Diesel Particulate Filters trap soot from the exhaust and burn it off in a process called regeneration. When the DPF can't regen successfully — short journeys, poor fuel, faulty sensors or a stuck EGR — it blocks. That's when you get limp mode, the DPF warning light and a hefty repair bill.
The most common DPF symptoms
Persistent DPF or engine management light, poor MPG, heavy diesel smell, lumpy idle, limp mode, white smoke and an engine that won't rev above ~3,000rpm. If you see two or three of those together, your DPF is asking for help.
Forced regen — the first step
We connect dealer-level diagnostic kit, read the soot load, temperature and pressure values, and trigger a controlled active regen with the engine at temperature. About 60% of partially-blocked DPFs come back to life inside 25 minutes.
Off-car DPF cleaning
If soot load is too high for a regen, the DPF can be removed, cleaned and refitted — restoring it to near-new flow rates. Far cheaper than a £1,200+ replacement filter.
DPF delete — for off-road vehicles
For export, motorsport or off-road vehicles we offer full DPF delete remapping. Note: removing a DPF from a road-registered vehicle is an MOT failure in the UK — we will only carry out DPF delete work for off-road use.
Don't replace before you diagnose
The single most common workshop mistake is replacing a £1,200 DPF when the real fault is an £80 differential pressure sensor or a stuck EGR valve. Always diagnose first.