Results: After our complete Alfa Romeo 159 JTD DPF Removal + Smoke Correction session, you can expect to start your vehicle with no warning lights, no smoke and full power being restored. You will also get an increase in performance and economy – the vehicle will be more responsive and smoother to drive.
Details: Each vehicle is different and so, we always carry out a full and thorough diagnostic session before and after the DPF removal to ensure there are no more underlying faults which could cause problems in the future. We erase all faults from the ECU and reprogram the ECU to completely de-activate the DPF system and at the same time canceling out all regeneration processes. This means the ECU will no longer look for the DPF and will not attempt to enter any future regeneration cycles.
Warranty: All our DPF Removal + Smoke Correction sessions come with a Lifetime warranty.
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
The latest Ford diesels such as the Ford Galaxy / Kuga / Mondeo / S-Max are now fitted with the Delphi DCM3.5 Engine ECU and this has proven to be a tricky ECU for all remappers across the country. In fact, we’ve recently had two Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi’s in our workshop for DPF corrective software where other companies have attempted to carry out a DPF Removal session which went horribly wrong, leaving the vehicles in no state to be driven. We found post injection maps were still on and vehicle was in continuous regen-mode which meant a lot of strain on the injectors at constant high load and bore-wash at the pistons!
We have a reputation of being the most experienced and established DPF Removal specialists in the whole of Europe, with customers coming from France and Poland to have their DPF’s removed on vehicles every other company says is impossible.
We can successfully remove the DPF from your Ford 2.0TDCi and have you back on the road in as little as 4 hours.
Once the DPF has been removed, you can expect an increase in performance and significant gains in fuel economy. In fact, removing the DPF will also increase the life expectancy of your turbocharger, engine and other mechanical components.
Removal of the DPF system is completely road legal, providing it is done correctly! – We back all our DPF Removals with a Lifetime warranty and a Guaranteed MOT pass.
After having the DPF Removed by Sinspeed, you will no longer have to worry about the vehicle going into Limp Mode, having the warning lights appear on the dash or any smoking issues. All DPF related problems will be eliminated in just one single visit to our workshop and all work is backed by our Lifetime warranty.
First – A Bit About The Car
The Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF Removal is a speciality of ours but first lets talk a little about the vehicle. The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a small SUV that delivers both on-road comfort and off-road ability—two attributes you certainly know are often mutually exclusive. The first-generation Grand Vitara featured low-range gearing, a V6 power engine and a truck-like chassis. Although the current model is similar to the older versions, it also features a body structure that nicely meshes car and truck chassis designs. I wasn’t keen on the original model because of various shortcomings, but I must say the new Grand Vitara has been greatly improved.
That said—and this is something we at Sinspeed have noticed—the current model still lacks the refinement of its many compact SUV competitors. If you own a Grand Vitara, you certainly are among those who like to escape the urban grind and slip into the great outdoors. This is one unique feature of the car: its rough-and-tumble nature makes it a perfect choice for one-off, country-bound expeditions! The Grand Vitara is powered by a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder that yields an optimum of 162 pound-feet of torque as well as 166 horsepower.
If you own a standard model, you would notice the efficient five-speed manual transmission—although it is not uncommon to see four-speed automatic transmission on other versions. Rear-wheel drive is common on base models, but we’ve seen clients bring a limited-version model to our shops—and the model had a four-mode 4WD system (4H, 4H Lock, 4L Lock and N) that enables the vehicle to be flat-towed behind an RV without adding miles to the odometer.
Now, let’s get to the interesting part!
Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF Removal Service
Ever worried that the efficiency of your Suzuki Grand Vitara’s Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) wasn’t up to par? Worry no more! At Sinspeed, we offer Suzuki DPF removal services on a variety of vehicles, including the Suzuki Vitara and Grand Vitara, both DDi and DDiS models.
Our DPF busters perform a thorough and permanent removal service, making sure any future DPF-related problems are fixed—permanently, for the life of the vehicle.
Contact us to learn more about our Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF removal services.
Specifically, our DPF experts can help you if you experience any of the following problems with your Suzuki Vitara DDi or DDiS:
Excessive smoke
DPF light illuminated—even if it occasionally vanishes and reappears
Significant loss of power, also known as “limp mode”
Reduction in fuel economy
Failure of— or engine inefficiency due to—your blocked DPF filter
Don’t be tricked into unreasonably low Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF removal quotes from one of those “Mickey Mouse” companies that claim to be professional yet offer substandard work, poor customer service and inadequate diagnostic services, all of which end up costing you more money in the long term.
A DPF performs essential functions in maintaining your vehicle’s engine efficiency, removing diesel particulate matter (that is, soot) from the diesel engine, and contributing to a cleaner and healthier air by blocking exhaust gases from entering the atmosphere. At Sinspeed, we do more than remove the DPF filter from the exhaust and reprogram your engine’s ECU to deactivate the system. We also carry out a Smoke Correction service using in-house, proprietary technology to make sure your Grand Vitara continues to run efficiently without affecting the emissions. This technology is unique to Sinspeed, so don’t expect to get it at any other company in the U.K.
Contact us today to discuss your options for a professional Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF removal service. If your DPF has become saturated and, therefore, needs to be replaced, Sinspeed can provide you a qualitative yet affordable solution for the replacement. Our approach is unique, built on several years of DPF removal and regeneration expertise, and cost-efficient in the long term.
We help you save money and lengthen the operating life of your Suzuki Vitara’s diesel engine.
Why are we better than the competition?
We provide a combination of “top-quality work, post-check review, stellar customer service and work guarantee” that is unparalleled in the U.K.
We are the first UK-Registered company to offer DPF Removal services since 2007. We offer a true Lifetime software warranty. We have removed DPF’s from 5,000+ vehicles and are by far the most experienced DPF Removal specialists in the country.
We perform an in-depth review of your engine, and then give you an objective and fact-based opinion—meaning, you can take our advice and go to another service provider if you so like.
We provide various vehicle repair services, including Engine Control Unit (ECU) remapping and analysis.
We can provide you alternative engine treatment procedures if we find out the problem with your Suzuki Vitara is not related to DPF. Trust us; we have the expertise and tools in-house to deal with all sorts of engine problems.
Our diagnostic approach enables us to give you a complete and accurate DPF Health Check, making sure we diagnose DPF faults correctly and that they are not mistaken for problems in other areas.
