Cars without a DPF
A list of cars without a DPF. The fitting of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) became compulsory during the introduction of Euro 5 emissions legislation introduced in 2008 although some larger Diesel engines used in Automatics and 4×4’s had DPF’s fitted much earlier in order to comply with EU4, and more confusingly DPF’s were also offered as a customer specified factory option by some manufacturers.
All vehicle manufacturers had completely complied with the legislation on new car designs by the end of 2010, although some legacy vehicles using engines designed prior to DPF’s becoming mandatory were allowed to continue to fit them on some production runs until 2011, which means that finding a brand new diesel car without a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) fitted is now largely impossible, and the recent introduction of Euro VI now means that newer diesels are using SCR (Adblue Additive) based systems, which in some cases carry just as many problems as the earlier Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF). However some improvements have been made too, such as on the newly introduced VAG 2.0 Tdi launched in 2015
Since removing the DPF in the UK and most of Europe is now illegal and in the UK *may* also leave you open to prosecution and insurance cover being voided, so the only option if you want to avoid the whole DPF fiasco (and the associated expense it brings), is to buy an older diesel car, under 2.5L and which was manufactured before the Euro V regulations.
Its worth noting that a lot of car manufacturers began fitting early versions of the DPF well before 2008, this was down to the fact that some larger engine cars, and those fitted with Automatic gearboxes, struggled to meet the earlier Euro 4 emissions standards or made the changes early in readiness for EU5, and so you are likely to find the DPF systems fitted to some larger engine cars and 4×4’s manufactured as early as 2004, and in the case of Citroen’s and Peugeot, their version of the DPF (FAP) appeared on their early HDi engines in 2002. However, the FAP system on HDI engines seem to be more reliable than the later systems fitted by other manufacturers due to the additive which is added to each tank of fuel, but even then they are not problem free or any cheaper to fix when (rather than if) they go wrong.
Cars without a DPF.
Here is a list that I have compiled of diesel engine cars, which are not believed to have DPF systems fitted. This list was compiled during a seven month period whilst I decided which older DPF free car to buy and is the result of contacting the manufacturers in order to obtain the information, but even so it is not exhaustive and should be considered as a work in progress and I will be add to it as facts are established and comments left.
BMW Cars without a DPF – E36 & E46 320D Models do not have a DPF and the E90 163BHP models also did not have a DPF fitted, until the 177BHP engine was rolled out in 2007. This also applies to the detuned 2.0 318D engine. The 118D and 120D are the same engines as used in the 3 series, although the 123D had a DPF factory fitted from its release. All X1’s are fitted with DPF’s
Pre 2004 330D, 530D & 525D, X5 models do not have DPF’s fitted – DPF’s appeared on 3.0D models from MY 2005.
Diesel Particulate Filters were fitted to the X3 2.0D from around MY2005, all X3 3.0D engines have DPF’s
BMW’s also have a cosmetic method of identifying whether a Particulate filter (DPF) is present, assuming that a standard non modified exhaust is fitted, BMW cars which have straight exhaust tailpipes have DPF’s fitted, those without DPF’s have a tailpipe which points slightly downward.
Mercedes Cars without a DPF – All pre 2003 models do not have DPF’s. Some 220cdi series cars had DPF’s randomly fitted in 2004 and 2005 production years, but this was put on hold due to negative customer feedback, and so most late 2005 to Early 2008 C220cdi cars did not have DPF’s fitted.
The ML320CDI and 280CDI had a DPF fitted from early 2006, and it is believed that all of the 280CDI and 320CDI 3.0L engines shared the same introduction date. The previous Mercedes ML270 CDI didn’t have a diesel particulate filter, nor did any Mercedes model using the same 5 cylinder diesel engine.
VW Cars without a DPF – All early 1.9L 69bhp, 90bhp, 105bhp, 110bhp, 130bhp & 150bhp TDI, SDI and 140bhp PD TDI engines do not have DPF’s fitted and neither did the early 2.5tdi V6 engines before 2005.
The later 140bhp CR engine did not have a DPF fitted until around 2007 / 2008 Note:- all of the 170BHP versions of the 2.0 TDI engine do have a DPF.
All VAG 1.6 Tdi engines have DPF systems fitted.
The 3.0 TDI VW Phaeton also did not have a DPF present until around 2005 /6, at the point it was offered in the Touareg (all 3.0tdi Touaregs have a DPF, the early 2.5TDI models don’t).
The best, most reliable VW Diesel Engines are by far the 130bhp PD engine, and very early 90bhp – 130bhp TDI engines, but these are getting rare. Avoid the 2.0 140BHP engine, as despite not having a particulate filter, they do tend to eat their own engines, writing off the car!. Later (post 2005) 1.9TDi’s are also experiencing expensive engine failures.
Audi Cars without a DPF – See VW above, in addition the 2.7 V6 TDI engine did not have a DPF fitted until some point in 2007, however care should be taken with early 2.7TDI models as a DPF was available as a factory option and may have been chosen by a minority of original owners.
All Audi Diesel Engines have SCR (Adblue Additive) based systems from 2011, and these are also best avoided due to a set of their own problems.
The best, most reliable Audi Diesel Engines are by far the 130bhp PD engine, and very early 90bhp – 130bhp TDI engines, but these are getting rare. Avoid the 2.0 140BHP engine, as despite not having a particulate filter, they do tend to eat their own engines, writing off the car.
Seat – As VW & Audi
Skoda Cars without a DPF – All early 1.9 TDI / SDI and 140BHP PD technology TDI models do not have DPF systems, interestingly Skoda were late in rolling out the CR engine and DPF fitment, and some 2010 140bhp Octavia cars can be found with the PD version of the TDI engine still fitted and therefore were built without a DPF apart from the ‘Greenline’ versions. However the 170BHP version of the 2.0 engine has always had a Diesel particulate filter (DPF) fitted.
Skoda fitted all of their ‘Greenline’ 105BHP Models with DPF systems.
Skoda clearly identify its DPF equipped models with an options code in the service book and a sticker in the spare wheel well. A code of ‘7GG’ indicates that a DPF is fitted, and ‘0GG’ indicates that the car does not have a Particulate Filter fitted.
The best, most reliable VW Diesel Engines are by far the 130bhp PD engine, and very early 90bhp – 130bhp TDI engines, but these are getting rare and showing their age now in terms of refinement. Avoid the 2.0 140BHP engine like the plague, as despite not having a particulate filter, they do tend to eat their own engines, writing off the car!.
All Skoda 1.6 Tdi Engines have DPF’s fitted
Alfa Cars without a DPF – See Fiat models for 1.9 Diesels. Alfa 2.4 JTD Diesels did not have a DPF
Volvo Cars without a DPF – No pre 2004 /5 diesels had Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) fitted, the later D5 engine used on the XC90 did not have a DPF in its 163bhp variant (pre 2006) but they were introduced on the new models with a higher BHP. Early XC90’s without a DPF can be identified by a ‘D5’ badge on the back, whilst XC90’s with a Diesel Particulate Filter, have a “2.4” badge instead of “D5”. All newer diesel Volvos made after 2006 are likely to have a DPF.
Fiat Cars without a DPF – 105 bhp & 115 bhp 1.9 8V Multijet engines do not have a DPF. All 1.3 JTD engines and the more powerful 16V 1.9 engines have a DPF fitted.
Vauxhall / Opel Cars without a DPF – Early 1.7Di, 1.7DTi and 1.7CDTi upto 2010/11 (100bhp) models and manufactured by Isuzu do not have DPF’s until the launch of the 110bhp version, nor do the 2.0 and 2.2 Dti engines used in the Vectra and Frontera. The early 2.5 V6 Diesel made by BMW and used on the Omega upto 2001 also does not have a DPF and nor did the 3.0 V6 Diesel used in the Vectra / Signum before 2006.
Most 1.9 CDTi engines now have a DPF and can be very problematic!, however not all versions have the DPF. The 8v and 16v engines with manual gearbox and hatchbacks they are all prety much non dpf. All vectra estate and auto gearbox variants come with a dpf. Same with auto zafiras. You have to check the vin plate for confirmation of this, When it says 1.50 it is non dpf and when it says 0.50 or 0.70 it has a dpf. (Thanks to one of our visitors for this information made via the comments below).
Newer 1.7 CDTi Engines have DPF’s fitted from late 2010 builds, the older 100BHP remained DPF free until 2011, however the 110BHP versions all have DPF’s
Vauxhall / Opel 1.3 CDTI engines are a little more confusing, since some cars were fitted with particulate filters from introduction, then there seems to be a period from 2006 – 2007 where they were omitted from some models such as the Corsa & Combo Van. I recommend doing the exhaust test detailed at the bottom of the page to check for the presence of a particulate filter.
Saab Cars without a DPF – 2.2 dti engines did not have a DPF nor did the pre 2006 3.0 V6 used in the Vauxhall Vectra. The 1.9 tid version is more of a gamble as there are a mixture of DPF and Non DPF models circulating the market as early models could also be fitted with a DPF as a factory option. All TTID versions of the 1.9 engine DO HAVE A DPF and are VERY problematic
Landrover Cars without a DPF – All early TDi engines such as used in the 90 and 110 series are reliable old school diesels, which do not have DPF systems fitted. Nor does the TD5 engine used in the Discovery, the early 2.7Tdi V6 engines did not have DPF’s fitted until around 2007, although it may have been offered as a factory option.
