[ca2del]

So far, so good. Got another hour long run tonight, and that'll be the 300th mile without a light.

First DPF fault code still appears after ever reset, though.

[ca2del]

I spoke too soon.

Within 10 minutes of the run, the DPF warning appeared.

Now showing 480A and 481A on the fault codes. I'll reset again, and then I think it's time to try the method I reposted above.

Interestingly enough, the backpressure fault hasn't reappeared... just the 2 DPF codes.

[Danny.B.]

did you use any of the cleaner?

[ca2del]

All of it. I used a 100ml shot of JLM DPF Cleaner the day before I cleared the codes, so... 27th Feb.

I'm now down to just under half a tank of fuel with it in.

[ca2del]

Hopefully this'll be the final update from me regarding my DPF :-)

So, in short, I'm now very confident that the issue is now fixed, and the DPF is as 'clean' as it needs to be to perform active regeneration when needed.


Firstly, here's what I've learned:

• Fault code 480A is caused by increased backpressure at DPF. Once this fault is logged, the DPF will NOT attempt regenerate. It will also abort any regen currently ongoing.

• Fault code 481A is caused by significantly increased backpressure. Once this is logged, the iDrive or OBC will log "Particle Filter! Possible to continue journey..." This will reappear within 10 minutes of engine being switched on, provided 481A is present.

• Coolant temperature must be above 75'C for any regeneration to be attempted (this can be checked via OBC hidden menu)

• Exhaust temperature must be 200'C for any regeneration to be attempted (this cannot be checked via OBC)

• A speed of 40mph (in 5th) is sufficient for an active (self) regeneration.

• At 40mph, on a level road, fuel consumption will be significantly increased during regeneration (for example, from 50mpg before regen, to 30-35mpg during regen - as displayed on swing-meter)

• A DPF cleaner (additive) will help the DPF regenerate. It lowers the exhaust soot burn-off temperature from ~450'C to ~200'C, meaning the filter may begin to burn off soot even under normal driving conditions.

• A DPF cleaner (additive) will not solve a DPF warning on it's own. Once the cleaner has run through the system in a tank of fuel, the car must be able to regenerate. Otherwise you are back to square-one.

• The amount of fuel in the tank must be above a certain level. Some say 10ltrs, in my experience this was more like 40-50ltrs)

Here's what I did, this morning.

1. Drove for 20 minutes at a normal pace, to warm the engine to >75'C
   • "Particle Filter!" warning appeared.
2. On a quiet A-road, I began driving at a steady 40mph (cruise control set)
3. Read fault codes;
   • 480A, 481A present.
4. Cleared codes
   • 480A appeared within 10 seconds.
5. Cleared codes
   • MPG dropped from 50 to 30 immediately.
   • 480A appeared within 20 seconds
   • MPG returned to 50MPG immediately.
6. Cleared codes
   • MPG dropped from 50 to 30 immediately.
   • 480A appeared within 40 seconds
   • MPG returned to 50MPG immediately.
7. Cleared codes
   • MPG dropped from 50 to 30 immediately.
   • 480A did not reappear
   • After 15 minutes, MPG returned to 50+

I drove for another 30 miles, and 480A did not appear. Fuel consumption has gone from an average of 35-40mpg (displayed on iDrive) to 54mpg.

I think it's over...

[Danny.B.]

I just tried this too Dean as i had the 080A code still (assume its the same as had 081A when my dash light came on) i tried the reset code thing about 20 bloody times, car would seem to push on and then mpg dropped to 30 for 2 seconds then back to 50+

Couldnt get it to bugger off, untill i got on the motorway again at 80mpg in 6th. 40miles of this and then a drive home and it has not come back on my code reader (please note my DPF light hasnt come on since i put the dpf cleaner in, i was just curious as to if i still had the remaining code left that you had)

Didnt see my mpg drop from 50 at all though apart from gradients so not sure if it was doing a regen or if it even needs to do one

My DPF cleaner was 400ml so queit a few ml more then the one you used, so im hoping it has done the trick?

