Depollution System Warning Lights Up

[arak81]

Hi,

I am driving back from Cornwall to London and all of a sudden depollution system warning light flashes up on the dashboard..it doesn't flash just stays on the dash...is it a problem? What makes the light come on?

[arak81]

Hi guys,

 

I have safely returned back to London and today took the car to garage, oh by the way, the depollution system warning light went off after wiggling of cables under bonnet or may be just itself. anyway, mechanic run the diagnostic check with his tools through OBD port and found two problems. one is

 

a) DPF Fuel Additive running low or may be empty and

b) Hitter Plug Relay damaged.

 

so i guess, probably because of these faults it was giving me the error message.

 

I have never heard of DPF Additive and also hitter plug relay before ..can someone tell me where can i find these ?

[Johndouglas]

The DPF Additive is the Eolys fluid which is stored in a small 5ltr tank alongside the main fuel tank. Each time you put fuel in the car some of the additive is squirted in as well - only about a teaspoon full. The additive keeps the particle filter clean. If it isn't cleaned, the message shows, the engine goes into limp mode and eventually it won't run. After around 75 to 100,000 miles the additive needs to be refilled. A simple job but the engine computer also must be recalibrated.

[paul.h]

Hitter plug relay - do you mean heater plug relay and therefore refering to the glow plugs ?

 

You seem to be a bit unlucky having a 2006 C4 with an exhaust particle filter (dpf). We had a 2008 C4 1.6 hdi 110 bhp that did not have a dpf so ones with a dpf may not have been common.

[arak81]

Hi paul.h, yea i think i am bit unlucky...one of my friend was also surprised when he heard that i have  DPF in my car..but well, i have found the alternative additive in eurocarparts which is PatFluid and also not that expensive. my local garage guy can top it up and reconfigure it in he system.

 

yes, heater plug relay ..part number 96 404 696 80. i have found one second hand on ebay and ordered it

[paul.h]

The eurocarparts PAT fluid price at about £32 a litre is from memory similar to the eolys fluid price that has been posted on here previously.

[arak81]

would this aftermarket product be good? I am talking about PAT fluid which is £32 in eurocarparts shop. I spoke to Citroen and they will charge me £320 to diagnosis and top this fluid up which I don't think worth. my local garage guy said he can top it up and reset the engine computer. Advise me please.

[paul.h]

The Citroen price does not seem correct. To fully top up the eolys fluid will need about 2½ to 3 litres although some cars have the additive in a pouch that is replaced. The labour time is about 1 hour for the filling plus about 20 minutes for the diagnostic to reset the additive counter so the low additive message will not be given again until the level is low once more. If you are not going to fill up with the 3 litres then the reset will need to reflect how much is actually put in. So for 3 litres and 80 minutes labour you would expect a cost of about £200 unless you live in an area where labour rates are high such as London - if so try getting a price from a dealer in a different town.

[arak81]

I have had my DPF filter topped up, Glow plug fuse relay replaced and front left Track Rod changed. basically the guy had to take out hell lots of stuffs from underneath to get the DPF tank (Why the hell Citroen made it so complicated!). he took the tank out of the car and pour 1Ltr PAT Fluid through the small pipe. the tank was almost empty. it was a matter of sorrow that I only bought 1 ltr PAT fluid. If I would know that it would be that much complicated and tank was almost finish i would have bought 1gallon.

 

anyway, now about the resetting the computer. he did it in front of me and I think auto sensor already counted how many PAT Fluid are in the tank now. but it showed Regeneration has not been completed. for this he suggested me to take the car to motorway and drive the car in high speed for some times. IS IT RIGHT?

the computer also said that PAT Fluid will be used only in motorway driving and city driving can make clog in the engine. for this not to happen- computer said to drive the car in high speed sometimes when city driving.

 

what do guys think?

[Johndouglas]

The fluid tank holds 5ltrs. To get it to regenerate drive the car at 50mph in third gear for 20 minutes. Too much city driving is not good for a modern diesel engine. They need to have some higher revs such as on a motorway every so often. Regeneration usually takes place every 5 - 600 miles.

[arak81]

50mph by 3rd gear and for 20 minutes!really!!!

[arak81]

I have had my driving completed...around 30mnts...50mph in 3rd gear for almost 20mnts and in 5th gear for 70mph for 5mnts.

[paul.h]

I suppose removing the eolys fluid tank is one way to fill it. On the C5 you simply unclip a pipe on the tank and connect a pipe from the filling container to it and then let the fluid run in and looking at a picture in the C4 Haynes manual it looks as if this can also be done on the C4. The fluid is usually injected into the fuel tank each time you fill up with diesel and there should be magnets in the fuel tank filler cap which work a sensor when the cap is removed/replaced so the car knows it has been filled up with diesel (at least it is like this on the C5).

 

I hope now you have had the work done your car is now ok.

[arak81]

Depollution system is back again guys...can anyone tell me why does it come and what should i do?

[paul.h]

If you are doing mainly slow trips round London that could be causing the dpf to block up. Some people remove them and water jet them to remove the ash that builds up and then fit them back.

[arak81]

If you are doing mainly slow trips round London that could be causing the dpf to block up. Some people remove them and water jet them to remove the ash that builds up and then fit them back.

Basically i do very short trip around the london..so,depollution system is blocking the dpf?

[arak81]

Error code P0422..regeneration not completed..what to do now?

[arak81]

I have been driving in third gear for 60mph ..and also 4th gear for 70mph for the last one hour, but still this error is not going..it seems they are quite hard to be cleared..any tips guys..is there any fluid i can buy which can help to clear it up with less effort.

[Johndouglas]

Sounds as though your filter needs changing - or at least cleaning.   Some DIY mechanics remove the filter give it a soak in an alkaline solution overnight then use a jet wash on it.

[Johndouglas]

Sounds as though your filter needs changing - or at least cleaning. Some DIY mechanics take the filter off the car, give it an overnight soak in an alkaline solution then jet wash it until the water runs clear. Allow it to dry then refit.

[arak81]

I think so..i have been driving this car for high speed at as low gear as three since last 2hours.but still depollution error not going...is there any other way around to fix it..like cleaning liquid as an example Forté Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaner or some other thing from eurocarparts shop Called wayne. I spoke with the garage and the guy said it will take him 4hrs to remove it and again 4hours to put it bac which will cost a fortune.

[Johndouglas]

There are several companies that make cleaners. Fortes usually make reliable products. Another is JLM particulate cleaner, but most companies add that the cleaner doesn't always work. Incidentally most mechanics can remove a particle filter in less than an hour.

[arak81]

I think my regeneration has been successful as i didn't see that error on the dash this morning. for the precaution i have used Wynn's DPF cleaner before filling the tank to the full this morning..and i will also keep this in habit to drive in 2nd gear in high speed during local/city driving.

[paul.h]

Looking to the future, if most of your trips are going to be round London then you will be better with a petrol engine since these do not have a dpf that can block up. The diesel may be giving better fuel economy, but you are likely to be losing it having to drive in a low gear to try to clean the dpf plus you are spending money trying to clean it.

[arak81]

Problem has come back again..as i was driving on motorway today depollution warning light poped up..as soon as i have seen it I put highest boost possible like 65mpg for 3rd gear and 50mpg in 2nd gear around 40mnts..it should have Clearwater d away by now..but still it is there.

 

Guys is there any permanent solution for DPF, Like if i get rid off this filter what will happen? and basically i do drive around my boroug and occasionally go to motorway with my little family for long drive.