The Freelander 1 1.8L diesel and later 2.0 TD4 (which used the 2.0 BMW Engine) do not have DPF systems, and neither does the early 2.2 TD4 (158 bhp) Freelander 2 from its introduction in 2006 until 2010. All Freelander SD4, ED4 and the TD4 version released in 2010 (147 / 150bhp) do all have DPF’s fitted.
All Evoque models have diesel particulate filter (DPF) systems fitted.
Citroen / Peugeot – Particulate filters on French cars are referred to as ‘FAP’ rather than DPF. Very early 1.9 turbo diesel engines made before 2000 are all non FAP, however the 2.0HDi is more of a gamble as there are both FAP and non FAP versions from approx 2001 onwards. All newer 2.2 HDi and 1.6HDi engines have FAP based DPF systems fitted as standard, and this includes the Mitsubishi Outlander and Peugeot Hdi models which use the Citroen engines.
Of all of the diesel car manufacturers, the Citroen / Peugeot ‘FAP’ system, although not immune to its own expensive problems, seems to be the more robust and less delicate of the bunch, especially in relation to short journeys, possibly since they were introduced years ahead of other manufacturers, and use a purpose designed additive, to aid and improve regeneration.
Renault Cars without a DPF – Early 1.9DCi engines do not have DPF’s and nor do the early 1.5DCI engines up to around 2010. Post 2010 1.5 DCi engines all have DPF’s fitted and in the early days were problematic, however improvements seem to be made, as there seems to have been a reduction in instances of DPF issue reports on the 1.5DCi from around 2015, the newer 1.6 DCi also has a DPF but doesn’t seem to attract many complaints. Both the new and old 2.0DCI’s had DPF’s fitted but the newer one is much more reliable as complaints on the first 2.0DCi launched in around 2006 were rife.
Honda Cars without a DPF – all of its I-CTDI engines manufactured before 2008 do not have a DPF fitted. Reports of I-CTDI models still being produced up to 2011 and these will still be a viable option as this engine never had a DPF.
Ford Cars without a DPF – All early 1.8L diesels such as the TDDI and TDCi did not have a DPF. Ford added a DPF to all 2.0 TDCi’s and 1.6TDCi’s engines
Kia Cars without a DPF – Early Diesel Cars using the 1.7 Diesel (pre 2005), 2.9 CRDi, 2.5CRDi and 2.0CRDi engines did not have Diesel Particulate Filters until a roll out which took place on newer 1.4 CRDi, 1.7 CRDi & 2.0 CRDi engines between 2008 – 2010 (Do the exhaust test described below to check if a DPF is present if looking at a car manufactured between these two years)
Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi engines are rumoured to not have DPF’s fitted as they meet Euro V emissions standards without one.
Toyota – Pre 2006 Toyota’s do not have DPF’s. All T180, SR180 and 2.2 Auto transmissions will have a DPF, however the standard 2.2 Diesel manuals did not get a DPF fitted until around 2010.
Problems with Toyota DPF Systems are even starting to find their way onto the comments section on Toyota GB’s own blog. Toyota also clearly point out that their DPF systems are not covered under their vehicle warranties. So buyer beware – those four figure repairs could be looming!.
Apart from Peugeot and Citroen, its a safe bet that diesel cars made before 2003, will be DPF Free, however from that point it becomes a little bit more of a gamble especially the closer you get to 2008 model years.
Since some manufacturers also dabbled with testing the water with randomly fitting DPF’s to their cars between 2004 and 2008 or offered them as Factory options to their customers, it means that there are some models dating from the same period which have a DPF and others which don’t.
One easy, non mechanical way of checking if a car has a DPF fitted is to check the exhaust pipe. A DPF removes soot, and so cars with them fitted will have a clean exhaust pipe, simply run your finger around the inside of the exhaust pipe outlet, if you get a sooty finger, then the car is unlikely to have a DPF.
Important Update:- In May 2018, the annual UK MOT test changed to include new, stricter rules on diesel cars which include a check for the presence of the DPF filter and EGR Valve, it also tightened up the maximum levels for smoke emissions with new limits and requirements for both DPF and Non DPF Diesel cars. So those switching to an older car to avoid DPF issues, may now fall foul of the new stricter, reduced smoke limit changes when it comes to passing their next MOT. Confused by the MOT changes?, read the full list of changes and how your vehicle will be affected by reading our New MOT Rules May 2018 page
Got a DPF and now thinking of removing your problematic Diesel Particulate Filter? – Don’t! and here is why!
If you are having problems with Diesel particulate filter (DPF) blockages, then please read our section on Alternatives to replacing a blocked DPF Filter
If you are facing the expense of a new replacement Diesel Particulate Filter and don’t like the expensive dealer quote, then save hundreds by Buying an Aftermarket DPF Filter
Good day. Great site. Does my 2008 Citroen C5 estate 1600cc HDI have a dpf? After reading all your replies I have done the finger test and it showed lots of soot also the exhaust tail pipe points downwards. Many thanks JAH ps Can I use homemade biodiesel in this engine??
Citroen have their own slightly different variant of a DPF called a FAP, which uses an additive called Eolys fluid. I suppose you could even call it a rudimentary early adblue system. Citroen were one of the first to introduce particulate filtering in around 2002 so I’m reasonably confident that a 2008 vehicle would have a FAP fitted.
If this was my own vehicle I wouldn’t be using Biodiesel in it, because there is no way of knowing how it will react to the Eolys additive.
It is worth considering however that Citroen did approve some of their cars for commercial B30 Biodiesel use some years ago but I certainly wouldn’t consider anything above 50/50 (B50).
I ran Biodiesel myself in a 2001 VW Caddy Tdi, but I wouldn’t really risk it in anything newer than 2005. Too many variables on modern cars, and not just related to the DPF but also with complex common rail systems with expensive HP pumps and injectors!.
If I wanted to run on B100 again, I’d be looking for something old school with a Bosch fuel system. Although these are starting to show their age now.
Hi. Thank you for all your all your hard work and time you put in to this very helpful site.
I’m am looking at buying a 2009 Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDi which is advertised as having a PD 80 engine. Could this be DPF free do you know?
Many thanks
Neil.
Hi Neil
Greenline 1.4 tdi variants all have DPF’s, earlier versions didn’t. If you do decide to purchase a vehicle with a DPF, following the advice below will minimise any expensive problems.
(i) Take the car on a 20 – 30 minute drive at dual carriageway / motorway speeds (with more than 1/4 tank of diesel) at least once a month.
(ii) Use premium diesel if possible, or at least use it every 3rd or 4th tank fill.
(iii) Add a dedicated DPF cleaning additive such as Envirox or a PEA based diesel additive such as Archoil to your diesel fuel. This adds a few pence to your fuel costs, but is still cheaper than physically cleaning or replacing the DPF.
(iv) Investigate any Engine Management or Failed Glowplug warning lights as soon as possible (DPF re-generations will not take place if there is an issue with the Engine or Glow Plugs)
Hi – Thanks for building and maintaining this site!
I am currently looking for a “new” car and am considering 2006 Hyundai Sante Fe 2.2 crdi. I haven’t found any information about this car/engine above hence my post & question – doe it or does it not have a DPF filter?
Thanks in advance for providing any insight into this 🙂
The Santa Fe changed very early in its production run from Non Dpf to DPF, so unless it’s a very early 2006 model it’s likely to have a DPF. CDX and CDX+ models were the first to have DPF systems fitted, whilst it came a little later on the GSi model as it was a slower seller, so you might be better looking for the GSi trim in a 2006 year. On the Santa Fe you can check for the presence of a DPF by checking the exhaust pipe directly below the Turbo in the Engine compartment. If there are two canisters together one after the other, then it has a DPF fitted, if just one canister present then you only have the cat – no Dpf. For what it’s worth, the DPF systems on these cars don’t give much trouble, although my general tips for avoiding repeated short journeys and using premium diesel every other fill still apply.
hello, does my citroren c5 reg gf05axm have dpf
Citroen’s don’t have a conventional DPF, they use a FAP system which is very similar to Ad Blue on newer cars, and consists of an additive being added to the diesel fuel every time the tank is filled, but the effect on particulates is much the same. The FAP systems are generally are more reliable than the original DPF systems of the same era, but the fluid (called Eolys fluid by PSA) needs to be refilled periodically, usually every 75k – 80k miles. Early 2.0 HDi models didn’t have this system. Facelifted 2.0 HDi and 2.2 and 1.6 diesels are very likely to have a FAP system.
Hi – what a brilliant site and great piece of work. I have an old ’02 Freelander that doesn’t have the DPF but am looking to replace it and will re-read everything to assist my choice of manufacturer. Any advice on the best Diesel engines/makes/models available in your opinion from 2006 to 2013 would be greatly appreciated. I would also be interested to find out how your test of fuel additives panned out. I currently add about 40-45 mils of pure acetone per full tank of diesel and hope it cleans the engine as advised.