So far so good..

[ca2del]

That's good news.

I was wondering what 480A was all about, and when the light reappeared after 300+ miles, it was obvious it still wasn't doing active regen.

480A is still not present, so I think we're all good for now.

For what it's worth, the car felt very different when I drove it this evening. Very eager to rev, and almost fun again :-)

[pearse9000rpm]

may i ask how you's reset'ed the fault codes
and how yous were able to tell the actual fault code numbers
and how you knew which each fault cosde number referred to eg backpressure etc

thanks

[ca2del]

Originally Posted by pearse9000rpm

may i ask how you's reset'ed the fault codes
and how yous were able to tell the actual fault code numbers
and how you knew which each fault cosde number referred to eg backpressure etc

thanks

You may,

The first time I got the codes read/ reset at a local garage. It cost £35, and they provided the code and description.

After that, I bought a K+DCAN cable and software from eBay ( check my K+DCAN thread for details ), and that allowed me to read / clear whenever I wanted.

Dean

[pearse9000rpm]

ok thanks

[bazz780]

My experience of the dpf 400ml cleaner,

I have recently replaced both stats and occasionally notice the dpf regen on my car despite mainly doing local journeys.

As a precautionary measure i added this to my tank yesterday before heading off on a 100 mile journey. Immediately upon hitting the motorway in cruise control, i noticed he mpg needle swing from 50mpg to 20mpg, it stayed like this for a couple of miles before hitting 50mpg again, didnt notice anything else throughout the motorway run. All my journey the car showed min 46mpg and one point hit 50.4mpg (i have never seen these figures)

Upon exiting the motorway and driving through the local roads the car felt much more responsive and eager to rev as well as free flowing.

Today i drove local and car feels much better than before and deffo more responsive and improved mpg.

Looks like the dpf cleaner has done its work even though no light or codes were present.

Thanks for reading

[jonl1983]

Are you guys using Forte or JLM?

[bazz780]

Originally Posted by jonl1983

Are you guys using Forte or JLM?

Forte

[mistryn]

Just out of interest would you guys reccomend to use forte dpf cleaner when you have dpf issues? or could you use it as preventative measure?

The reason why I ask is my car is coming up to 101k miles and frequently do short journeys and thinking of using it as a maintenece

I have read on some models there is a indicator within the idrive for the particulate filter, as mine does not have this, when you connect it up to laptop/software/cable. does it show how long you have got to go on the dpf?

[marchurley]

On my 335d the DPF light came one a week ago. I have been doing shorter runs of late.
Anyway I read the advice on this and other forums and I took the car for a motorway spin today, about 70mph throughout and kept the engine coolant temp above 75 degrees all the way (drove in 4th mostly) for about 90 mins, I was pushing the car at every opportunity to keep the temp up, it was about 80 degrees on avg.
I didn't notice the car performance change at all so I was dubious that a regen had occurred.

After stopping and starting on the way home the light came on after a few miles, as it does every time I drive it now.

Was this the wrong approach to encourage a regen? Should I be doing steady motorway driving?
AND do I need to get the cable and clear the error before I take it for a driver to encourage a regen?

thanks.

[ca2del]

Originally Posted by marchurley

Was this the wrong approach to encourage a regen? Should I be doing steady motorway driving?
AND do I need to get the cable and clear the error before I take it for a driver to encourage a regen?

In my experience, the light is the 2nd stage warning. The 1st stage is an error code (480a) which is caused by increased backpressure at the exhaust.

Once the 1st stage (480a code) is present, the car *will not attempt to regenerate*. The 2nd stage (481a code + iDrive warning about DPF) requests a trip to the dealer. Once this is in place, it reappears after 10 minutes of the engine being started.

Thankfully, I have not experienced the 3rd stage, which I suspect would be a bigger flashier warning, and 'limp mode'.



