DPF Issue with Volvo S40

nkay1985

Hi all,

My dad has a 2007 Volvo S40. He got some glass replaced in a wing mirror (at a cost of €80) in the local main dealer yesterday. As he was driving out, the engine warning light came on. He went back in and they put it through diagnostics. Came back and said that the DPF needed to be replaced and quoted a cost of €850. He was told that this is normally replaced around 120,000km. His has around 160k done. He was told that the car would lose power if this wasn't replaced. He's just told me that today the car didn't drive right at all.

So I'm wondering if any of you could answer a couple of things.

Firstly, does it sound like the DPF is in need of replacing i.e. not a main dealer chancing their arm. Just a bit co-incidental that it happened right when he was driving away. If the intervals they quoted are correct, it sounds fair enough.

Secondly, is the figure of €850 fair or what could you expect to get the job done for?

I'd appreciate any help as it's nice to know if someone is screwing you or not!

Thanks,
nkay.

MuppetCheck

When he got it replaced is there a chance they left it running for the duration? Happened me once leaving a garage and it needed a run to clear it out.

I presume they are just topping up the eoloys fluid and cleaning out the dpf for that?

bazz26

It would be cheaper to just get the thing removed altogether and mapped out of the car's ECU.

Sobanek

bazz26 wrote: »

It would be cheaper to just get the thing removed altogether and mapped out of the car's ECU.

And before you ask, there is no issues with NCT.

discodavie

bazz26 wrote: »

It would be cheaper to just get the thing removed altogether and mapped out of the car's ECU.

Yea cheaper , but has to be done right.

It's a regular problem with these Volvo's when the additive is not replaced at the intervals and the soot gets heavy and blocks it up quicker than it should.

OP someone local can confirm that there's no additive/dpf is indeed blocked. But €850 isn't a bad price. Got a quote from a local Volvo recently for a 1.6 s40 and that was €1500

nkay1985

Thanks for the replies lads.

MuppetCheck wrote: »

When he got it replaced is there a chance they left it running for the duration? Happened me once leaving a garage and it needed a run to clear it out.

I presume they are just topping up the eoloys fluid and cleaning out the dpf for that?

I'll say it to him about giving it a run. It would get 5 good spins a week usually but might need it after this popped up.

bazz26 wrote: »

It would be cheaper to just get the thing removed altogether and mapped out of the car's ECU.

Who would you be looking at to do a job like that? Any downsides?

discodavie wrote: »

Yea cheaper , but has to be done right.

It's a regular problem with these Volvo's when the additive is not replaced at the intervals and the soot gets heavy and blocks it up quicker than it should.

OP someone local can confirm that there's no additive/dpf is indeed blocked. But €850 isn't a bad price. Got a quote from a local Volvo recently for a 1.6 s40 and that was €1500

I'd have thought that would be part of regular services but I don't know. Hard to see how there's a difference of €650 for the same job, isn't it?

By someone local, do you mean an indy mechanic or something?

aisr1ofk43dpy5

I didn't think the 2007 S40 had a DPF I had a 2008 one and was told it didn't.

bazz26

nkay1985 wrote: »

Who would you be looking at to do a job like that? Any downsides?

There are plenty of places offering DPF removal, worth googling it.

Jamir Tasteless Milkman wrote: »

I didn't think the 2007 S40 had a DPF I had a 2008 one and was told it didn't.

They did from about 2006 onwards. I had a 2006 S40 and it had a DPF.

xECompanyx

Hi,

Just had the dpf replaced on my 07 1.6d Volvo s40, had exactly the same symptoms as you described above. The job cost 577eur, new dpf kit and 2hrs labour. I am a regular though at the Kerry Volvo main dealer. This is my 3rd Volvo (have it 6 years) and I have had every one of them fully serviced by volvo.

Henry Ford III

bazz26 wrote: »

It would be cheaper to just get the thing removed altogether and mapped out of the car's ECU.

Why are dpf's fitted if they can be removed easily and still pass an NCT?

There must be some good reason for fitting them.

bazz26

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Why are dpf's fitted if they can be removed easily and still pass an NCT?

There must be some good reason for fitting them.

They are fitted by manufacturers to meet stringent EU emission regulations. Euro IV or onwards testing on new cars checks for Carbon Dioxide (Co2) emissions. NCT in its current format only tests Carbon Monoxide (Co) emissions.

People chose to have them removed because it is a. it's more cost effective than replacing them, b. one less component to give you trouble (they are far from being reliable technology) and c. small performance increases.

kirving

EU regulations as a far as I know, which aren't tested as part of the NCT, yet.

Row

Taken for the link below...I would imagine the NCT test centres will also be following the U.k./European laws soon.

"Garages and testing stations will be required check for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the inspection of the exhaust system as part of the MOT test (or annual test for heavy vehicles) from February 2014."

"Some firms offer services to remove the filter, claiming it will improve the economy. But it is an offence to drive a vehicle that has been modified this way, as it will no longer meet the emissions standards the car achieved when it was approved for sale in the UK."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-for-mot-to-test-for-diesel-particulate-filter
and
http://cleanairinlondon.org/sources/thousands-may-be-driving-diesel-vehicles-illegally-after-government-failures/

Not sure how they are going to check weather a dpf is there or not with just a visible smoke emissions test...:rolleyes:

discodavie

A DPF is very noticeable in the car if your looking for it , and even the basic reg lookup here in the shop shows if the car has a dpf or not.

the lads in the nct centre will be looking for these in the very near future with regards to the emissions.

andy t

if you go to a garage that has good diagnostics they can run a clean-out process,

basically what it does is makes the car rev high & run very rich for a few minutes ,

this is a known & cost effective process for cleaning them filters,,, might be worth looking into

discodavie

A DPF regen will only work if the DPF isn't completely blocked already.

Also a good drive on the motorway at 50ish in third gear for 5 mins does almost the same thing.