Our Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF removal services centre on the following procedures:
Pre-diagnostic check
Analysis and physical removal of the faulty or damaged filter
ECU reprogramming/remapping
ECU tuning, if needed
Smoke-Correction Service
Post-diagnostic check
Test run
Contact us today, and let one of our specialists walk you through our bespoke Suzuki Grand Vitara DPF removal services and tell you how we can regenerate and boost your diesel engine’s operational efficiency. Trust us—we’ve been doing this for so long, hundreds of clients have entrusted us with their cars’ engine safety and DPF-related problems!
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR BlueMotion DPF Removal Session
The Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR BlueMotion really is a great looking car and boasts an impressive 58.9mpg in fuel economy. The manual gearbox delivers smooth gear shifts and is quite torquey but still can only offer a sluggish 0-60mph in 10.7seconds. Overall it is a reasonably priced car and good value for money but as with all cars it does have it’s problems – unfortunately, some of the common problems such as the dreaded DPF faults can become very costly, especially if you continue driving with the problems as most drivers are unaware of the potential damage it can cause.
The Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR BlueMotion comes in an option of the following two engines:
Engine Code: CAYB 1.6TDi CR 90Bhp
Engine Code: CAYC 1.6TDi CR 105Bhp
Both models suffer from the dreaded DPF Problems which shouldn’t be expected from such new vehicles but then there are a number of reasons why the DPF Filters get blocked and a majority of this is down to failed regenerations. There are many factors which can affect the performance of the DPF and the regeneration cycle but one of the most important factors is that the vehicle just isn’t suited to the majority of people who drive them and their driving styles.
My Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR BlueMotion is not suited to my “Driving Style”?
If you own a Volkswagen Golf 1.6TDi CR and live in a busy built up city like London for example, then chances are your driving style will be a lot of stop-&-start which is a direct cause of premature DPF blockage. Whereas if you are living in a more rural area then you’re more likely to be driving on more longer journeys for longer periods of time which is what is required from a modern diesel engine fitted with a DPF. Longer motorway journeys more frequently help to maintain the life of the DPF by increasing the chances of successful regenerations more frequently.
This type of unnecessary motorway miles are counter-productive if you’re living in a built up area with a lot of stop-start traffic and purchased one of these vehicles in hope that it will be economical. When the vehicle is regenerating on the motorway, the fuel consumption will drop dramatically for the stretch of roughly 20 miles and will most definitely counter any savings in fuel economy.
Symptoms of a Blocked DPF Filter on my Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR
If you’ve had too many failed regenerations of the DPF filter or the DPF filter has reached it’s service life then you will begin noticing symptoms of the filter being blocked, however in some cases the usual warning signs don’t flag up until the very last minute where you lose all power and the vehicle goes in to Limp Mode.
Below is a list of some of the common symptoms of a Blocked DPF Filter:
DPF Warning Light On
Engine Management Light On (EML / MIL)
Glow Plug Light Flashing
Limp Mode / Loss Of Power
Fault Code: 18434 – Particle Filter Bank 1 Malfunction
Fault Codes: P242F, P0471 & 08194 etc.
Poor Fuel Consumption
You may have one or more of the above symptoms which would suggest a DPF failure and there are even more extreme cases where the vehicle may be hard to start or not starting at all due to the excess blockage and build up of exhaust back pressure.
Continued driving with a blocked DPF filter can cause further problems such as:
Injector Faults
Turbocharger Faults
Oil Contamination
Engine Faults
Some of the above faults can be very expensive and just replacing the DPF filter alone with a new part would easily cost you £1000+ so it’s best to tackle the problem head on right away before things start to spiral out of control. We’ve seen cars that have come into our workshops in such bad condition, we simply refuse to work on them because the cost of repair exceeds the value of the vehicle – it is not unheard of to be spending £2000+ on repairs when you’ve been driving weeks/months on a blocked DPF filter.
My Volkswagen (VW) Golf 1.6TDi CR Has A Blocked DPF – What Are My Options?
You can either replace the filter, have it cleaned or get the DPF completely removed and programmed out of the engine ECU. We do offer all three options to our customers but we advise all customers that if you want complete peace of mind then the ultimate and most affordable option is to have the DPF removed by us. See below the pro’s and con’s of all three options to weigh out the option best suited to your needs.
DPF Replacement Filters – We can replace your Blocked DPF Filter with a brand new genuine part, direct from Volkswagen. This part will be warranted by it’s manufacturer and will be a genuine OEM filter. We only offer to replace the DPF with genuine parts because copy/pattern parts will be of a lower quality, come with a limited warranty and from our extensive experience will most definitely give you on-going problems. To replace the DPF Filter could cost you between £800 – £1500 (+Labour & VAT) and the warranty is usually for 1 or 2 years by the manufacturer.
DPF Chemical Cleaning Session – There are many companies that offer to “clean” the DPF with additives or taking it off and jet-washing it but rarely are successful. We have signed up with one of the worlds leading aftermarket DPF chemical cleaning companies to offer a very intensive chemical cleaning session, guaranteed to clean the DPF filter and remove 100% of all particulate soot matter and take the ash accumulation back down to zero – providing it is the first time this process is being carried out and the filter is not physically damaged i.e. cracked/melted. This process takes around 2-3 hours and the costs are quite low, however this process does come with a limited 6 months warranty. If within those 6 months the DPF does block up and become a problem again, then we will offer to clean the DPF again at half price or offer the DPF Removal session with a 20% discount in good will.
Sinspeed Complete DPF Removal Session – We offer a completely bespoke and custom 4-stage DPF Removal Service whereby we physically remove the filter from the exhaust system and de-activate the complete DPF system from the vehicles ECU. We also cancel out any regeneration processes and carry out a smoke-correction service which is bespoke to Sinspeed, making our DPF Removal service the most extensive and complete service nationwide. All SINSPEED DPF Removal Sessions come with a LIFETIME warranty. This is a permanent solution to your DPF problems and will not cost you £1000’s – in fact, we can offer you a complete 4-stage custom DPF removal session with our Smoke-Correction service with all the warranties, for a fraction of the price of a new filter!
Key Benefits Of A Sinspeed DPF Removal Session
After having the DPF Filter Removed professionally by Sinspeed you will notice an immediate increase in both power & performance as well as a sharper throttle response. The vehicle will not suffer from any future DPF problems, giving you complete peace of mind and you will gain in fuel economy as well. You will no longer be required to drive the vehicle on long motorway journeys to regenerate the filter because the regeneration cycle will have been completely cancelled out and the DPF completely de-activated – as if it was never there, meaning you can drive the vehicle how you want. Use it to go pick up the kids from school, or a local shop run without any fears of the DPF ever being a problem.