Hi Cliff
Unfortunately there is no ‘good’ choice when it comes to cars fitted with a DPF, as they will all give problems eventually if used for short journeys or not driven on frequent motorway trips. Some of course give more than their fair share of problems, such as the Mazda diesels in your year preference, which had huge issues with oil dilution – diesel finding its way into the sump oil during re-generations, so those of course should be avoided.
In fact, the early DPF equipped cars were often far more problematic, given the technology was new and in some cases rushed out, and a lot of manufacturers were fitting the DPF unit further along the exhaust system, which meant it struggled to got hot enough to naturally burn off the soot loading in normal driving, resulting in more frequent re-generations and more problems, plus the inevitable shorter lifespan of the DPF caused by more frequent re-generations.
These days newer cars have their DPF fitted close to the Engine where the exhaust gases are hotter, which means a percentage of the soot burns off in normal motorway driving, reducing the frequency of re-generations. That isn’t to say newer cars with DPF’s are any less troublesome, just that the odds increase slightly in favour of the owner if the DPF is close to the Engine block, but the need for regular long journeys is still there, for this to work as designed.
So, when looking for a newer replacement to your non DPF car, checking the positioning of the DPF in relation to the engine would be something I would be doing when car hunting – also mileage plays a big part, as DPF’s generally reach the end of their service life (become full of ash) between 100k – 120k miles, so anything on or above this, you should be negotiating price reductions based on it needing a new DPF, or at least paying for a professional clean sometime in your ownership. Car dealers hate this point being made, but just like a cambelt, its an expensive service item and its lifecycle is generally printed in the service manual, or the main dealer will tell you if asked!.
But why not stick with a Freelander? the newer facelift 2.2 model was available in the TD4 version until around 2011 without a DPF. It was only fitted to all SD4, ED4 versions and TD4 models made after 2011
If you go / already have gone with something with a DPF then all I can suggest is that you follow the advice in this blog, take it for at least one long journey to get the exhaust hot and criteria for DPF regeneration to be met every few hundred miles, and try the various additives which are suggested – many of which are still something of a work in progress on my side. Unfortunately a shorter commute caused by a change of work site, followed by working from home due to the pandemic has halted the additive research somewhat, as my vehicle use has been reduced significantly. You can however see my findings so far, and my current additive recommendations on this dedicated page.
hello
maybe i just missed it, but how is that possible, the honda cdti does not have a DPF filter? the 2.2 140 bhp engine was the first real honda diesel, so, it seems they did a very good job at the first shot? is this engine really so high level quality and efficient, so they could just avoid this whole dpf saga?
thanks,
balazs.
I want to buy an Audi A2 1.4 tdi. I guess this engines don’t have a DPF, right? By the way, I hear these are tough, reliable engines. Is that the general consensus?
The early 1.4 TDI’s are basically a cut down, 3 cyl version of the 1.9PD of the time, and didn’t have a DPF. I believe VAG started fitting DPF’s to the 1.4 TDi Greenline model, which should probably be avoided unless you do big mileages. Also go for the early models for reliability.
Hello I just bought a Kia Sorento 2.4 diesel
2006 just wanted to know did they have DPFfitted thanks Chris
A 2006 model is unlikely to have a DPF fitted unless its an import. Do the exhaust pipe test to be sure (Run your finger around the inside of the exhaust pipe outlet – an excess of soot would indicate no DPF fitted).
Hi there, I am asking for a friend as to whether they have a Dpf fitted as they struggle to go past 40mph in their automatic car. It is a:
Manufacturer BMW
Model 520D Se Auto
Model Detail 520D Step Auto
Body Style Saloon
Fuel Type Diesel
Engine Size 1995 cc
Euro Status 4
ULEZ Compliant Check ULEZ status
BHP 161 BHP
Vehicle Age 15 years 7 months
Registered Date 01 March 2006
V5C Issue Date 18 May 2021
12 Months Tax Cost £275
We are just wondering if it has a DPF if it’s that causing the issue or the actual automatic gear box. She’s had the throttle body, fuel filter and oil sensor changed a few weeks ago and was fine for a little while but playing up again. Does struggle to go into Park mode so we are thinking it is more to do with the gearbox.
Would be great if anyone could confirm. Thanks
Unlikely to be a DPF on a 2006 2 litre 520D, they were only fitted to the 177BHP engine during 2007. First thing to do would be to get the error codes read using a code reader or app. Playing “parts darts” on these cars can be very expensive, but it does sound like the car is in limp mode. This might be related to the auto box, or you could potentially be looking at two separate faults, hence checking for stored codes on both the Engine and Gearbox ecu. I used to have a E90 320D with the same engine and this engine does have a lot of known faults any of which could give the problem you describe.
Hi, i have found a 57 plate fabia 1.9 tdi pd2 without dpf. Is this the bullet proof pd engine like my current 51 plate fabia 1.9 tdi pd? My current car has 280k but abs pump has failed 🙁
Thanks for any help you can give.
Hi, sorry for the late reply the “Bulletproof” Engine was the 130PD Engine, often used in cars like the Golf GTTDI, and was also often indicated by the use of a red ‘i’ in the TDI badge in the VW range, but it was also used throughout the Skoda and Seat range, and I think I it was commonly used in the Fabia VRS Diesel between 2002 and 2005.
I believe VAG discontinued the Engine due to it not meeting new emissions standards in 2005, although it may have found itself in some early 2006 models. This was indeed probably the most reliable engine VAG ever produced, far more reliable than the early 2.0TDI which followed which had many issues. Sadly they are getting fewer and far between, but occasionally low mileage versions do appear from time to time on Ebay, although they hold their value in low mile form.
In short, I doubt your engine is the PD130 version as its too late of a model, but the good news is at least it is unlikely to have a DPF, hence the reason why its managed to do 280k miles!.
Sorry to hear about your ABS problems, but after 280k miles, this could still be considered wear and tear on a major part. http://www.bba-reman.com/gb/index.aspx – BBA Reman, should be able to cost effectively repair your existing unit.
Hiya does the 2010 1.8 diesel c max have a dpf.
What year was the DPF fitted to the Ford Transit Connect TDCi please?
Without a doubt, The UK Government is using Diesel as a cash cow. An excuse to ramp up duty without any real research or comparisons.
In fact I have read, where research has been done, diesels are no more polluting than equivalent Petrol engines.
Also, believe it or not on a whole life comparison the ‘ICE’ produces less pollution than an electric car !
This report makes interesting reading https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/how_toxic_is_your_car_exhaust
I’ve just bought a VW Touran 1.9 TDI, registered new in July 2010 – without the dreaded DPF. Great for us as we like diesels but don’t do high mileage – probably the last diesel we’ll ever own. I bought the car at auction so only had chance to do the “exhaust pipe” test beforehand – but it pointed downwards and had plenty of soot in it!
As a Diesel Car Owner do you think that the UK is too harsh on Diesel Cars, especially in light of the stricter MOT rules and the endless crusade to tax diesel cars and drive down new diesel car sales?. Please read and comment your thoughts on my latest blog post, entitled “Is the UK alone in its negative approach to diesel cars?”
Hi, im just not sure so.. [Vehicle reg removed for privacy] is the reg.. It has exhausts pointing down and 105hp vw engine but spare wheel is not there so i cannot check it by that code.. Can you confirm this is with/without DPF please?
If its a 1.9tdi PD 105BHP engine with a downward facing exhaust then there is a very good chance that this car does NOT have a DPF, the only cars with this engine known to to have a DPF fitted are the “Greenline” model, Scout and 4×4 versions as well as the more powerful 170bhp variant. 1.9TDI CR engines also have DPF’s so check on the V5 if you are unsure whether its a CR or PD engine as this isn’t available on the vehicle check which I used. Unfortunately there is no magic way of finding out whether a car has a DPF or not from its registration, as there is no form of database holding this kind of information and often even the dealers won’t be able to tell you easily, they’ll either have to go in search of a label or check with head office!.
For added peace of mind you can carry out an exhaust soot finger test, which can easily check for the presence of a DPF on any car and of which simply requires you to run your finger around the inside of the exhaust tailpipe, a very sooty finger tip = no DPF. In relation to the boot label, it should still be stuck to the chassis under the boot mat, even if there is no spare wheel. It is a fairly large label which will have a lot of 3 digit codes printed in rows. If you can’t find it in the Boot, it should also be replicated in the Service Manual or as a label stuck somewhere in the owners’ pack. Are you about to buy this vehicle? because if so you may want to know that upon checking the registration you gave it currently has no MOT and had quite a few advisories listed on the last MOT in 2017, so if you are considering buying it then you may want to get those advisories fixed and a fresh MOT before making the seller an offer!. Here is an image which shows how the label appears in the service manual, with the rows of 3 digit codes, if 7GG is one of them, it has a DPF!.
Hi do any of the Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi engines have a DPF fitted? I am looking at buying one with a 2011 plate before the DTEC engine came into production.
