Take Care Of Your Particulate Filters

Sunday, 30. August 2009

If you drive a diesel car you probably know that it is fitted with a particulate filter. It is there to remove the dangerous particulates from the emission gasses. Some believe that particulates cause more damage to the environment than CO2, hence the importance of having particulate filters fitted. But they are prone to clog up with the particulates, however, they are made to effectively self clean. It is important that you run the cleaning cycle which requires you to drive at a speed above 50mph for a period of at least 20 minutes per month. This isn’t to blast through the filter, it is to raise the temperature high enough for long enough to create a chemical reaction that disperses the particulates. The cost of a replacement particulate filter can be around £400 to £3,000 depending upon the car. I have discussed this before and pointed out that the replacement of a blocked particulate filter is not covered by the car’s warranty. To make matters worse if the blocked filter causes engine damage this may not be covered by the warranty either. Not so important is the fact that filters block over a period of time and during this period the engine performance can be affected as well as increase fuel consumption so it’s important that you carry out the necessary maintenance. Another thing to be aware of is the potential problem when buying a used diesel. A low mileage diesel car could indicate that it has not had proper maintenance carried out on the particulate filter which could lead to a very expensive repair. You need to ask if the driver drives the car over 50mph for more than 20 minutes per month or risk having to pay for a replacement. By Graham Hill