[SnrDev]

Originally Posted by Porcupine

But my journey doesn't last 30 mins or more. Thats the problem. I haven't had a warning light come on or anything. I have read that when the light come on (if ever) you can clear it by going on a long run. We did go out last night for a good 40 mins drive, which probably did it good.

So - do you think i should still to my normal driving style, by working up the gears to 6th gear and not giving it any welly.

Does your user manual give any guidance? I'd say drive normally for 30 minutes or more (not stop -start) but avoid 6th. On mine that equates to about 40mph / 1000 revs and may not be enough.

Cars are different; personally I'd either RTM, google around to see what people are saying for that particular model or speak to the dealer for proper advice. I can advise you on the Peugeot 2.0 diesel that ends up in a lot of vehicles, but not a Kia.

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by SnrDev

Does your user manual give any guidance? I'd say drive normally for 30 minutes or more (not stop -start) but avoid 6th. On mine that equates to about 40mph / 1000 revs and may not be enough.

Cars are different; personally I'd either RTM, google around to see what people are saying for that particular model or speak to the dealer for proper advice. I can advise you on the Peugeot 2.0 diesel that ends up in a lot of vehicles, but not a Kia.

No, I read the manual from cover to cover last night (yep, i should really get out more) and although it mentioned the light on the dash and what it could be (i.e. the DPF) it didn't give any guidence. I have searched online for my make / model and on the KIA forums people are also baffled.

When we went out last night for a while on the dual carriageway, we stuck to 5th gear. I know on the forums they said you need to get the car to 1200rpm for at least 15 means without roundabouts / stops getting in the way. But where i live its roundabout city, or you get 2 lanes going into 1 etc ... so its bloody hard to do. We did manage it though for about 5 -6 mins before we had to slow down.

I think we have decided to stick to 5th gear on dual carriageways and save 6th for when we are on a motorway. But to be fair, the car is mainly used to ferry me back to work and back (16 miles a day) and an odd trip to the parents / B&Q !!

I am a born worrier, which is why i am asking all these questions.

[SnrDev]

Sounds like you've bought a diesel that's borderline not fit for purpose if you live somewhere that you can't go for a decent drive without stopping. As it was a second hand sale though you're stuck with it. Give the nearest dealer a call and ask for their advice. In essence though it's time not constant speed that clears it, so slowing down a bit doesn't stop regeneration from completing, it just delays it. You're in Suffolk - go for a trundle along the A12 or the A14 then go home again and see what that does.

You've said it's a 2007 model, so over 5 years old and likely to be in range of needing a new DPF anyway. If the light stays on after this trundle around Suffolk have a mechanic look at it, particularly WRT to the sensor - they can clog up and give false readings; also the regeneration fluid which is in a small reservoir and is used to assist the burn process (and costs more than unicorn tears to buy). When mine went the first attempt at fixing it was to clean and refit the sensor and clear the error codes from the ECU but it soon resurfaced. Reality is that you might be in range of a bit of a bill.

[Porcupine]

Thank you for everyones help in this thread. I appreciate your time.

[John_Patrick]

@Porcupine, I think you have the right advice from the AA site.

Its the warning lights you have to watch for, that should (get the dealer to confirm) indicate that the dpf has reached a certain level of soot and thats the time to initiate a regen. In other words, if the light comes on when your driving, try and find somewhere that you can get the heat up. I drove from Scotland to London (with overnight stop) in a dpf car a few years ago. Never had an issue with the dpf until then. Just as I drove into Canary Wharf the dpf light came on. I parked up, went about my work and when I left I just found a road where I could do 40/50mph. Within 3 minutes the light went off. Only ever came back on again when I took the car to london again, did a similar thing and light went off again after a few minutes.

Some cars (Citroen, Peugeot) use a fluid to help with the dpf regeneration. Every time you fill up, it injects FAP fluid into the system. This helps reduce the temperature needed for regeneration to 450 degrees, so is more likely to happen in town type driving. Yes, the fluid adds an extra cost (for mine £175 for 85,000miles worth) but there seems less likely that the dpf will mess up with town driving. Ive done 101,000 miles in my Citreon, had no issues with the dpf at all (except replacing the fluid).

[barky99]

Ahh .. DPF the very reason I bought a petrol powered car last year .... lead to believe common regeneration procedure is 20 mins driving a @ constant 56mph or thereabouts, not something I can easily do .... DPF failure cost risk more than outweighs lower fuel economy!
glancing Honest John website seems many 2007 diesel Kia's don't typically have DPF ... like 1.6 diesel kia ceed etc ... but all from 2009 onwards do

[AnywhereButHome]

I know this doesn't help your situation, but diseasels really are horrible, stinking, carcinogenic, wallet emptying, unreliable, horrid things. I'd not recommend one over a petrol to anyone.

[Mustabuster]

Originally Posted by AnywhereButHome

I know this doesn't help your situation, but diseasels really are horrible, stinking, carcinogenic, wallet emptying, unreliable, horrid things. I'd not recommend one over a petrol to anyone.