Non of the original 2.2 i-Ctdi engines had a DPF fitted as standard, as it was a legacy engine which was already long into production when the DPF Legislation was announced, and so this engine remained DPF Free right up to it being discontinued from production and replaced with a new lower emissions engine, and so it is a safe bet for anybody wanting to avoid a DPF equipped car. However, a word of warning. Some manufacturers did offer a DPF as factory option where one could be specified at the customers’ request and there is no information available as to whether Honda offered a DPF as a customer option or not on new vehicles ordered from the Factory, even if one wasn’t required mandatory. So it would still be wise for you to do an exhaust soot test (simply running a finger around the inside of the exhaust tail pipe – very sooty = no dpf, clean = dpf) even though the risk of a DPF factory option is small a soot test only takes a few seconds to carry out. You would have to be very unlucky to find one of these engines fitted with a DPF though, as most people want to avoid them, let alone pay extra for one to be fitted as a factory option!.
I’m confused! According to the government website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mot-changes-from-may-2018-guidance-for-mot-testers/diesel-vehicle-emission-limits
older diesels, without a DPF, also have to be tested to the manufacturer’s ‘plate value’ for smoke emissions, which is much lower than the default value. Yet everywhere else, it’s stated that older diesels are unaffected by the new rules that applied from May 2018. What is the true situation?
You are correct, the recent changes to the MOT rules in May 2018, have also brought more stringent smoke tests for SOME non DPF diesels. Prior to May 2018, all non DPF diesel cars were subject to an upper limit of 3.0 on the MOT smoke test, regardless of their age. These latest changes require the MOT tester to check for an emissions plate fitted to any vehicle built before July 2008 which states the emissions output of the Vehicle when it was type approved at the Factory, usually these figures are 1.5, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.4 depending on the age of the car (but can be anything) and the engine size and whether manual or automatic, 4×4 etc. If there is an emissions plate present, or rather if there is a figure stamped on the plate then the vehicle has to meet or be under the indicated smoke limit when MOT tested, or it will fail. However if the car has not got these figures printed on a plate, and it was built before July 2008 then it will still default to the original 3.0 limit (or 1.5 on cars built after July 2008). I don’t agree with the fact that they are testing cars to a standard which they met under ideal conditions with brand new components at the Factory as expecting a car with 120k miles and ten years old or more to give exactly the same emissions as when it was brand new is just ludicrous, but I guess this is another exercise for the “powers that be” to get Diesel cars off the road.
On vehicles built after July 2008 then the default upper test limit applied would be reduced from 3.0 to 1.5 unless there is an emissions plate fitted indicating a lower figure.
In addition to the smoke limit changes, under the new MOT rules your car will also fail if:-
Any warning lights are illuminated, including the Engine Management (Check engine) light.
The DPF is missing or has been tampered with (If the container has been welded the owner will be asked to show a receipt for any work carried out to it, i.e cleaning)
Any part of the emissions system (including the EGR) is missing / blanked off
A DPF equipped car emits ANY visible smoke during the test.
Of course these remain purely visual checks, however I suspect that the move to lower the smoke pass level to that which the car was tested at the Factory with, is a way of preventing the Emissions system from being modified or tampered with. However to clarify, if your diesel car does not have one of these plates, or if the emissions field is not stamped with a figure, then it will be subject to the higher 3.0 pass limit (or 1.5 on cars built after July 2008).
Some people are said to be removing the vehicle “plate” containing the emissions class information where one is fitted, as with no plate visible containing this information when the vehicle tester checks for one being present would mean that any older vehicle built prior to July 2008 would be tested under its default 3.0 as before. Of course I would never encourage doing that…….
Hi, looking to get a 2007/8 Mitsubishi Outlander DI-D 2litre engine 138BHP…Just wanted to know if it had a DPF as I’ve read some do depending on the model?
Thanks
Hi, i’ve tried a few 2.0 Outlanders of this age which are listed on Ebay and Autotrader and all have come back as having a DPF fitted, so I imagine that they all come from the Factory with a DPF, or if there are some that were sold without a DPF then those models would seem to be rare, at least I haven’t found any from a random sample of the cars currently for sale. Perhaps being a heavier car, it needed a DPF to meet the current (in 2007) EU4 emissions regs. A lot of SUV / 4×4 manufacturers started fitting DPF’s as early as 2005 / 2006 as a heavier car made keeping the emissions within even EU4 levels an impossible task and so these were often the early adopters of DPF systems.
There are actually three diesel engines available on the Early Outlander’s, the 2.0 140BHP Engine which is sourced from VW, the PSA manufactured 2.2 and Mitsubishi’s own 2.3 which was introduced around 2010 / 2011. The VW 2.0TDI is a notoriously unreliable engine which suffers from some very expensive, well documented problems (As mentioned on the post above this one). The 2.2 PSA sourced engine is better, but the 2.3 is generally considered the best of the bunch, and the one to go for where possible. As far as I can tell, all of these three engines have a DPF fitted, but the 2.3 Diesel is more reliable in relation to the rest of the Engine and the overall reliability.
If a DPF is likely to be a problem, then some similar SUV suggestions that don’t have a DPF fitted would be a 2005 2.0D BMW X3, Honda CR-V 2.2 iC-TDI 2007-2009 or an older RAV4. Unfortunately we are now at the stage where avoiding a DPF altogether will mean buying an older vehicle which then brings with it the problems with higher mileages and more expensive VED rates. Another option is just to consider a Petrol version if one exists, especially if you only do short journeys or a low annual mileage.
Thanks for your reply. Was actually conflicted between the Outlander and CR-V…Obviously leaning towards the latter now! Thanks for your help!
Hi,
Many thanks for the page and all the information. I am very tempted to buy a 2005 Audi A3 2.0 TDI, and although I figured out through this very informative page that it is without a DPF, unfortunately it is a 140 BHP one that you suggest to avoid at all costs. Could you please elaborate a little more on this?
Best.
Hi
The 2.0TDI 140BHP in its standard, most popular form doesn’t have a DPF (The 170BHP and some 4×4 Variants of the 140PS do, however have a DPF). But both the 140 & 170 versions of this engine do run the very real and well documented risk of needing a turbo / engine at some stage due to oil starvation. Unfortunately, the 2.0 PD engine suffered from an oil pump drive shaft weakness, which when it failed would lead to oil starvation of the Turbo / Engine whilst running, this was complicated by the fact that when it occurred it didn’t always lead to the oil pressure warning light illuminating in time to prevent major damage, and in a lot of cases repairing the resulting damage involved a new engine and turbo which on a car of this era would effectively write it off. A quick Google of “vw oil pump splined drive shaft failure issue” will bring up plenty of information on the issue and expensive horror stories of owners of these cars who have suffered the same fate. Of course you will also read about owners who have never experienced the problem, but the failure / weakness is so well documented that I believe it wise to draw attention to it, so that potential buyers can make their own informed decisions, and I would recommend that you at least read through the following forum discussions
https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/2-0tdi-oil-pump-balancer-shaft-problems-the-definitive-guide-audi-vw-skoda-seat.140949/
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3974841
There were some modifications done to some of these cars to address the issue but it was rarely documented, and of course it is impossible to tell for sure when buying one of these cars whether or not any modified parts have been replaced as VW kept it all low key and there was never a full recall done to address the issue.
Pretty much the most bulletproof engines are the very early 90 / 110 / 130 BHP 1.9 TDI versions which ran until 2005/6, and even now these are often favoured by Taxi Drivers for very good reasons. However you should avoid the newer 100 / 105 and 150 BHP Version of the 1.9Tdi engines as they suffer from a similar weakness as the 2.0 Tdi as well as injector failures.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=86&t=1124871
In all honesty I wouldn’t give Garage space to a Post 2005 VW Diesel – certainly not any of the ones i’d listed above, and if I was considering a VAG based car newer than an early TDI, it would have to be a petrol, as you can buy a lot of Petrol for the cost of a new Turbo / Engine!.
Mk3 early 2008 Laguna 2.0dci 150bhp no dpf as before it became mandatory later in 2008 talking UK here dpf was optional and cost 1000£ my laguna is fully loaded model luckly first owner wasnt stupid and only one optional extra he didnt purchase was the best choice ever otherwise i would never touch that car… Had it for last 50 thousands miles no problems at all brill car whoever got their woth dpf they not so happy haha
Hi, how about the Hyundai i30 comfort CRDI 1.6 estate 59 plate (2010) I need to know which oil to use but apparently this depends if the vehicle has a dpf. Any help apreciated.
Hi, you will probably find details of the correct oil to use for the engine in your car in the Owners handbook. Hyundai’s generally also have a sticker fitted somewhere in the engine bay, warning you that there is a DPF fitted and giving the oil spec (Which I suspect will be class C2 or C3). I also find Opie oils to be very helpful https://www.opieoils.co.uk/ if you email them with your Reg number and Vin then I am sure they would be able to confirm the correct oil needed for your i30. I also recommend changing the oil & filter in any diesel car after 7000 – 8000 miles regardless of whether it has a DPF or not!.
Hi,
Guy here from Opie Oils Limited. You an email us your reg or you can also use our registration look up here https://www.opieoils.co.uk/vehicle-lookup.aspx?CategoryID=2354
Cheers.
I have a Kia Venga 1 Air 1.4 CRDi, UK model, 64 plate, first registered January 2015.
