can damage turbocharger due to massive back pressure from blocked DPF.


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

Get Rid of the dpf its a waste of time and causes problems as if you only soon short journeys the car isn't able to clean the dpf, 

Remove it and map it out car will run better, as said above its only there to keep the EU happy, I would rather it comes out of the exhaust than block up internally


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I wouldn't remove it, i'd have it gutted. Then if they do change the MOT law it will look like its still there


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## Dizzle77 (Mar 27, 2010)

Thanks for the responses. Looks like I'll be getting the damn thing removed 

I've owned the car for nearly 4 years now. The vast majority of that time it's only really be used on long motorway runs. Just over a month ago I got a new contract in Manchester. The M62 run can be a nightmare at times, so I've been catching a train/tram to work everyday. The only thing is that I use the car every day to/from my local station which is 3.5miles away. Low and behold only a few weeks into this routine and the DPF chokes.

I know diesels aren't great for short journeys, so have already been thinking about what to do. Might get myself a bicycle for the daily train station trips. Will have to see how this new role goes. 

Thanks again :thumb:


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

If you get the dpf removed then short trips will no longer be a problem.


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forte-DPF-Cleaner-Regenerator-400ml/dp/B0061ATRK2 and one of these http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/p/839/forte-diesel-fuel-treatment.html?gclid=CJ_0w6C9qbYCFUbKtAodd1UAcg

in half a tank of fuel and a good run using higher revs and it will be fine!


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## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

You have quite correctly identified the real reason for the DPF failure it doesn't take much to clog them as when cold the engine does produce masses of sooty emissions.

It is OK to remove it, the car then functions like a Euro IV diesel instead of Euro V version and is perfectly same as long as the company carrying out the works is reputable and know BMW software correctly.

Best of luck with the removal /remap it need not affect a single thing on the car if done well.


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## Dizzle77 (Mar 27, 2010)

SteveTDCi said:


> If you get the dpf removed then short trips will no longer be a problem.


Ye true, but wouldn't mind getting cheap bicycle anyway solely for the bit of extra exercise


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

http://www.oilem.com/content/136-dpf-cleaners-dpf-cleaning.html


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