Below you can see some of the key benefits you can expect from having the DPF Removed by Sinspeed:
Increased Power & Performance
Increased Fuel Efficiency
Sharper Throttle Response
Increased Life Expectancy Of Turbocharger
Increased Life Expectancy Of Engine
Increased Life Expectancy Of Injectors
No More Limp Mode / Loss Of Power
No More Warning Lights On The Dashboard
No More Annoying Regenerations!!
Lifetime Warranty
With the DPF Filter fitted the back pressure building up in the exhaust puts a lot of strain on the turbocharger and engine as they have to work harder to produce the power to push the exhaust gasses through. By removing the DPF Filter you ease the pressure on the turbocharger and engine, allowing them to work more efficiently – producing the same amount of power with less strain and so less component wear. Also, because the regeneration cycle will be cancelled out, the injectors are no longer required to squirt diesel at longer durations or higher pressures for prolonged periods of time (as they would during regeneration cycles) and therefore prolonging the life of the injectors.
Sinspeed is a nationwide company and having done over 7000+ DPF Removals since 2007, we are the first UK-Registered and by far the most experienced DPF Removal Specialists in the country. There are now many companies popping up all over the internet claiming to be professionals and highly experienced – but the truth is that 90% of these are trading illegally as they are not UK-Registered companies. This means that their bold claims on warranties will fall flat and if something does go wrong to your vehicle, you will not be able to hold them liable in any way.
A brand new genuine DPF Filter will cost you between £800 – £1500 (+Labour & VAT) and will come with a limited service life of 70,000 – 120,000 miles. We can remove the entire DPF system for a fraction of this cost and you’ll never have to worry about it ever again!
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
If you have a Blocked DPF and are looking for a Volkswagen Golf 1.6TDi CR BlueMotion DPF Removal specialist, then contact us today for more information and a quotation, call us on 0203 815 9441 or alternatively, send us an email.
Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR (6J) DPF Removal Session
The Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR is a great new common rail diesel car. It looks great, drives smooth and priced reasonably well so it sounds like an all-rounder – but it has it’s problems, some can be a little annoying and others can be very expensive. It’s very smooth to drive but for a common rail turbo-diesel, feels very underpowered and you’ll notice a lot of wind noise on motor journeys – but the most critical and expensive problem is the major DPF issues with this car and others of the fairly new 1.6TDi CR VAG range.
The Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR (6J) Engine comes in both a 90hp and a 105hp. Both models suffer from the problematic DPF issues and a lot of this is down to failed regenerations for one reason or another. There are many reasons why a DPF Regeneration might fail and one of the more important reasons is the fact that the vehicle just isn’t suited for the majority of people who drive them.
To learn more about the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) system, how the DPF Filter works and common DPF Problems then check out our What Is A DPF Article.
My Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR is not suited to my “Driving Style”?
If you own a Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR and live in a busy city like London for example, then your driving style will be a lot of stop-start and this type of driving will definitely cause premature DPF blockage. To maintain a DPF-fitted diesel vehicle, you need to be doing a majority of motorway driving as a pose to urban driving, this will maintain a higher exhaust gas temperature for prolonged periods which will aid a successful regeneration.
If you’re using the vehicle for more city/town driving then your driving style will be a lot more stop & start which isn’t suited for a DPF-fitted vehicle because the exhaust gasses won’t reach optimum temperatures and hold at that temperature long enough to aid a successful regeneration and to maintain the vehicle you will then be required to go on extra motor journeys each week for a minimum of 20 miles at a time in lower gears and higher revs to burn off the soot that your DPF has captured in the week. There is no guarantee that this method of driving style will work, but is the best chance of maintaining the filter for as long as possible before requiring a replacement – and you will eventually require a replacement filter because they don’t last forever.
This type of unnecessary motorway miles are counter-productive if you purchased one of these vehicles thinking it would be economical.
Symptoms of a Blocked DPF Filter on my Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR
If you’ve had too many failed regenerations on your Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR, or it’s just reached the service life for the filter to be replaced then you will begin noticing problems and symptoms of the filter being blocked. In some cases it’s quite common that you won’t notice any warnings and the problems can come all at once. You’re meant to get a warning when the DPF is getting blocked to advise you to go on a regeneration and then eventually after several failed attempts to regenerate you will lose all power as the vehicle goes into safety mode (Limp Mode) but we’ve seen cases where there was no warning before Limp Mode.
Below is a list of some of the common symptoms of a Blocked DPF Filter.
DPF Warning Light On
Engine Management Light On (MIL / EML)
Glow Plug Light Flashing
Limp Mode / Loss Of Power
Fault Code: 18434 – Particle Filter Bank 1 Malfunction
Fault Codes: P242F, P0471 & 08194 etc.
Poor Fuel Consumption
Some of the above may not be associated to your DPF problem and there are even more extreme cases where the vehicle may be hard to start or not start at all.
When the DPF is blocked we don’t recommend to continue driving like this for weeks thinking about how to sort the issue. You have a few options but if you wait too long and continue driving on a blocked DPF then you’ll soon find yourself in a situation where the DPF can get so badly blocked that it will cause further damage to other mechanical components. We would recommend that if you do need to drive the vehicle i.e. to and from a garage then you should drive it in the lower gears and higher rev range.
Continued driving with a Blocked DPF Filter may cause further problems such as:
Injector Faults
Turbocharger Faults
Oil Contamination
Engine Faults
Some of the above can be very expensive, just replacing the DPF Filter alone can cost you £1000+ easily so it’s best to tackle the problem head on straight away before things spiral out of control. We’ve seen cars so badly damaged that we refuse to work on them because it would cost £2000+ to put them right and with some cars it’s just not worth it.
My Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR Has A Blocked DPF – What Are My Options?
You can either replace the filter or have the DPF completely removed and programmed out of the vehicles on-board computer (ECU). There is also a third option of cleaning the filter but this carries no guarantees as the problem may come back at any time, however, cleaning the filter can work out to be less expensive in the short run as a single cleaning session can be carried out for as little as £150.00 on some vehicles.
We offer all three options to our customers but we always advise that removing the DPF is the ultimate and most affordable solution. See below for the pro’s and cons of all three options and decide which will best suit your needs.