Looking up what engine oil it takes, I get four options from Halfords:
* Crdi W/o Dpf (from 01\2015 onwards)
* Crdi With Dpf (from 01\2010 to 12\2014)
* Crdi W/o Dpf (from 01\2010 to 12\2014)
* Crdi With Dpf (from 01\2015 onwards)
This implies that it may or may not have a DPF. Elsewhere I am told that all post-2010 diesels have a DPF but if that’s the case then why would Halfords offer the “W/o Dpf” options above?
When I switch the ignition on there’s no warning light I can see which might relate to a DPF. Is there a way I can tell if it has a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) other than the exhaust test? I’ve run my finger around inside the exhaust pipe and while it doesn’t get covered in soot, it does get a little bit black.
The Kia 1.6 engines have a reputation for being able to meet Euro 5 emissions levels without needing a DPF, however I don’t know if this would also apply to the 1.4 Engine, you would need to get a dealer to confirm. In relation to the type of oil required, this would normally be specified in the owners handbook of the car or on a sticker under the bonnet or around the engine area, and would be a far more reliable source of information than anything shown on Halfords!. I imagine that Kia also sell the same vehicles to Countries outside of the EU & US where DPF’s are not a mandatory requirement and so Kia factories will be producing a range of both non DPF and DPF equipped cars depending on where they are being exported to and sold. Halfords, like a lot of places will just pull information from a shared manufacturer database for the car model, which will show all international versions of Kia engines sold worldwide, which is why you are seeing DPF and Non DPF options appearing on the list, and this kind of comparison is not what I would consider to be the holy grail of technical information on which to base the correct oil requirements for your car and so I would advise you to check the owners manual or any stickers in the engine bay first, or use an oil specialist who has access to more complete information using the car reg and Vin. So if checking the manual and around the engine bay doesn’t yield any oil information, then I would recommend Opie Oils https://www.opieoils.co.uk/ – if you email them your Reg number and Vin they will be able to recommend the correct oil which is suitable for your engine.
In reference to the warning light, you wouldn’t normally see this illuminate on any car during the ignition / start up sequence, the DPF light will only come on when the filter is around 45% blocked, warning you that you need to take the car on a motorway trip to allow it to regenerate. This is why most diesel car owners know nothing about the DPF on their cars, until it becomes a problem!. On some cars the EML light may also eventually light and the car go into Limp mode, this is often an indication that the DPF has reached critical levels of blockage (80% – 90%) and a dealer regeneration or even DPF replacement is required. Hence why I always advise owners to act on the appearance of the first warning, or exercise preventative maintenance or driving styles which best prevent any warning light activation.
Amazing information thank you. It’s changed my car search dramatically. I was looking at 2006 onward ML 320 CDI SE, but now I’m not sure I want one with a DPF. Are there any petrol options or pre 2006 without DPF that were any good?
My choice of ml was for the boot space, which I’ve not found in any other 4 x 4 yet.
No petrol car currently has a particulate filter, There is the ML350 and ML500 petrol options on the ML series Mercedes 4×4 although being 3.2 and 5.0 Engines they are very uneconomical compared to their diesel counterparts. The earlier diesel ML270 didn’t have a DPF, although not very refined and these are a little old.
Unfortunately, the 3.0L Diesel engines all have DPF’s and the 2.1 Diesel versions got them in 2008. You can still live with a DPF provided you do at least one long journey (20 mins+) every week at either Motorway or Dual Carriageway speeds, and avoid very short journeys, the type of journey where the engine coolant doesn’t get upto its normal operating temperature, which is very bad for the DPF and this kind of use should be actively avoided, of course if you do a lot of towing or motorway journeys then problems with the DPF shouldn’t really arise until the DPF reaches the end of its service life at around 100k – 120k miles after which it will become a requirement to replace it at some point in the next year or two. Also run the car on Shell Nitro Diesel, this is premium diesel fuel which although more expensive, creates a cleaner burn which in turn produces less soot and so prolongs the life of the DPF due to the longer periods between regeneration attempts, oil changes should always be done every 7000 miles / 12 months using the correct LOW SAPS (Low Ash) oil of the correct Merc spec, you will probably see a reasonable increase in MPG using Shell Nitro, which offsets the cost of buying it a little.
Thank you! Does that apply for all uses of that engine? I read somewhere that it was also used in Ford Fusion and Minis as well. Also is the website above a good checker for all cars ie: if they are euro 3 then they are safe? Best, Ncik
Diesel engines didn’t require DPF systems to meet Euro 3 specification, in fact back then DPF’s were largely unheard of, and were just an evil glint in the EU’s eye!. Choosing a Euro 3 car is generally a safe bet if wanting to avoid the DPF. In relation to later cars meeting EU4, then it becomes a little more tricky, some cars with heavy emissions such as 4×4’s or Automatics, required a DPF in order to reduce the emissions to meet EU4 targets, whilst their manual and 2WD counterparts continued to pass below the emissions requirements without the needing to fit the DPF filter. This is why from around 2005 onwards, DPF fitment becomes more complicated as you may have one model of vehicle fitted with a DPF and another without, despite using the same engine!. One example of this is the Skoda Octavia, Skoda didn’t fit the DPF to their 140BHP engine until 2009, yet the 2.0 Tdi 170BHP engine version, and the Scout 4×4 edition all had to have a DPF, bigger car and 4×4 system really cranks up the emissions levels and once they test above the limit then the DPF gets rolled out to reduce them!.
HI, Brilliant website!!! I am looking at a 2005 year Peugeot 206 1.4HDI . WOuld this have a fap/DPF? Cheers, Nick
Hi. The 1.4 HDi Engines didn’t get a DPF until 2006 when they were fitted in order to make them Euro 4 compliant, so you should be OK with a 2005 build. One way to double check is to check the V5 before making a purchase, if it says Euro 3 then it won’t have a DPF, you can also check the emissions from the reg plate online, using the link below
https://www.hpi.co.uk/content/diesel-news-the-future-of-diesel/hpi-euro-emission-standards-checker/
Thank you very much for this very informative piece of work. I have a 55 plate Vectra 1.9 CDTi 150, Engine ref Z19DTH, first registered January 2006 It does not have a DPF thank goodness. I have owned it for 6 years it’s now done 90 k. I have had the swirl valves removed and the ECU remapped. I change the oil and filter using GM low ash oil and although it’s not a great car to drive it does the job.
Yes, the best diesels to own are the ones without the DPF. My advice, change the oil every 7000 miles or so, and keep on top of the little bits of repair work to keep it on the road for as long as possible!. It seems like you’ve taken care of all of the known weaknesses with this engine so you should get a few more years out of it yet!.
doh sorry. i am looking to change to another astra van sportive 1.7 or 1.9
The 1.7 CDTi engine fitted to cars and vans before 2010 does not have a DPF, however the 1.9 Cdti engine is more of a game of chance. Another visitor posted that some 1.9 120 and 150 BHP Cdti engines don’t have a DPF whilst others do and whether they have them is identified on the Vin plate, however I have not been able to get either Vauxhall in the UK or Opel in Europe to confirm this, but the post from Karl (27th May) is a few comments above if you wish to read the post and check the VIN plate. Personally, I would stick with a 2007 – 2010 1.7 CDTI if you really want to be sure of avoiding a DPF. As another point, the 1.7 is also considered to be the more robust engine out of the two if a little less refined, being Isuzu sourced as opposed to the Fiat sourced 1.9.
hi i am looking to change my astra van. do you know when and what engines have a dpf filter fitted many thanks steve
Hi,
Do you know if the Fiat 1.9 63HP 2004 engine has a DPF
Hi Martin
No this won’t have a DPF Fitted.
Hi. Just to mention. Not all 1.9 cdti have dpf. What i have found the 8v and 16v engines with manual gearbox and hatchbacks they are all prety much non dpf. All vectras estate and auto gearbox are with dpf. Same with auto zafiras. You have to check the vin number plate. When it says 1.50 is non dpf and when it says 0.50 or 0.70 is with dpf. Just to make it clear not all 1.9 cdti 120 and 150 have dpf…
Also it is wierd with mondeo 2.0 tdci and 2.2 tdci from 07 onwards. Thay are all with dpf but the smax and galaxy up to 2008 are not always with dpf. Only the 2.2 tdci.
Also with Toyota 2.2 150 bhp does the years from 2008 -2010 have dpf ? how to check if is with dpf… anyware to look i cant find any information. Thanks
i have a 2006 1.3 cdti vauxhall astra i know you have mentioned vauxhall either don’t have or will have a DPf will this be on my v5?
Difficult to tell with these engines. Unfortunately in the run up to Euro 5 compliance, some manufacturers had a period where some models of their cars were fitted with them and some didn’t and Vauxhall were one of those. Prior to 2008 (2011 in some cases) this could be as random as having two different models of car parked side by side, made in the same year using the same 1.3 engine, and one would be fitted with a DPF and the other wouldn’t!.
I’ve mentioned several times, that a low tech but reasonably reliable way of determining whether a car has a DPF is to lick your finger and run it around inside the exhaust outlet. Since DPF’s are designed to remove virtually all soot emissions, then you will have relatively clean finger after this test, compared to a very sooty one on a car without a DPF.