20 years ago you may have had a point.

[AnywhereButHome]

Ironically it's the modern common rail type I can't stand.

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by barky99

Ahh .. DPF the very reason I bought a petrol powered car last year .... lead to believe common regeneration procedure is 20 mins driving a @ constant 56mph or thereabouts, not something I can easily do .... DPF failure cost risk more than outweighs lower fuel economy!
glancing Honest John website seems many 2007 diesel Kia's don't typically have DPF ... like 1.6 diesel kia ceed etc ... but all from 2009 onwards do

I did do a search on our KIA, and was kinda hoping it didn't have a DPF. I couldn't definitively tell. Its a KIA Sportage CRDi XS. 2.0 litre engine. Built in 2007.

If anyone here has better luck than me doing an online search, I will buy you a walnut whip.

[barky99]

suspect it will have the dreaded dpf .... bigger heavier cars would have struggled more with the CO2 rating more than standard cars ..... to be extra sure best contact kia customer services

[Waj_100]

Originally Posted by Porcupine

I did do a search on our KIA, and was kinda hoping it didn't have a DPF. I couldn't definitively tell. Its a KIA Sportage CRDi XS. 2.0 litre engine. Built in 2007.

If anyone here has better luck than me doing an online search, I will buy you a walnut whip.

If you PM me your full reg number I will find out for you tomorrow one way or the other (I'm in the car repair business).

I believe you do have a DPF, but I can find out for certain.

[cosmic buttplug]

Looks like your motor does have a dpf looking at this thread on the Kia Owners club and also this item here.

I therefore claim my Walnut Whip.

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by cosmic buttplug

Looks like your motor does have a dpf looking at this thread on the Kia Owners club and also this item here.

I therefore claim my Walnut Whip.

I have read that, but is that definitive proof. I can see others with cars built in 2006 have one, so im assuming that is proof ... but I mean, for a walnut whip it has to be set in stone.

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by Waj_100

If you PM me your full reg number I will find out for you tomorrow one way or the other (I'm in the car repair business).

I believe you do have a DPF, but I can find out for certain.

I don't know it off hand. In my lunch hour i will have a peek and let you know. Thanks

[sonicshadow]

My Dad is a postman and has been given a van to drive around town to do deliveries. It's a small Peugeot diesel van and the van broke down at a month old because of the DPF. Someone should have told Royal Mail the vans couldn't be used for this purpose before purchasing them.

[Waj_100]

Originally Posted by Porcupine

I don't know it off hand. In my lunch hour i will have a peek and let you know. Thanks

No problem, with the reg number I will find out.

[Geordiesi]

Originally Posted by sonicshadow

My Dad is a postman and has been given a van to drive around town to do deliveries. It's a small Peugeot diesel van and the van broke down at a month old because of the DPF. Someone should have told Royal Mail the vans couldn't be used for this purpose before purchasing them.

the thing is that nowadays no matter who they purchased the van from they would have the same issues, manufacturers arent fitting them because they want to, they have to because of emmission laws,,,,,,

[SnrDev]

Originally Posted by Geordiesi

the thing is that nowadays no matter who they purchased the van from they would have the same issues, manufacturers arent fitting them because they want to, they have to because of emmission laws,,,,,,

As was said earlier, that makes the diesel version not fit for purpose, unsuited as it is to short stop start runs. The petrol would have been better. Whether RM have any claim for not speccing the right van or for not being told that a diesel version is not designed for that sort of use is another thing entirely.

[U96]

Originally Posted by SnrDev

Don't take it for a thrash - as someone else said, that creates soot not clears it.

The DPF clears by running at higher temperatures (by burning more fuel, so MPG drops too) for a decent distance at a reasonable speed; it's more to do with how long not how fast so although the burning smell in traffic is indicative of the DPF regeneration cycle occurring, it might not be long enough to complete it hence the need to go for a run.

Give it a steady run at road speeds for 30 minutes or more and see if that clears it up. It may be that the DPF has reached its natural end of life anyway - mine is supposed to last 75-80,000 miles, and it did. You don't have to buy a manufacturer's full price replacement; after-market DPFs are much cheaper and although they may not last as long as an OEM they don't have to, unless you plan to do another 70+000 miles. Mine was £350 instead of £980. That's the sort of difference you're looking at.

That's a relief to know.Mine isn't due for another few years yet.Don't know if i'll keep it till it's due.Maybe someone else's bill.
£40 got me my DPF additive(for 3 years).
Had to laugh when i got my MOT advisory.'Emissions too clean to get a reading from smoke meter'.Glad i wasn't there to see it getting the nuts revved out of it.

[Smiffy]

Originally Posted by SnrDev

Sounds like you've bought a diesel that's borderline not fit for purpose if you live somewhere that you can't go for a decent drive without stopping. As it was a second hand sale though you're stuck with it..