DPF ISSUES

 

“5 Signs Your DPF Needs Cleaning (Before It Fails Your MOT)”

 
If you drive a diesel vehicle in Liverpool or Merseyside, chances are you’ve seen the dreaded DPF warning light come on. Your Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) plays a vital role in reducing emissions — but when it gets blocked, it can lead to poor performance, higher fuel use, and MOT failure. Here are 5 signs your DPF might need a professional clean — and why acting early can save you money.
 
1. Loss of Power or Sluggish Acceleration
 
Does your car feel like it’s struggling to pull away, especially uphill? A blocked DPF restricts exhaust flow, which means your engine can’t breathe properly. At Mersey Engine Carbon Clean, we’ve helped dozens of Liverpool drivers restore full power with a mobile DPF clean — usually same-day. 
 
2. DPF or Engine Management Light
 
When soot builds up too much, your car’s sensors trigger a warning light. Ignore it too long and your vehicle can go into limp mode — limiting speed and revs. If this light has appeared on your dash, don’t ignore it. A mobile DPF clean could clear the blockage without needing expensive new parts.
 
3. Reduced Fuel Economy
 
Blocked filters force your engine to work harder. If you’ve noticed you’re filling up more often, especially around town, your DPF could be the cause. One of our customers in Speke saw a 15% fuel efficiency boost after a full DPF clean.
 
4. Frequent Short Trips
 
City driving, school runs, or delivery jobs often don’t allow your engine to reach the right temperature to self-clean the DPF. Over time, this leads to buildup and blockage. A manual DPF regen or deep clean can bring it back to life — especially if you’re mostly driving in areas like Liverpool city centre, Bootle, or Birkenhead.
 
5. Strong Smell or Excess Smoke
 
If your exhaust smells off or you’re seeing unusual smoke, it could be a sign of trapped soot in the filter. Don’t wait for your next MOT — most emissions failures we fix could have been prevented with a clean.
 
 
Why Book With Us?
 
At Mersey Engine DPF & Carbon Clean, we offer: • Mobile service across Liverpool, Widnes, Warrington, and beyond • Full DPF diagnostics + clean • Engine carbon cleaning for smoother performance • MOT emissions support βΈ» Ready to Get Back on the Road? Call us on [insert your number] or message us on [Facebook / WhatsApp link] to book your DPF or carbon clean today. Let’s sort that warning light before it becomes a big repair bill.

 

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DPF

A DPF IS A FILTER IS PART OF YOUR EXHAUST SYSTEM MADE WITH A PRECIOUS METAL AND SO MAKES THEM VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE SO IS WHY THEY ARE COST EFFECTIVE TO BE CLEANED OUT

 

A DPF IS MADE UP OF YOUR DPF FILTER THAT LOOKS LIKE A CATALYST ON YOUR EXHAUST SYSTEM WITH A NUMBER OF TEMPERATURE SENSORS AND A DPF PRESSURE SENSOR LATER VEHICLES WILL ALSO HAVE A ADBLUE INJECTOR AS WELL

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR DPF THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC DONE YOU MIGHT HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT FAULT CODES SAYING DPF THAT IS NORMAL IF YOU HAVE ANY FAULTY PARTS IT WILL SHOW UP IN THE DIAGNOSTICS

 

THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH DPF BLOCKING UP IS DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 25% FUEL IN YOUR TANK AS A DPF WILL NOT REGENERATE WHEN YOUR FUEL IS BELOW 25%

THE NEXT THING IS IF YOU HAVE A FAULT IN YOUR ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR YOUR ENGINE LIGHT ON
A DPF IS COLLECTING PARTICLES FOR A NUMBER OF MILES AND THIS DOES VARY ON DIFFERENT VEHICLES THEN IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY DO A REGENERATION ON ITS OWN BUT IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN 25% FUEL IN THE TANK OR A FAULT IN YOUR ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THE ECU REFUSES TO DO IT SO IT STORES INSIDE THE DPF AND YOU HAVE STARTED BLOCKING YOUR DPF UP IT WONT BLOCK UP OVER NIGHT IT MAY TAKE WEEKS OR EVEN YEARS BUT IT IS DOWN TO THE DRIVER

 

IF YOU OWN A FORD CITROEN OR PEUGEOT YOUR VEHICLE MAY BE FITTED WITH A VAPOURISER OR ATOMISER AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS THESE MAY BLOCK UP WITH CARBON SO MAKES THEM USELESS AND BLOCKING YOUR DPF UP BECAUS THE VAPOURISER IS NOT PUMPING DIESEL INTO YOUR DPF WHEN IT REGENERATING SOMETIMES IT WILL PUT A FAULT CODE UP SAYING YOUR DPF IS NOT GETTING HOT ENOUGH FOR REGENERATION BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE

 

IF YOU OWN A OBD TESTER AND YOU KEEP DELETING CODES PLEASE BE AWARE YOU ARE NOT SORTING THE PROBLEM OUT AND THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT WITH DPF ISSUES BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE A FAULT IN THE SYSTEM AND THE DPF WILL NOT BE REGENERATING SO ITS GETTING MORE AND MORE BLOCKED AND MIGHT BE THAT BAD IT CAN NOT BE CLEANED AND THE ONLY OPTION IS FOR A DPF REPLACEMENT THAT COULD COST A FEW THOUSAND POUNDS SOMETIMES MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH

IF YOU DO HAVE A OBD TESTER AND YOU DO HAVE FAULTS YOU CAN STILL DELETE THEM TO GET YOU OUT OF LIMP MODE BUT IF YOU TAKE A PICTURE BEFORE YOU ERASE THEM AND JUST PHONE SOMEONE FOR ADVICE BEFORE IT BECOMES A COSTLY FIX

 

07434 630680