DPF Replacement Filters – We can replace your blocked DPF filter with a brand new genuine part, direct from Seat. This part will be warranted by it’s manufacturer and will be a genuine OEM filter. We don’t use copy/pattern parts because although they come with warranties, we know what they’re made of and we can absolutely guarantee that after fitting a copy filter the problems will come back sooner rather than later – because they simply don’t have enough precious metals inside to carry out a successful regeneration. A genuine filter, although problematic.. if maintained well, will last 70,000 – 120,000 miles. The cost of the filter however can be very expensive, in some cases as much as £1000+ (+VAT + Labour).
DPF Chemical Cleaning Session – We have signed up with the leading aftermarket DPF cleaning company in the world to offer a very intense DPF chemical cleaning session. Some people will suggest removing the filter and jet-washing it through, others will say use an additive in your tank and take it on a long drive and your local dealer may even try a forced regeneration. Our chemical cleaning session has proved to be quite revolutionary and we’ve succeeded to clean DPF filters that other cleaning methods have failed on. We’re not saying this option is perfect because it’s not, it is a temporary solution to an on-going problem. There is no cleaning system in the world that can clean a DPF back to factory standard and give you another 70,000 miles. The most you can expect from a DPF Chemical Cleaning Session is to get your vehicle back with all faults cleared and to be problem free for up to a year.
Sinspeed Complete DPF Removal Session – We offer a completely bespoke and custom DPF Removal service whereby we physically remove the filter from the exhaust system and de-activate the complete DPF system from the vehicles ECU. This is a 4-stage DPF Removal Session and the most in-depth removal offered nationwide. After getting your vehicle back you’ll experience a noticeable increase in performance and power from the happy engine because it is no longer being suffocated and able to breath better. This will result directly in more power and better fuel economy. You will no longer experience any DPF-Related problems, warning lights or loss of power and because we also carry out a free Smoke-Correction Service with EVERY DPF Removal service we offer. All SINSPEED DPF Removals come with a Lifetime software warranty. This is a permanent solution and will not cost you £1000’s – in fact, we can offer you a Complete Custom DPF Removal Session for your vehicle, for a fraction of the price of a new filter!
Key Benefits Of A Sinspeed DPF Removal Session Removing the DPF is not like changing a clutch and we’re not a local back-street garage either, we’re specialists in the field of DPF problems and after removing the DPF you will notice instantly how much better your vehicle performs. Having a large DPF filter in the exhaust restricts the air flow of the exhaust gasses and massively restricts the performance of the engine – it has to work harder to produce power, so by removing the filter you’ll find the engine will produce that same amount of power with less throttle. The end result is a happier, longer lasting more powerful engine and better fuel consumption.
Below are some of the Key benefits gained through a Sinspeed DPF Removal Session:
Increased Fuel Efficiency
Increased Engine Performance
More Power & Sharper Throttle Response
Increased Life Expectancy Of Turbo & Engine
No More Limp Mode / Loss Of Power
No More Warning Lights On The Dashboard
No More Regenerations!!
Lifetime Software Warranty
After having your DPF Removed by Sinspeed, you will no longer be required to drive your Seat Ibiza 1.6TDi CR in any specific way – you will be able to drive the vehicle how you want, it will be suited for both urban and rural driving styles so whether you wanted to drive across the country or even just to the shops, you won’t ever need to worry about it causing problems in the future – because the DPF will be completely removed and de-activated, as if it was never there in the first place.
Sinspeed is a nationwide company and having done over 7000+ DPF Removals since 2007, we are by far the largest and most experienced company across the nation. There are many companies now, new ones opening every day claiming to be professionals and offering guaranteed MOT’s – but Sinspeed is the ONLY company nationwide to offer a free Smoke-Correction with every single DPF Removal Session we carry out. This is something that is bespoke to Sinspeed, thanks to our in-house developed technology and there is no other company across the UK that can offer this service.
A new DPF Filter (Diesel Particulate Filter) will range from £800 – £1500 (+Labour & VAT) and will come with a service life of 70,000 – 120,000 miles. We can remove the entire DPF system for a fraction of this cost and you’ll never have to worry about it ever again!
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
For more information and a quotation, please call us on 0203 815 9441 today.
Mercedes E250 2.2CDI BlueEfficiency DPF Problems
After a solid 6 months of research we have finally released our permanent solution for all DPF related issues with the Mercedes E250 2.2CDI (W212). We are without doubt the first company in the UK and in fact in the whole of Europe to have successfully cracked the software on the Delphi DCM3.5 CRD2.61 Engine ECU and carried out a completely custom DPF Removal Session without problems.
A DPF or EGR delete is normally paired with a custom ECU remap, so the engine is recalibrated to run correctly once the filter or valve is removed — see our ECU remapping service.
To our knowledge there has been no company that can offer a DPF Removal Service on this vehicle to date and we have now as of last week successfully carried out a fully custom DPF Removal Session with a 100% success rate on three of these vehicles and with great results.
The Mercedes E250 2.2CDI BlueEfficiency is really a great car but a complete nightmare for customers when the DPF fails because until now, there has been no company in the whole of Europe that could correctly remove the DPF from the software inside the ECU. The Mercedes E250 2.2CDi BlueEfficiency is factory fitted with a Delphi DCM3.5 CRD2.61 ECU and until now no company was able to successfully download the data from the ECU, recognise all the maps and manually decrypt the data and switch off the DPF & Regeneration functionality.
We have worked long and hard for the last 6 months on this ECU type and have now finally released our most permanent combinated solution which will de-activate the DPF system and cancel out all regeneration processes. This solution will enhance the vehicles performance and give added fuel economy gains as well as eliminate any future DPF related issues.
Once the DPF fails on the Mercedes E250CDI you will experience warning signs, some of the more common ones are listed below:
Engine Management Light On (EML)
DPF Warning Light On
Loss of Power (Limp Mode)
Vehicle Smoking & Juddering
Poor Fuel Consumption
You may not experience all the above symptoms, it depends on how blocked your DPF is but if you have got any of the above then it’s best to correct the DPF issues before they get worse – otherwise, you could end up spending £1000’s repairing other parts which can get damaged as a direct result to ignoring a blocked DPF. For example, if your DPF is blocked and you continue to drive the vehicle around town, then you can expect the excess back pressure in the exhaust to weaken the seals on the turbocharger and clog up your EGR valve.
Sinspeeds Custom Mercedes E250CDI DPF Removal Solution
If you have a Mercedes E250CDI BlueEfficiency with a DPF problem, then contact us today and find out about our completely custom DPF removal session – it is a completely bespoke and permanent 4-stage solution which we offer with a free Smoke-Correction service to ensure that even after the DPF is removed, your vehicle will not excessively smoke as a direct result of the DPF being removed.