You won’t find any information in relation to a DPF being present (or not) on the V5, however if you contact a Vauxhall dealer with the VIN number they should be able to tell you what options were fitted to the car at the factory, and a DPF would normally be listed on there.
Hi would my 2000cc Merc A class 2008 – 08 reg ( pre face lift ) have a DPF
Thanks
Yes it Does.
Thanks
Hi do you know if the 58 plate vauxhall vectra Sri 1.8 has a dpf please, the manual is of no help.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Regards
Donna
Hi Donna, DPF’s (Diesel Particulate Filters) are only fitted to cars with a Diesel Engine, so the SRi 1.8 petrol will not be fitted with one. However the 1.9 SRi CDTi diesel variant of the same age will have one fitted.
Hi. Really great page.
Do you know if the 09 ford CMAX 1.8 tdci titanium has DPF?
Thank you so much for your time.
Hi Rob
Unlikely to have one, The 1.8 TDCi engine was phased out in 2010 / 2011 and being an engine which was already in production prior to DPF’s becoming mandatory it was never redesigned by Ford to use a DPF, and was dropped from production instead when the emissions regs changed.
I have just got my fathers NISSAN X-TRAIL SE 4WD DCI 2184cc DIESEL, 5 Door ESTATE, do you know if this has DPF fitted?
You don’t mention the year of registration, but early (pre 2006) weren’t fitted with DPF’s, 2006 was the year Nissan began fitting them to the X-Trail.
Hi,
Does anybody know if the 2004/2005 Jaguar S-Type 2.7 Diesels were fitted with
a DPF?
Many Thanks.
Lee..
Yes, they have. In fact there is a recall on 2005 – 2007 models in relation to the DPF. https://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=7080289B2949512B8025729600331458
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone on this knew if a 2008 Vauxhall Corsa Breeze Ecoflex 1.3 cdti comes as standard with a DPF installed? I am having a bit of a dispute with a mechanic.
thanks
Prior to the facelift version in 2011, The Corsa had two different versions of the Z13DTH engine, one which had a DPF and one without, and so without a visual inspection of the car, its hard to say for sure just from the year and the fact its a 1.3CDTi engine – it is a 50/50 chance. Some say that the 90BHP version of the 1.3 CDTi doesn’t have a DPF, but the 75BHP variant does, but there is nothing in any VX documentation to confirm this, and even Vauxhall’s own EPC, is not clear on which models of the 1.3 CDTi had them fitted prior to 2011 (after 2011 all 1.3 Diesels had them).
There are two things that you can check, first look at the V5 registration document, if the Emissions class is shown as EU5 (Euro 5) then it most likely has a DPF fitted. You can also check the VIN Plate on the inside of the car door, the VIN Plate has a box bottom left with a number in it. If the number in the box is greater than 1.0 it doesn’t have a DPF, if its 0.5 or 0.4 it will have one.
If you are unfortunate enough to need a replacement DPF, then don’t pay the dealer rates, as they can be purchased for this car from Cats2u – http://www.cats2u.co.uk/Catalytic-Converters/VAUXHALL+CORSA+1.3+Diesel+Diesel+Particulate+Filter – Given the price of the new part, its probably going to be cheaper to have a new one fitted, than pay a specialist firm £400+ to clean the existing one.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
Jon
Hi, I’ve got VW Touran 2.0 TDi on 08 plate. VW website says all of their diesels have DPF fitted after 2009. Do this one have it? Also why would be to best avoid the engine? Thx
Depends entirely on which engine you have. If its the 2.0 TDI 170 BHP Engine, then all of these have a DPF fitted, however if its the 140 BHP version, then DPF’s were not fitted to the 2.0TDI PD engines in 2008, they were however fitted to the 2.0TDI CR Engine, which I believe came in 2008 / 2009.
So, if you have a 2.0TDI 140BHP PD engine, on a 2008 build date then there should be no DPF fitted, however if its the CR Engine or a 170BHP Variant, then you will have a DPF.
It’s also worth mentioning that some of the PD engines had a huge problem with the heads going porus, which if it happened, basically wrote off the car in relation to the huge value of a repair and the fact that replacement salvage engines would probably eventually suffer the same fate, the PD engine was also well known for water pumps which could suddenly fail (even when replaced on the timing belt schedule), and when pump failure occurred it would seize and throw off the timing belt, again writing off the engine. So, this is why I advise that this engine is best avoided and you may actually be better off with a 2.0TDI CR engine, despite it having a DPF!.
The best engine that VW have ever created, was the 1.9TDI 130BHP engine (often known as the red ‘i’), not only did these not have a DPF but these were pretty much bulletproof if serviced well, although not as quiet as refined as common rail engines, and the cars which used the 130BHP engine are getting a little old now as they weren’t produced after 2005.
Thank you for taking time to respond. After looking at the service book I’ve found that after VIN there is a BKD code. That seems to match some searches on Google for PD engines. Meaning no Dpf
Hi,
Please could you advise if a MK1 Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDI Auto has a DPF fitted, I would be looking at years 2005-2009.
Many thanks
Hi Jon, the earlier Pre 2006 140PS version was NOT fitted with a DPF, however from the Facelift version which was launched in 2006, with the 170PS engine a DPF was a factory option, which could be requested by the customer at the time of ordering the car, therefore its impossible to say which models are fitted with a DPF on the facelift version without doing an individual check via the VIN with a KIA dealer to see what Factory Options were fitted or by carrying out a simple test when viewing a car.
The simple, but reasonably effective way of checking whether a car is fitted with a DPF, is to run a finger inside the exhaust tailpipe, if it contains a lot of soot, then a DPF will not be fitted to that particular car. However to be 100% sure that a DPF is not fitted, then you will need to be looking at the earlier 140PS engine version, which I suspect would limit you to an “05” or an early “55” registered vehicle, given your date range. If you are interested in the newer Facelift version, then I would recommend either a VIN check or the more simple visual exhaust check to assure yourself as to whether it has a particulate filter fitted.
Hi.thank you for all comments they are very helpfull. I ve noticed after reading several times your blog that there is no mention about renault cars and when i asked friend about his captur 1.5dci he said that there is no dpf..can you say smth general about that makes and renault models? Thank you
Hi Radek, early 1.5DCI engines didn’t have a DPF, however on Engines manufactured after 2010, the situation isn’t as clear cut. It is true however that French cars do not have a DPF, they have a F.A.P (Filtre à Particules) which is basically the same thing, however if you ask a dealer whether the car is fitted with a DPF, to be pedantic it isn’t, it is fitted with a FAP!. So, it may be more accurate to ask the dealer if the car is fitted with a particulate filter, rather than a DPF!.
I had exactly the same situation when my parents purchased a Renault Kadjar which has the same 1.5DCI engine as in the captur, and indeed a lot of the entire Renault & Nissan diesel range. They also asked the dealer at the time of purchase as to whether the Car had a DPF and were told, “no it hasn’t”, however I must point out that the Handbook for the Kadjar, does make mention of taking the car for extended journeys, so clearly there is some kind of particulate filter fitted. A quick search of salvage yards on Ebay brings up a DPF filter for sale, which was physically removed from a 1.5DCI Captur built in 2016, so draw your own conclusions!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2016-Renault-Captur-Dacia-1-5-dCi-DPF-Diesel-Particulate-Filter-208A03317R-/122971343807
If you ask a dealer if the 1.5 diesels have a particulate filter and they reply “No”, then make sure that you get them to put in writing to you on the receipt for your purchase that “The car has got no kind of Particulate Filter fitted that would block and cause problems due to short journeys / driving style”. This would give you some recourse if the Particulate Filter (which they say is not fitted), suddenly starts giving you issues in the future!!.
The reason why there is no information on Renault Diesel Engines and DPF Fitment here, is because Renault UK have not bothered to reply to any of the emails I sent to them, in order to pass on the information via this Blog.
Just to let readers and followers of this blog know, that I am currently doing some tests using a range of off the shelf additives to see if these have a positive effect on the DPF regeneration cycles & Perhaps decrease the amount of soot produced and captured by the DPF.
My tests will be in no way scientific or conducted in a controlled or lab environment as i’m not a scientist and I don’t have a lab!, but will be done out in the real world, on today’s roads and traffic and so will be carried out in the same car on the same daily commutes and weekend activities, but equally they won’t be sponsored either or biased to any manufacturer or vendor, and so I will have no issue whatsoever at highlighting the ones which make no difference as well as those which have a positive affect (If indeed any of them do make any difference – a fact which i’m sceptical of!).
For the Trial, I will be using a 2014 BMW X1 Automatic with a 2.0 Diesel Engine and 24k miles. I have the diagnostic software for this car, which allows me to read out the DPF Parameters as required, such as soot loading levels, miles since last regeneration etc. With this I will be largely seeing whether the addition of additives into the diesel tank increase / decrease the traveled miles between each Regeneration, and the amount of soot loading added to the DPF each day. I will also be noting any increase or decrease in MPG, as some of these additives also claim an increase in power and MPG.
I hope to test at least ten of these additives, which may take some time to fully complete as each additive will need to be added to a full tank of diesel and used for a few hundred miles in order to give it a fair trial, but I will add my findings as I go along.
