Dpf Particulate Filter - Bristol/north Somerset Independants?

[je_1972]

Hi, I'm as sure as I can be that I've got the dreaded eloys/dpf bill looming.

 

I have a 2002 2.2 hdi C5 SX, it has done 61,000 (I've done about 25,000 of those) it has been service by non Citroen independants since 40,000 (the same independents who now don't fancy the job!) on the whole I am very pleased with it so far. I have had an error message appear "Unblock Diesel Filter" which after extensive searching here and on google, with telephone calls to some local Citroen approved garages leads me to beleive that I need the DPF & Eloys fluid replacing. The Citroen approved guys are quoting between £400 - £600. I just can't afford that kind of dosh at the moment, so could anyone recommend any reasonable Citroen specialist in the Bristol/North Somerset area?

 

Or is this something I could do myself? (I'm no mechanic, but I am reasonably practical)

[72dudes]

Hi, I'm as sure as I can be that I've got the dreaded eloys/dpf bill looming.

 

I have a 2002 2.2 hdi C5 SX, it has done 61,000 (I've done about 25,000 of those) it has been service by non Citroen independants since 40,000 (the same independents who now don't fancy the job!) on the whole I am very pleased with it so far. I have had an error message appear "Unblock Diesel Filter" which after extensive searching here and on google, with telephone calls to some local Citroen approved garages leads me to beleive that I need the DPF & Eloys fluid replacing. The Citroen approved guys are quoting between £400 - £600. I just can't afford that kind of dosh at the moment, so could anyone recommend any reasonable Citroen specialist in the Bristol/North Somerset area?

 

Or is this something I could do myself? (I'm no mechanic, but I am reasonably practical)

 

Sorry to hear this. Might not be as bad as you think. If I remember correctly, there is a section in the owners manual which says that if you get this message, you should drive along at a steady 40 mph or more for a number of miles. This should clear the problem and the message.

 

Has the car been used for a lot of short journeys recently? Or not used for a while?

 

Can't help with the Citroen specialist question as I'm the other side of the country.

[je_1972]

Thanks for the reply 72dudes.

 

I have just called a Citroen specialist from Bristol, someone I have used before, this is going to sound pathetic, because I used them once before and they were great, but for some reason (old age!) they had slipped from my memory bank. Also they are about 40 mile round trip, which is fine getting there, but once the car is dropped off, then what!?? (age old problem I s'pose). Anyway this guy is so helpful, he offered to drop me home if I took the car in late one evening, then he said all I have to worry about is getting back there the next day. The guy seemed to think that it would probably be a faulty sensor on the filter (£70), so he recommended changing that 1st and regenerating the filter while they had it in. He thought it was best to put off replacing the filter and eloys, until the message changed, to something about the environment (he told me the message, but like I say my memory's playing up at the moment!) he said wait until that message appears before we start on the expensive stuff. I like the cut of his jib!

 

They are called "Bristol2cv" (N Collins) 16a Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol.

 

I will post back when it's done

[72dudes]

He thought it was best to put off replacing the filter and eloys, until the message changed, to something about the environment (he told me the message, but like I say my memory's playing up at the moment!) he said wait until that message appears before we start on the expensive stuff. I like the cut of his jib!

 

 

There you go!

 

The message you refer to is "Anti-pollution Fault". If you are unlucky the ECU might need replacing as I believe the filter regeneration thing does not always work on older models. But it sounds as if this guy knows what he is doing.

 

Shame he can't offer you a courtesy car of some kind; the Citroen specialist I use has 3 x X reg Saxos, although he does add £9.50 to the bill. This place is a 50 mile round trip for me so I'm happy to pay it.

[je_1972]

.. an update on this fault. I took it to the above garage and they replaced the sensor on the filter. I have to say that I was a little stung by the total bill as it was actually £78.24 + vat for the part and about £50 + vat for the labor. I say "about" because they did a tiny bit of work on my headlamps (loose earth) and the total labor was £56.00 giving a me a total bill of £158. This would be fine if it solved the problem. But after about 50 miles the message came back! This time with a new message of "Diesel Additive Minimum Level" in addition to the original "Unblock Diesel Filter". The problem was that I was on my way to bloody Bruges (Belgium) when I started to get the messages. I ignored them and had a stressful but uneventful journey, biting my nails every time it bonged! :-)

 

When I got home I took the car back in. This time they refilled the eoloys fluid and regenerated the filter (£250). He also advises me that he tried, but was unable to reset the "additive ecu" on my car (2002 2.2 hdi) and that to get rid of the message, it would need to be replaced. Just another £130 + Vat + Labor! Jeez (now I have to say I trust this guy, I don't think I'm being scammed, but I do suspect that the filter sensor was a bit of a red herring but hey I was willing to try the "cheaper" option 1st to try to avoid the "big" bill, you pays your money you takes your chances) So of I have now spent £400 to get rid of a computer message (and save the planet!) and I still get nagged at by the bloody car!

 

Does anyone know if there is a cheaper (diy) way to replace the additive ecu? Or a workaround (other than just ignoring it) I don't mind buying a scanner if needed as I plan on keeping the car for some time (despite all the hassle I actually really like the ride and practicality of the c5)

[je_1972]

Another update. After feeling p'd off for about 24 hours (how long it took me to refuel and then finally have the penny drop after what I had read here in other posts) I think the fault has now gone.

 

The day after and about 50 miles after I picked the car from the garage I filled up the fuel 50l. Drove it home, I didn't notice that the error message seemed to have gone. I came back on here hoping that someone would give me a cheaper solution to the new ecu problem. While I was here I read several otehr posts all relating to similar subjects and I read something that made the penny finally drop! After the DPF has been re-generated and elloys has been topped up and the main ecu has been cleared you need to open the fuel cap, put in at least 15l of fuel and switch on the engine(after you paid of course) this seems to then clear the error messages.

 

I drove all day yesterday not one single "bong", bliss!