Once the DPF is removed, you can expect the following:
Increased Power & Performance
Increased Throttle Response
Increased Fuel Economy
Increased Life Expectancy Of Turbocharger
Increased Life Expectancy Of Engine
No More DPF-Related Problems
No More DPF Regenerations
No More DPF Errors + Warning Lights
No More Limp Mode (Loss of Power)
LIFETIME WARRANTY
After your DPF is removed there is no need to continue driving it in any specific way i.e. motorway miles. You can drive your vehicle how you wish, be it around town to pick-up the kids or just down to your local supermarket – without ever having to worry about the dreaded DPF.
Sinspeed is a nationwide company and having done over 7000+ DPF Removals on all types of vehicles since 2007, we were the first UK Registered DPF Removal Company and are by far the most experienced and largest DPF Removal Specialists in the UK. There are many companies now, new ones popping up every day claiming to have been around for years, saying they’re professionals and making bold warranty claims with guaranteed MOT’s but the truth is if you dig a little deeper you will find that 99% of these companies are in fact operating illegally in the UK. We know this because they are not UK registered companies paying taxes and therefore if your car was to inherit a fault in the future, you have no way to ever claim any warranties against their so-called company – because they do not even exist.
Sinspeed is the ONLY company in the UK to offer a Free Smoke-Correction service with every single DPF Removal session. This is something that is bespoke to our company, thanks to our in-house developed technology and there is no other company across the UK that can offer this service.
A new DPF Filter (Diesel Particulate Filter) will range from £800-1500 (+Labour & VAT) and will come with a limited 1 year warranty and a service life of 70,000 – 120,000 miles. We can remove the entire DPF system for a fraction of this cost and guarantee that will be the end of all DPF related problems for the lifetime of the vehicle.
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
For more information and a free quote, call us today on 0203 815 9441 or alternatively send us an email.
Saab 9-3 1.9TTiD DPF Removal Service
If your Saab 9-3 1.9TTiD is suffering from a DPF system fault, has a blocked DPF filter or is just causing problems like regenerating too frequently, we can help. We can de-activate the entire DPF system, including the regeneration cycle and remove the DPF system completely from the vehicle, including the physical removal of the filter from the exhaust with no adverse effects.
For more information on DPF’s (Diesel Particulate Filters) and how they work, please check out our What Is A DPF article.
Some Technical Jargon About Your Saab 9-3 Aero 1.9TTiD DPF System
The Saab 9-3 Aero 1.9TTiD is a great car and pulls very nicely in 4th going 50-60mph but we find it is quite restrictive in the higher gears and a lot of this is down to the large Diesel Particulate Filter which sits in the exhaust. The extra back-pressure produced by this filter means the engine has to work a lot harder to push the gasses through the filter to exit the exhaust and in turn requires more power – what does this mean for you? Poor fuel economy. In addition to this, the filter works to trap particulate soot matter and then burn off the soot via a process called “Regeneration”. For this process to be successful, the vehicle needs to be driven on a long motorway journey, typically 20-30 miles at a constant speed of above 40-50mph in 4th gear. – If you haven’t any other reason to be making these journeys, then this is time, effort and fuel wasted just to keep the car running without problems and even then there is no real guarantees that this will always work.
Whilst regenerating the engine ECU will request more diesel to be squirted into the engine “Post-Cycle Injection” to help increase the EGT’s (Exhaust Gas Temperatures) and by doing so the increased temperatures in the exhaust will (or should) aid a successful regeneration by burning off the trapped soot before it exits out of the exhaust and into the atmosphere. – What does this mean for you? Poor fuel economy, because the engine ECU is squirting more diesel to aid the regeneration cycle and any un-burnt diesel will wash down into your engine oil in the sump, which in turn will contaminate the oil, raise oil levels and require more frequent oil changes.
It’s all very technical and in fact unnecessary because modern diesels are efficient enough already to comply with the lower emissions standard which they were aiming for – and with a bit of tweaking, we’re able to bring your vehicle to comply to the factory standards emissions for that specific model, without having a DPF – that’s right, even after the DPF is removed the emissions will not be increased. This is great news for everyone because come MOT time, there won’t be any problems at all. Dealerships are now taking a liking to this method and many have now manufactured newer diesel cars (2012+) without the DPF fitted from factory but offered it as an optional upgrade. An example of this is the 2012 Audi A5 3.0TDi and the 2012 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2D.
I have DPF Problems with my Saab 9-3 Aero 1.9TTiD – So what are my options?
If you’re experiencing any kind of DPF related problems with your Saab 9-3 then there are a few options out there but it’s best we go through each of them so that you can familiarize yourself with them and make an educated decision based on real facts as most have drawbacks as well as benefits.
1. Forced Regeneration – One of the most common options offered to customers is a “Forced Regeneration” typically by an auto-electrician or even a main dealership. This is when the vehicle is unable to regenerate itself any further and the technician has to plug in a diagnostic machine to tell the car to regenerate. In most cases this will work and get you out of trouble (temporarily) and at a cost of £60-150 depending on where you go to get this done. If this process was successful then the vehicle will return to normal driving mode and all power will come back and any lights or warning messages on the dashboard will go out. However, this is a temporary fix to an on-going problem and can in fact cause further damage. When carrying out a forced regeneration, temperatures will exceed 800 degrees celcius and to forcefully burn the particulate soot trapped inside the Diesel Particulate Filter but by doing so it will also damage the self-cleaning elements that aid the regeneration of the filter – What does this mean? You can expect the filter to block up quicker and quicker after each Forced Regeneration.
2. DPF Cleaning Session (Additives) – Some garages will offer to clean the DPF with additives that are designed to chemically clean out any soot from a blocked DPF filter. This option does work but it can cost anything from £150-250 and there is no guarantee. It is a temporary fix but likely to cause further damage to the filter which in turn will cause it to block up quicker than before. The chemicals used to clean the filter can actually destroy the self-cleaning elements of the filter and that’s why they block up even quicker – because the filter is then unable to regenerate whilst driving. Furthermore we find that DPF’s that have been chemically cleaned begin to erode on the face of the filter and there is a high risk that if any eroded particles become loose and come away from the filter, they can be sucked back up into the turbo and cause turbo failure – which can become even more expensive to repair.