As you have the 480a and 481a codes present (indicated by the DPF warning on dash), then you only have a few choices to make, imo:

1) take it to a garage and leave it with them until it's fixed.
2) go to a garage and ask them to read / clear the codes while you drive at 40mph-ish for 30mins
3) buy a K+DCAN cable and have a friend read / clear the codes while you drive at 40mph-ish for 30 mins

I chose 3), because I didn't have any luck with 2), and I couldn't afford 1).

Dean

[marchurley]

Well I cant afford option 1 either so I will attempt option 3.

SO I get a cable, hook up to a laptop, and drive while someone else watches, and clears the errors you mentioned, any further info on this procedure?
thanks,

[marchurley]

Elsewhere I have read some recommendations on replacing thermostats in the case of a DPF error, any thoughts on this?

thanks again.

[briers]

As you did the motorway trip and it reached a high enough temp for a regen to take place the thermostats aren't really the problem here.

I do short trips too, usually once every tank or 2 I take it on a longer journey or m-way and within 10 mins it holds onto a gear, rpm stays around 2k in D mode, it's that at 70mph anyway. The temps go from 84 to about 92c and the mpg goes from 50 to 30.

It doesn't sound like this happened for you.

I would leave it in D when trying to force a regen. In 4th its over revving on the motorway and using incredibly light loading which isn't going to generate enough heat.

Only option left is dpf cleaner.

Out of interest have these short trips been daily and for how long / how many tanks?

[ca2del]

Originally Posted by marchurley

Elsewhere I have read some recommendations on replacing thermostats in the case of a DPF error, any thoughts on this?

thanks again.

I replaced my EGR thermostat ( here's my thread ) but only because the OBC hidden menu was showing my temps at 59'C during average runs.

Replacing this 'stat gave temps of around 78 - 80'C, which was fine for the regen.


I also used a DPF additive, but it didn't work on it's own.


I needed to use the cable to clear the error codes during a run. I had to clear them about 6 or 7 times before they stopped reappearing, and an active regen kicked in (you can tell, if you're looking for it).

[ca2del]

Originally Posted by marchurley

Well I cant afford option 1 either so I will attempt option 3.

SO I get a cable, hook up to a laptop, and drive while someone else watches, and clears the errors you mentioned, any further info on this procedure?
thanks,

Essentially, yes. Although that's a very simplified overview.

• Get a cable; find a K-DCAN cable on ebay (here's my thread)
• Hook up to a laptop; you'll probably get INPA software with the cable, but it's not a straightforward install. it's possible, though, clearly.
• drive and clear the errors; simple as that - just clear the codes every time one appears - they'll begin to appear more slowly as the backpressure begins to decrease

[BAT5673]

Originally Posted by Danny.B.

Well its been a couple of days now so i thought id post where i am currently!

I spoke to a few garages about different techniques of clearing a DPF. One bmw specialist told me they didnt want to force a regen as itll run whilst the car was stationary as i posted in a video in here.

They said they either replace the filter or put some cleaner in the tank and charge me 2hours labour for the honour.

A well trusted friend who has a garage also told me the same!

So i bit the bullet and purchased the forte dpt cleaner, with baited breath i poured it in!

I then headed to my nearest motorway 30miles away. The light came on as i expected, but before joinig the motorway i pulles into the services and cleared the codes (i did this with the engine running for the first time... Wether this helped i dont know?)i then did around 40miles at a constant 80leptons and guess what.... The light has not returned!

Only a smell of eggy crap and the dpf cleaner! So hoping thia has cleared it out!

Ive since done an extra 70miles with no light so 110 all in!

So ive paid ten pounds for bmw specialist to read and clear several codes and 15 pounds for the dpf xleaner and fingers crossed all is well!

Also just to add im seeing 83/84 on my temp now in 6th as opposed to the 78 i reached in 4th

@DannyB,

HOW DID YOU actually Clear the codes? Did you use a OBD or the sort?