Is Your Audi Having DPF Problems?
Audi are some of the most high quality vehicles currently on British roads, and a fine example of how German automotive engineering has dominated the market in this country. But of course, Audi drivers often find trouble in paradise. Regardless of the high quality of the vehicle and its engine, diesel particulate filters will still become blocked over time.
DPF blockages are a major inconvenience, causing losses for your car’s performance across the board and also potential major damage to your engine if left untreated. This is even more the case with high spec German cars such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes, as common driving styles for the average British person isn’t ideally suited for what these cars were built for.
Why are DPF Issues Common in Audi Vehicles?
You might think that because of how technologically superior Audi are to some other brands of car, that this means DPF issues are less common. This is not the case however, as regardless of the level of craftsmanship that goes into designing and building the car, this has nothing to do with the function of the DPF filter.
The diesel particulate filter is designed to remove excess diesel particulate matter from your engine, to stop it being fed into your exhaust system and polluting the environment. Because German engineered cars like Audi often have exceptionally powerful engines, this only serves to create more diesel waste matter to be flushed into the DPF filter, leading to faster blockages.
So why hasn’t this been fixed before now? Because of new leasing and finance options rates that have been introduced in recent years, Audi’s are now accessible for more drivers. This inevitably means that a lot of city drivers end up purchasing these cars. But why is this an issue? Well, high spec German cars are not designed to work at their peak performance when subject to the frequent stopping and starting of driving in major urban areas.
Audi DPF Regeneration
Because of the stop-start nature of city driving, the DPF filter rarely has time to clean itself. There are two methods in which a car will clean out its own DPF filter. The first is called passive regeneration. This occurs when a car is being driven at high speeds for a prolonged amount of time, heating the filter enough so that it can burn away the soot. Of course, this style of driving is not possible for everyone on a regular basis.
The other way that a car can clean its own filter is called active regeneration. This process was invented by German engineers as a way to help DPF filters flush themselves for more drivers. It occurs when the soot levels within a DPF filter reach a certain point, and your engine management system will inject extra fuel into the engine to heat it up, and recreate the environment needed to flush away the blockage. However, this process can take a while to complete. For city drivers, they can often finish their journey before the process completes, which leaves the filter blocked.
How To Avoid Blockages
Avoiding DPF blockages is easier said than done. While we could just tell you to take your Audi for a spin on the motorway for an hour every week, we know that’s not always practical. The best way to avoid blockages is to get your DPF cleaned regularly by a professional process. This is a quick and affordable process that will keep your DPF in good condition, avoiding blockages and keeping you on the road.
Here at DPF Cleaning Express, we provide a range of filter cleaning and regeneration services, along with a specialist Audi DPF cleaning services ideal for Audi systems. Our Bosch approved facility puts us in a unique position to clean or regenerate your Audi’s DPF, due to the equipment we have access to, and the high level of training that our technicians are given. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our services.