3. DPF Replacement (Copy / Pattern Parts) – Copy DPF’s, also known as pattern parts are being sold widely on ebaY and even by many parts suppliers across the country at very cheap prices – some as little as £150! This seems like a great deal when you compare this to the cost of a genuine new filter which costs £1000+. So why is the copy part so cheap? Because manufacturers of these copy filters do not dip the filter in precious metals and a certain precious metal is not used during the manufacturing process. That particular metal is required to carry out a successful regeneration. Most people fall into the trap of buying a cheap copy DPF and then find they’re soon enough back to square one with the problems continuing and 60% of our customers come to us after already having spent £300+.
4. Custom DPF Removal Session By Sinspeed – We offer a completely bespoke and permanent solution to all types of DPF problems. Whether your filter is regenerating too often or just completely blocked up – we can carry out a completely custom DPF removal session whereby we will remove the filter from the exhaust system and reprogram the
Benefits of a Custom DPF Removal Session by Sinspeed Engine ECU to switch off the DPF system completely. We also de-activate all regeneration processes and carry out a smoke-correction service to ensure the vehicle will continue to run optimally. This is a permanent solution with a Lifetime guarantee that you will not experience any future DPF-Related problems.
You can expect all of the benefits below with every Custom DPF Removal Session carried out by Sinspeed:
Increased Power & Performance
Increased Fuel Economy
Increased Life Expectancy Of Turbocharger
Increased Life Expectancy Of Injectors
Increased Life Expectancy Of Engine
No More Limp Mode
No More Warning Lights
No More Smoke Issues
No More Loss Of Power
Lifetime Warranty
So if you have a Saab 9-3 with a DPF problem and want a permanent yet affordable solution with no restrictions, no drawbacks and no downsides then contact us for a quote by calling us today on 0203 815 9441 or alternatively send us an email. We operate a nationwide service and have agents across the UK, so wherever you are – we can help.
Will DPF Removal Cause Me To Fail An MOT?
From February 2014, the law is changing to include the visual inspection of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) during your MOT inspection. Although our DPF Removals are very discreet and our smoke-correction ensures the vehicle won’t smoke come MOT time, we are offering our DPF Removal sessions as an “Off-Road Use Only” service.
Volkswagen (VW) Transporter T5 DPF Removal
The Volkswagen (VW) Transporter T5 comes in the 1.9TDi, 2.0TDi and the 2.5TDi engines with a range of specifications and horsepower variations from 84Bhp right up to 180Bhp. The Transporter T5 is a great van and one of our favourites – just like the older T4’s and the Crafters.
A DPF or EGR delete is normally paired with a custom ECU remap, so the engine is recalibrated to run correctly once the filter or valve is removed — see our ECU remapping service.
Unfortunately the T5 Transporter also suffers from DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) problems but in more than one way. We get a lot of cars coming into our workshop which just have the warning lights flashing up on the dash like a christmas tree and engine power restricted (in limp mode) – which is the common DPF problem on almost all modern vehicles, but with the VW Transporter T5 we see numerous problems all relating back to the root cause being the Diesel Particulate Filter.
Common VW Transporter T5 DPF Problems
Lumpy Idle / Hesitant To Accelerate
Smell Of Burning
Poor Fuel Economy
DPF Regenerations Too Frequent
“Particulate Filter – See Owner’s Manual” Warning Error
Limp Mode (Restricted Performance)
DPF Light On / Coil Light On (Flashing) / Engine Light On
We see a lot of Transporter T5’s come into our workshop that regenerate the DPF too frequently, sometimes as frequent as every 90 miles!
I Have Transport T5 Problems – What Can I Do?
Your local dealership will tell you of two options to either remove & replace the filter with a new part or carry out a forced regeneration. Both options aren’t really good enough and for the reasons detailed below:
Replacement DPF – Replacing the DPF will most likely get you back on the road but at a hefty price. A Replacement DPF (Genuine part) will cost you £1000+ (+Labour, +Programming & +VAT). Even then, it won’t last forever and the day will come again when the DPF will block up and require replacing again. To maintain the new filter you should do 50 mile motorway journeys at a constant engine speed above 2000rpm.You can replace the DPF with a copy (pattern) part but there are no guarantees it will last, we no longer offer replacement copy DPF’s because all too often they fail within just a few weeks. A genuine DPF is manufactured with precious metal elements to aid in the self-cleaning regeneration processes – a copied part will not have the same precious metals and so won’t be as efficient. A copied part can be fitted in as little as £400+ (+Labour, +Programming & +VAT) but the problem could come back in as little as a few weeks.
Forced Regeneration / Chemically Cleaning The DPF – Each time you chemically clean the DPF or carry out a forced regeneration, it will damage elements of the particle filter (DPF), the elements required to aid the self-cleaning process. This means that even if a Forced Regeneration or Chemical Clean is successful in reducing the ash volume which had built up inside the DPF, future regenerations won’t be as successful on the road and you’ll find yourself back in the workshop sooner rather than later. A Forced Regeneration can cost as little as £150+ but there are no guarantee’s it will last at all.
How Can Sinspeed Help Me With My Blocked Transporter T5 DPF?
We offer a more permanent solution to all your DPF problems. We believe the most economic way to cure any DPF related issues is to remove it permanently. Not only will it solve your problems but at the same time it will help prolong the life expectancy of both your turbocharger and engine.
We can completely remove the entire DPF system from the Transporter T5 and de-activate the DPF from the Engine ECU. We do this by downloading all the data from the ECU via the OBDII on-board diagnostic port and then manually scan through all the data strings to locate & delete the data strings relating to the DPF system.
Note: Some data strings will interlink with other sensors to help operate and maintain a good running vehicle, people that offer “cheap dpf removals” will be using automated software that will automatically scan and delete the files and run a very high risk of deleting sensor files at the same time. The problem is, this automated software will also delete the MIL system and will stop the engine light coming on if you have any other problems on the car – this means you will no warning lights on your dashboard and may drive away happy at first, but you may also run into very serious problems not too long down the line. In extreme cases we’ve had cars come to us where people have messed around with the ECU and shot a whole through the piston inside the engine due to altering the fueling system too much.
We manually delete the DPF system from the ECU and modify any interlinked sensors to ensure that the sensors will continue to function correctly whilst not requiring any DPF readings.
Once the DPF has been removed from the vehicle, the programming has been completed and a full diagnostics has been carried out to ensure no further faults are on the vehicle – we then carry out a complete Smoke-Correction service to ensure the vehicle is optimised to run efficiently without the DPF and continue to pass it’s MOT.
What Guarantees Will I Get After My T5 DPF Is Removed?