Where can we see your results? – very interested in them.
Hi.i have a mondeo 2.0 tdci zetec with 10reg to see tomorrow…how do you think it ll have dpf system and if so do you think in the ford that filter is causing lots of problems or not.and how can i get to know if this filter is besides checking the exhaust with finger..i m thinking about vin
Hi Radek. Yes this car will have a DPF System fitted as it was mandatory on this car before 2010 so there is no need to check as it will have one fitted. Since you a buying this car from a previous owner, you need to try and work out how the current owner has been using it, if you are in the UK, you can get an idea of this by checking its MOT history, to see how many Miles it has covered every year between each MOT. Ideally, a diesel car with a DPF should be doing at least 10k – 12k miles every year in order to keep the DPF in good condition, however it doesn’t mean that if the car has done less mileage that the DPF will be ruined, it is just something to be aware of. I would certainly avoid buying any DPF car which was only doing 2000 or 3000 miles a year as that would indicate very short journeys which are not good for the health of the DPF.
Every model of car, will have had some DPF problem reported, and Ford are no worse or better than any other model. If you buy the car, it is important that you avoid using it for a lot of short journeys, and that you take it for a good run on a motorway or dual carriageway at least once every 3 – 4 weeks, to enable the DPF to regenerate. If you have to do some short journeys then you should take the motorway run every 2 weeks to allow for the extra soot created.
You should also avoid the use of Supermarket Diesel and make sure that the fuel level doesn’t run too low, as the DPF is programmed not to regenerate if the fuel runs very low.
If you do a lot of driving for 20 minutes at 50 mph or more, then you probably will never have a DPF issue, if you do a lot of town driving or in traffic, then it is wise to take the car on a 20 minute run at motorway speeds, keeping the RPM between 2700 rpm and 3000 rpm, this will enable the coolant, oil and Exhaust Gas Temperature to all reach the levels required to begin a DPF regeneration.
It is possible to avoid a lot of DPF problems simply by following this advice, so it is possible to enjoy the car even if it has a DPF. To avoid a car with a DPF, you really need to look at cars built before 2006, and which appear in the list above. However a lot of these cars are getting quite old now or have high miles, and so may have their own problems. If you are concerned about the DPF, then perhaps it may be wise to look at a petrol model?.
Dealer says a 2014 320d is a 163bhp BMW £30 a year road tax – can this be non- dog engine?
Unfortunately DPF factory fitment has been mandatory for all new diesel cars for several years now, so your 2014 BMW will have one unfortunately (My 2014 BMW X1 has one). The 163 BHP version I refer to in the post above, is the M47TU version of the 2.0 Litre Diesel engine used between 2005 and early 2007, which would have been the E9x chassis in relation to the 320D. DPF’s were fitted to the 2.0 Engine from the introduction of the N47 engine version in 2007. The 3.0 Diesel Engine had a DPF factory fitted from around 2004/5.
Hi just want too ask if volvo xc60 d5 163bhp already have dpf or not..thank you
Hi Radek
Yes, your XC60 will be fitted with a DPF
Hi I have a early 2008 toyota Auris 2.2 d-cat ?T180 an was told this doesnt have a dpf? Also wanted to know if it had a cat aswell?
Thanks
Hi
All Toyota 2.2 D-4D engines have a DPF fitted, and since the 180 is a 2.2 D-4D variant I would assume it applies. The fact that all 2.2 D-4D engines have a DPF is also confirmed by the motoring journalist Honest John in relation to answering a similar question.
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/44628/does-my-car-have-a-dpf-fitted-
But since you are still in doubt I would advise that you also ask directly on the Toyota Blog, you may get lucky!
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/toyota-dpf-understanding-your-diesel-particulate-filter
Yes your car will also have a cat, since they have been fitted to all petrol and diesel cars since the early 1990’s long before DPF’s and other than also being a type of exhaust emission control device, it is completely unrelated to the DPF.
Cats are generally reliable (At least compared to reports of DPF failures) and are not really affected by short journeys / driving style and if they do fail, they cost a fraction to replace compared to the cost of the DPF. It is the DPF that you need to be concerned about, and it is important that you try to avoid issues with blocking the DPF, which means taking the car on regular long journeys & largely avoiding short trips / town driving. I would also ensure that the oil is changed every 7000 – 8000 miles, using the correct Toyota approved Low SAPS oil which is low ash oil, designed to minimise soot loading of the DPF.
Hi I got Citroen Picasso 2.0 hdi 90bh 2005 As that got a DFP on it ?
Hi
Its very unlikely that the 2.0 90BHP Hdi had a DPF on a 2005 build. One method of double checking, is to remove the filler cap and check the underside of the cap for the presence of tiny magnets (either visually or by using another magnet). Putting magnets in the fuel filler cap was a basic but effective method of telling the car computer that the fuel cap had been removed meaning that the tank had been refilled, so it knew to inject a measured dose of the Eolys fluid (Citroen use a specially formulated Additive for its DPF regeneration process called Eolys fluid) into the new fill of diesel!. If you don’t see any of the cap based magnets present then you certainly don’t have a DPF.
Hi! Do you know if a renault laguna 2007-2008 has a dpf filter, please?! Thank you
Hi
The 1.5DCI engine didn’t get the DPF until around 2009. The 2.0DCI had them from 2006/7, so an early 1.5 engine is probably your best bet.
In French Cars the DPF is known as FAP, and often forms part of the cars model number, e.g 2.0DCI 150PS FAP
Hi,
I’m thinking of purchasing a 56 plate Jaguar XJ diesel, I’m assuming this will have a DPF, is that something to be worried about or are they fairly reliable?
Also will it have two DPF’s as I’m guessing the exhaust system splits into two after the down pipe?
Is there a suitable fuel additive that can be put in to help stop the dreaded DPF getting clogged up, if your not driving on the motorway regularly?
Or would you advise to buy the petrol version or just steer clear completely?
Many Thanks
Hi,
A 56 plate would be the 2.7 TDVi Diesel, which all had a DPF from their introduction, the 2.7 Diesel also suffered badly from Turbo failures, and the later 3.0 Diesel was a lot more robust in this respect, although of course still fitted with the DPF.
Like all Diesel Additives, there is a lot of DPF Additive “snake oil” on the market, and there hasn’t really been any independent testing in relation to how effective each of these additives is in real world driving, if they do anything at all. There is one additive called “CDTI Platinum Plus” which is approved for use in the London Low Emissions Zone and is supposed to be popular for use in Diesel Taxi’s, Buses and Council Vehicles crawling around London every day, so I suspect that it must actually do something. It won’t clean the DPF though, it just reduces the amount of soot produced by the Engine meaning that the DPF does more miles before a regeneration is required. It is ludicrously expensive though for an additive, but I will put the link at the bottom of this reply.
The best way to look after a DPF is to always use Premium Diesel. I’m not one of these die-hards who constantly promotes Premium Fuel over Supermarket Fuel because the standard of the base fuel used in both is exactly the same and has to meet the same EN Standards, however premium fuels do carry additional additives and detergents which reduce soot and will probably ultimately achieve the same as the CDTI additive which I mentioned above, but more cheaply. Supermarket Premium fuel would also be a reasonable compromise if fuel cost was a factor.
Take a motorway journey at least every few hundred miles, and once the engine has warmed up keep the revs up at around 2800 – 3000 rpm continuously for 15 minutes or so, and this should trigger perfect running conditions for a regen to take place. Also do an interim oil and filter change every 7000 miles, and always use the correct grade of Low SAPS oil for the engine.
Ideally if you do less than 12k miles a year, or spend more than an average amount of time in traffic queues or city driving, then you really should consider a petrol. However if you do a reasonable amount of motorway speed driving, and adhere religiously to the advice above then you should be OK, even without using expensive additives. A lot of people don’t like the idea of running their lifestyle around their cars, and making needless journeys just for the ‘green’ parts to service themselves soon gets overlooked, however if you don’t normally take long trips or drive on dual carriageways / motorways then it does begin to become something of a pain, driving up and down the motorway in order to keep your car trouble-free and some people just don’t bother, and that is generally when the problems begin to surface as the car never gets the ideal running conditions required to automatically regenerate and clean out the DPF.
There is another equally important factor when buying a second hand car with a DPF, and that is in relation to the driving style and use of the previous owner(s). In years gone by it was something of a bonus to find a 8 – 10 year old Diesel car with a low mileage as it would normally indicate less risk of wear and tear issues and be something of a bargain, these days the opposite applies on a DPF equipped diesel, as lower than average miles will probably indicate a life of short journeys and infrequent use which may mean the DPF will probably be on the way to being blocked and will probably give problems eventually.
Equally, DPF’s are classed as consumables and have a limited service life of between 90k – 120k miles, so average miles on a car of this age may indicate that the DPF will need replacing through it reaching the end of its service life and being largely blocked with ash. It is possible to get the DPF removed and professionally cleaned by a specialist company for about £400, so I would certainly use that in relation to negotiating the price of the car, given its age and the higher than average risk of the DPF needing cleaning.