After we have completed the DPF Removal on your Volkswagen (VW) Transporter T5, you will notice an immediate increase in power & performance as well as an increase in fuel economy. You will no longer experience any kind of DPF-related problems on the vehicle, no warning lights, no smoking issues, no lumpy idling or hesitation on acceleration and no annoying Regenerations. Your vehicle will be out of Limp Mode and regain full power with increases in both Power & Torque.
We guarantee you will be happy with your Transporter T5 once the DPF is removed and we cover all our work with a Lifetime warranty and a guaranteed MOT pass.
If you have a Volkswagen (VW) Transporter T5 with a DPF problem, call us today for a free quote. We operate a nationwide service covering the UK & Ireland and a postal service for other parts of the world – so call us today on 0203 815 9441.
Summary: The Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 (185 bhp) is built to regenerate its diesel particulate filter on longer, faster runs, so on mostly short or town journeys the filter loads up with soot, blocks and trips warning lights or limp mode. You have two genuinely different routes. For any car driven on the road the answer is DPF cleaning and repair — it restores your original filter and keeps the car MOT-legal and road-legal.
The Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 — the 185 bhp five-cylinder diesel — was fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) from the factory to meet the emissions standard it was designed to. The filter traps soot from the exhaust and then burns it off in a process called regeneration. The catch is what regeneration needs: a warm engine under sustained, medium load — in practice a steady run of roughly 15 to 20 miles of motorway driving at a time — to get the filter hot enough to clear itself.
That suits the car Volvo intended the XC90 D5 to be: one used regularly for longer motorway journeys. It does not suit the way many XC90s are actually driven. If most of your trips are short, stop-start runs around town, the filter rarely reaches the temperature it needs, and the regeneration cycle keeps starting but failing to finish. Soot then accumulates faster than it is burned away, and the filter slowly loads up until it blocks.
This is why simply fitting a new filter so often disappoints. A replacement DPF on a car that still does mostly short journeys blocks up again, because the cause was never really the filter — it was the driving pattern and a regeneration that cannot complete. Owners who have had the filter renewed and then watched the same warning lights return are seeing exactly this.
Repeated failed regenerations also have knock-on effects that are specific to how the D5 manages the process. Each attempted regen injects extra fuel to raise the exhaust temperature; when the regen does not complete, some of that fuel can wash past into the engine oil, which is why a rising oil level is a common warning sign on these engines. The car judges how blocked the filter is from a differential-pressure sensor that reads the pressure either side of the DPF, so a fault or drift in that sensor can mask a real blockage or trigger warnings of its own. And because the EGR system recirculates exhaust gas back into the engine, a sticking or carboned-up EGR valve adds to the soot the filter has to cope with — which is why EGR trouble and DPF trouble so often turn up together on the D5.
XC90 D5 DPF symptoms, causes and your options
The table below sets out the symptoms we see most on the XC90 D5, what tends to cause each one, what it tells you about the state of the filter, and the route open to you — the road-legal fix for any car used on the road, and the off-road-only option where it applies. Read it as a guide to where your car sits, not a substitute for a proper test.
Symptom
Likely cause
What it indicates
Recommended fix
DPF / "soot filter full" warning light
Soot loading the filter faster than it can be regenerated, typically from short or town journeys.
The filter is filling up and the car wants a regeneration it cannot complete in normal use.
Road-legal fix: clean the filter and fix the root cause (sensor, EGR, regeneration).
Limp mode (loss of power)
The engine ECU protecting itself once the DPF is too blocked or a related fault is logged.
Blockage or a sensor/EGR fault has reached the point where the car restricts power.
Road-legal fix: test, clean and repair the cause.
Repeated or failed regenerations (often with a rising oil level)
Driving pattern never lets a regen finish; unburnt fuel washes into the oil.
The regeneration strategy cannot complete, so soot keeps building and oil can dilute.
Road-legal fix: clean and address why regens fail.
Blockage, loss of power or smoke
A heavily loaded or partially melted filter restricting exhaust flow.
The filter is significantly blocked and restricting the engine.
Road-legal fix: pressure-test and clean if the filter is sound.
Poor fuel economy, especially in town
Frequent incomplete regens and a part-blocked filter raising back-pressure.
The filter and regeneration cycle are working against the engine.
Road-legal fix: clean and correct the regeneration cause.
Differential-pressure sensor fault
The sensor reading pressure across the DPF has failed or drifted.
The car may misread how blocked the filter is — masking or inventing a blockage.
Road-legal fix: test and replace the sensor as part of the repair, then clean if needed.
EGR-related soot contribution
A sticking or carboned EGR valve sending extra soot into the system.
The filter is being overloaded from upstream, not just from short journeys.
Road-legal fix: address the EGR alongside cleaning the filter.
Volvo XC90 D5 DPF — symptoms, causes and your options
Every row resolves the same way. If the car is used on the road, the route is cleaning and repair; removal is on the table only for a vehicle used exclusively off-road or for motorsport (see our DPF removals service).
Your two options: DPF cleaning vs DPF removal
Once the filter is blocked you have two genuinely different routes, and which one is open to you depends entirely on how the vehicle is used.
For any car driven on public roads, the route is DPF cleaning and repair. It clears the original filter and deals with what caused it to block, and it keeps the car MOT-legal and road-legal. This is the option we recommend for road vehicles, and for most XC90 D5 owners it is the only one that applies.
DPF removal or delete — physically removing the filter and switching it off in the ECU — is not a road-car option. We set out why in the legal section below.
DPF cleaning — the road-legal option
DPF cleaning is the road-legal answer to a blocked XC90 D5 filter, and done properly it does two jobs at once: it clears the filter you already have, and it deals with why the filter blocked in the first place.
We start and finish with a pressure test. Measuring the pressure across the filter before we clean tells us how blocked it actually is. The clean then clears the trapped soot and ash from the filter, and a second pressure test afterwards confirms the blockage has gone and the clean has worked. In most cases this restores up to around 95% of the filter’s flow. That is not a guarantee on every unit — a filter that has cracked or partially melted is a different case — but for a filter that is blocked rather than physically damaged, it is a realistic result you can see in the before-and-after readings.
Cleaning on its own would only buy time if the thing that blocked the filter were left untouched. So the cleaning service is paired with fixing the root cause — checking the differential-pressure sensor, the EGR system and the way the car is regenerating — so the filter is not simply set up to block again the moment you drive away. That is the difference between a clean that lasts and one that does not, and it is why we treat cleaning and repair as a single job rather than a quick flush.
Because your original filter stays on the car, it remains MOT-legal and road-legal, with nothing about the work that a future owner or an MOT tester would need to question. For any XC90 D5 used on the road, this is the route we recommend.
DPF removal / delete — off-road & motorsport use only
DPF removal — also called a DPF delete — means taking the filter out and reprogramming the engine ECU so the car no longer expects it to be there, or in some cases the ECU delete on its own. We offer it strictly for vehicles used exclusively off-road, for motorsport, or otherwise never driven on public roads, and for export. It is not a road-going option, and we will not present it as one.
The removal is set up so the engine runs cleanly without the filter, which includes our smoke-correction service — fine-tuning the fuel system so the engine does not smoke once the DPF is disabled. You can read more on our DPF removal smoke-correction service page.
Removal is sometimes combined with other ECU work — ECU remapping for performance or economy, plus EGR delete and swirl-flap delete. These are emissions-related modifications, offered on the same off-road-only basis and mentioned here only to be complete. If your XC90 is a road car, none of this applies to you, and cleaning and repair is your route.
Is DPF removal legal? The law, honestly
It is worth being straight about the law, because there is a great deal of vague and misleading information about DPF removal online. The short answer for a road car is that removing the DPF is not a legal route.
Under UK government guidance and the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, the offence is not the act of removing the filter in a workshop — it is using a vehicle on the road that has been modified so that it no longer meets the emissions standard it was designed to meet. A road-going XC90 D5 with its DPF removed falls squarely into that.
On top of that, a missing DPF is an automatic MOT failure. Since February 2014, MOT testers have been required to check that the filter is present on any vehicle originally fitted with one, so a road car with the DPF removed will fail its MOT on inspection.
There are also penalties for using such a vehicle on the road: UK government guidance sets fines of up to £1,000 for a car and up to £2,500 for a light goods vehicle. None of this applies to a vehicle genuinely kept off the road or used only for motorsport — which is the only basis on which we offer removal. For every car that is driven on the road, the recommended route is cleaning and repair.
How our XC90 DPF service works
Whichever route applies to your XC90, the process starts the same way: with a test, not a guess. We would not suggest trying to force a regeneration or clear codes yourself — the point of the test is to find out what state the filter is actually in before any work is done.
For DPF cleaning we test the filter, clean it and confirm the result with the before-and-after pressure check, then look at the root cause — the differential-pressure sensor, the EGR and the regeneration behaviour — so the filter is not set up to block again. The work is carried out by our in-house engineers using dealer-level diagnostic tools, and we tell you what we have found before anything goes ahead.
To get started, tell us about your car and what it is doing through our repair form, or contact us if you would rather talk it through first. If you want to understand how the filter works before you decide, our guide to what a DPF is and how it works walks through the basics.
For a removal, the smoke-correction service is arranged the same way — get in touch, tell us how the vehicle is used, and we will confirm what is appropriate.
FAQs
Is DPF removal legal in the UK?
For a car used on the road, no. Under UK government guidance and the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, it is an offence to use a vehicle on the road that has been modified so it no longer meets the emissions standard it was built to. Removing or deleting the DPF does exactly that. For any road car, the route is cleaning and repair.
Will a car with the DPF removed pass an MOT?
No. A missing DPF is an automatic MOT failure. Since February 2014, testers have had to check that the filter is present on any vehicle originally fitted with one, so a road car with the DPF removed will not pass.
Can a blocked DPF be cleaned instead of removed?
Yes — and for a road car it is the route we recommend. Cleaning restores your original filter, and paired with fixing what caused the blockage it keeps the car MOT-legal and road-legal. It is the proper answer for any XC90 D5 used on the road.
How much of a blocked DPF can cleaning restore?
In most cases cleaning restores up to around 95% of the filter’s flow, confirmed by a pressure test before and after. It is not a guarantee on every unit — a filter that has been physically damaged or cracked is a different case — but for a filter that is blocked rather than broken, it is a realistic result.
What causes the XC90 D5 DPF to keep blocking?
Short journeys, mostly. The D5’s filter needs a sustained run — roughly 15 to 20 miles of motorway driving — to get hot enough to regenerate and burn off its soot. On mainly short, town trips the regeneration keeps failing to complete, soot builds up and the filter blocks, which is also why fitting a new filter on its own often does not last. A faulty differential-pressure sensor or a carboned-up EGR system can make it worse.
Can I drive with the DPF warning light on?
Treat it as a reason to get the car tested promptly rather than to keep driving on regardless. A DPF light usually means the filter is loading up and a regeneration has not completed; if it is left, the car can drop into limp mode and lose power. A longer, faster run will sometimes let a regeneration finish, but if the light stays on the filter needs testing — so have it looked at rather than ignoring it.
Final thoughts
A blocked DPF on a Volvo XC90 D5 is rarely just a filter problem — it is usually the filter, the way the car is driven and a regeneration that cannot complete, all at once. That is why the right fix deals with the cause as well as the blockage. For any XC90 used on the road, that fix is cleaning and repair: it restores your original filter, keeps the car MOT-legal and road-legal, and sets it up so it does not block straight back up. Removal has its place, but only for vehicles kept off the road or used for motorsport. If your XC90 D5 is showing DPF warnings, dropping into limp mode or losing power, send us the details and we will test it and tell you exactly where it stands.
Volvo XC70 2.4 D5 DPF Removal session with our unique Smoke-Correction Service is a completely bespoke service tailored to your vehicle. The Volvo XC70 2.4 D5 suffers from DPF Problems for a number of reasons and with only one permanent solution. We offer bespoke and completely custom DPF Removal Sessions for the Volvo XC70 2.4 D5 with a Lifetime warranty and a guaranteed MOT pass. Once we remove the Volvo XC70 D5 DPF filter, you will experience and increase in performance and power as well as significant gains in fuel economy.
Make: Alfa Romeo
A DPF performs essential functions in maintaining your vehicle’s engine efficiency, removing diesel particulate matter (that is, soot) from the diesel engine, and contributing to a cleaner and healthier air by blocking exhaust gases from entering the atmosphere. At Sinspeed, we do more than remove the DPF filter from the exhaust and reprogram your engine’s ECU to deactivate the system. We also carry out a Smoke Correction service using in-house, proprietary technology to make sure your Grand Vitara continues to run efficiently without affecting the emissions. This technology is unique to Sinspeed, so don’t expect to get it at any other company in the U.K.
Sinspeeds Custom Mercedes E250CDI DPF Removal Solution