The DPF Additive I mentioned above can be purchased on the following link, but personally I would just stick to Premium Quality Diesel.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CDTI-Platinum-Plus-DFX-DPF-Standard-1litre-LEZ-Catalyst-Exhaust-Fluid-Additive/162756029847
Does the Mazda 6 estate have a dpf.
Thanks
Rob
The first generation (2002 – 2007) Mazda 6 didn’t have a DPF, however they were introduced on the Mazda 6 from the introduction of the second generation series in 2007 / 8. Mazda have a very bad reputation for DPF reliabiility problems and also suffer from sump oil dilution, where diesel leaks into the sump after failed regeneration attempts, increasing the oil level and reducing lubricating effectiveness of the oil, this can lead to complete engine damage, either from excessive wear of the engine components or the oil level overflowing, causing the engine to “run away” and destroy itself. Loads of DPF problems Highlighted here:- https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mazda/6-2008/?section=good . Mazda are probably the only manufacturer, who I would only ever buy a petrol engined car from!.
I am certain they are fitted with DPF!
Then we will have to agree to disagree. But at the time the original engine was introduced in 2002, DPF’s didn’t exist during EU3 nor did the requirement for emissions to be low enough to require such investment in the R&D of such an expensive emissions control ‘bolt on’ and back then you could pretty much drive anything you liked without Greta bursting into tears…..bless. The newer models had them, but I have already pointed that out clearly in my original reply.
Hi …i have a 1.9 cdti Astra 2007 (twintop) with factory fitted dpf …if the legislation requiring them to be fitted didn’t come into force until 2008. ..can I legally remove it ( obviously not the cat though)
No, you can’t legally remove a DPF on ANY car which left the factory with one fitted regardless of whether it was introduced by the manufacturer before the mandatory fitment date. In fact there is no situation where you can legally remove the DPF on any car in the UK, largely as the Road Tax would have been worked out based on the emissions it produced with the DPF fitted when it was tested at Factory production and so removing it would increase the particulate emissions and probably increase the road tax well beyond its current band. Although I can’t find any case where its actually happened, the change in road tax band could possibly lead to large fines and back tax charged by the DVSA and you really don’t want to be messing around with those “nice” people.
At the very minimum, if the fact that the DPF has been removed is discovered you are very likely be charged with offences under the construction and use regulations (£1000 fine) and in the event of an accident investigation you will certainly be left with voided insurance cover, due to the illegal undeclared modification to your vehicle, making it expensive and difficult to obtain insurance again in the future from the revoked cover as well as the cost of any refused insurance claim in relation to paying out to any damage to your vehicle after an accident.
In short its really not worth the risk and even though removing the DPF is unlikely to be discovered during the current UK MOT inspection and test, it has been announced that from May 2018 the UK will adopt the same MOT testing systems as in Europe, which includes a test of the car through the OBD Diagnostic Port which can quickly identify the absence of the DPF regeneration program a clear indication that its been removed, at which point you will be back to square one, having to source and refit the DPF and reprogram the Engine Management to restart the regeneration cycles, as well as any possible penalty arising from the MOT Centre reporting you to the DVSA.
Let’s not forget that MOT information which is entered at the time of the MOT is now stored on a central database along with any refusal notice, and one day the DVSA may at some point choose to follow up the owners of any cars whose MOT failure reason included a missing DPF and it will certainly also show to a potential new owner if they do an MOT history check should you ever want to sell the car, reducing the buyers’ trust in it.
With all the anti-diesel propaganda in the press at the moment, I suspect that the thorny issue of DPF removal will be looked at more closely in the New Year and perhaps result in a few high profile ‘test’ case prosecutions or increases in the current penalties, in order to act as a warning to others. Its already starting to get the attention of the national media and generally from that point the powers that be, feel obligated to be seen to be doing something, especially when it gets the Tree Huggers all stirred up.
Hi,
Could you possibly advise if Audi ever fitted a dpf to the 1.9 A4 Avant or from what year they started to fit the dpf from. I note you say early 1.9 don’t have them fitted but looks like Audi carried on using a 1.9 on the A4 until around 2009 and want to avoid any with a dpf if I can.
Thanks so much
Hi
I’ve put “early 1.9 Tdi” as that is pretty much the only way you can Guarantee not having a DPF. “Early” in this case as being pre-2007!
Unfortunately lots of variables determined the fitment of DPF’s, such as Auto boxes and 4WD which affected the emission levels and of course dictated whether a DPF was fitted or not from an early date, since some cars with higher emissions needed DPF’s to meet EU4 standards and some didn’t fit them until EU5, and so its entirely possible to find manual cars without a DPF and Auto’s with DPF’s on all makes of cars dating from exactly the same time frame – it really is THAT variable. Even if you ask at a dealer, they can’t even say for sure, without checking the VIN on their system, and looking at the list of Factory fitments.
I have read several threads on various forums, suggesting that the 1.9 engine never had a DPF fitted, as its design wasn’t suitable to cope with one. Do I trust discussions on forums with enough confidence to correctly advise you here? – no not really, especially as Audi dealers often can’t advise their customers either!.
My advice, is to go and look at the car, check to see how much soot there is just inside the exhaust pipe as this can be a quite accurate method to determine the presence of a DPF and if you are still unsure then insist that the dealer checks the individual VIN on the system. If you are determined to avoid a DPF (good advice), then this is really the only way to find out for sure.
Hi,
Thank you for your most helpful website.
Are you able to advise when the Mini D was fitted with a dpf?
Thanks
Jon
Hi
Information on the Mini isn’t very forthcoming, however I don’t believe that the early One D models using the Toyota engine would have had a DPF fitted, so I would think that they were introduced with the higher power / lower emission PSA engine which was used in the Cooper D from May 2007. PSA were one of the first to introduce a DPF system, back in 2002, which used an early version of the Ad Blue type system used on new cars today, so I would say that any Mini made after MY2007 and fitted with the PSA or the even later BMW N47 engine will have a DPF.
You can tell visually, as a non DPF car will be very sooty just inside the exhaust pipe, a DPF equipped car, will be noticably cleaner.
Hello, hope you are well.
Does the 2014 Vauxhall Astra Gtc Sport Cdti (130), 1686CC Diesel, 3DR and Manual have a DPF. I was considering buying one as i think they are beautiful but now i am a bit reluctant, as i have just heard about the DPF, none of it being positive lol.
Thank you.
Jay, Yes unfortunately the 2014 Astra CDTI does have a DPF, in fact every Diesel car manufacturer began fitting them between 2008 and 2010 ready to meet Euro 5 standards. The only diesel car which I am aware of, which doesn’t have a DPF after that period, is the Kia Ceed 1.6 diesel.
Yes, the majority of DPF’s become problematic at some stage, but you increase the risks of more expensive problems early on if you do less than 12k miles a year, and a lot of those journeys are short, the type of journeys where the engine and oil doesn’t reach normal operating temperature and maintain it for at least 20 – 30 minutes, these type of journeys increases the risk of the DPF regeneration never being able to begin or worse still, the engine being switched off mid regeneration, which can cause diesel to leak into the sump oil, diluting it which in turn risks engine and turbo wear, and even a runaway situation where the car revs to death fed by its own sump oil! (A problem on a lot of Mazda’s but can potentially happen on any DPF Car which uses that type of regeneration)
Unless you are a high mileage driver, largely using the car for Motorway trips or are willing to put a little bit of cash away towards paying for DPF cleaning or replacement at some point in the future, then its probably best to buy a Petrol or Hybrd!.
Hi there. Does a Hyundai Tucson 2.0 CRTD registered in October 2005 have a DPF. Bought the car about a month ago and now worried, especially with the DPF horror stories on the net. Many thanks.
Hi, John
No, your 2005 Tucson does not have a DPF
Hi I’m thinking of getting the BMW 525D “lion eye shape” do these come with a DPF? I won’t have a car with a DPF again, absolute nightmare.
Hi Paul
All of the BMW 3.0 Diesel engines in all variants (325D / 330D / 335D / 530D / 525D etc) have a DPF fitted from 2004.
Hi thinking of Buying 2.0 Ford Focus TDCI on a 2005 Plate. You say the 1.8 Ford Focus doesn’t have a DPF could you please let me know if the 2.0 TDCI doesn’t have. DPF Filter many thanks ..
The 2.0 TDCI is a tricky one, as there were two versions of the 2.0 TDCI used during that era, Ford were also offering the DPF as a Factory Fit option on some new diesel cars during that period, which again throws another problem into the mix, as some customers may have specified a DPF as a factory option, even though they weren’t a mandatory requirement at that time. So, first of all, lets look at the two 2.0 TDCI engines, the early version of the 2.0 was Euro 3 compliant and non of these engines had a DPF nor was it available as a Factory option, so is probably the safest bet in relation to being DPF free. The later 2.0 TDCI engine introduced at some point in 2005 was Euro 4 and was the engine which had the DPF fitment as a Factory option, this is where it gets complicated as there is no way to physically check whether it has a DPF as an option just from the Reg number or V5, and its possible that some early 2005 cars were still using the early Euro 3 engine. The only advice I can give, is by way of a simple check when viewing a car, and this is to quickly run your finger around the inside of the exhaust pipe, if you get a black sooty finger there is no DPF fitted, if its relatively clean then there is a DPF on the car.