2012 Jetta 32K Bad DPF.

[lance2214]

4/28/15
I have the P0401 Code.
It has been occurring intermittently since last year. Actually just once and I cleared it with VCDS. The MIL was triggered last week again with the code and I figured I would clear it and deal with it if it came back. Well, this morning its back. I made an appointment with the dealership and expect a smooth process... we will see. I am prepared with the TSB and Extended Warranty letter and a previous case number from VW Care from last year when I took the car in and told me it wasn't covered.
(I posted this on the Sportwagen forum because it was in regards to the EGR Valve sticking, or so I thought....)

Today...
I Took it in to the dealer and about an hour and a half later the service advisor came back with a diagnostic print out (I'll try to get a copy for my records). The service advisor stated the code I had pulled P041, and I casually said "yeah the EGR Flap is sticking", to my surprise he said "No, we need to replace the DPF, insufficient air flow".
When I scanned it I also checked the Ash load volume and it appeared Normal at 33ml for my 32K mileage.
Car currently at the dealership, service advisor stated it was all covered under warranty and that he would begin gathering the necessary parts.

So far excellent service from VW. We will wait and see once I pick it up in the next couple of days...

I'm a bit baffled by a bad DPF at 32,000 miles and only 33ml of Ash volume. Anyone with similar experiences?

 

[azthegame]

My friend's had a cracked DPF at less than 40k miles, I think cracked dpfs are more common than they should be.. I would expect the DPF to be clogged early from malfunction before expecting cracks. But then again.. People experience cracked springs as well.. Lots of cracked things in these MKVI cars lol

 

[torrimac]

cracked DPF could cause the EGR issues I think.

 

[lance2214]

I received my car this morning. I had a loaner over the weekend a Beetle convertible classic edition. I must say its a great value for the price on that beetle definitely fun to drive and that 1.8T is buttery smooth with great low end torque. I am very impressed with that motor and my wife wants one...I told her to wait 30 days then decide (Her 13' Jetta Tdi might be for sale.)

Anyways to my repair, the process was very smooth and I was very pleased with the service provided by the dealership and VW in general. They definitely stand behind their product to address the emission system which they covered under warranty on my Salvage title car (Emission is covered un California law regardless of title type).

Excellent work by all involved and this VW customer will continue to recommend their products.

I attached a picture of the invoice for illustration purposes.

[URL="https://flic.kr/p/sbw4h3"][IMG]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7735/17184305310_e736c6bf4f_s.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL="https://flic.kr/p/sbw4h3"]DPF Replacement Noifo[/URL] by [URL="https://www.flickr.com/people/91264659@N08/"]georgedela2214[/URL], on Flickr

 

[PressEnter[]]

I had the DPF replaced at 23K miles. My only warning was a CEL, and the notes say it was a p2002 code and a "field engineer" was on site and directed that the DPF and EGR filter be replaced. Nothing about cracking.

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, they crack internally, and cause the EGR filter tube to clog up. You'll also have sooty tailpipes. Old news, there is a TSB about it, as well as a crap ton of posts here.

 

[meerschm]

How much is a crap ton, anyway? ( I always wanted to know)

and what is the metric equivalent?

(sorry for the diversion)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=crap+ton

there we go.

 

[JasonG]

A crap ton is a VAG unit of measurement.
If Oilhammer says that's what he measured,I believe it.
I tried to convert it but I don't read Deutsche.

 

[meerschm]

Jason,

I am pretty sure the VAG folks use the Metric Crap Ton.

 

[oilhammer]

Doing another DPF today, on a 2013 with 120k miles.

 

[ronaldleemhuis]

I have been getting an intermittent P0401 code typically when driving on the highway and not around town. My TDI is a 2010 Jetta with about 49000 miles on the odometer. The P0401 code first started showing up after about 10000 miles at one year. I took the car in then, and they said it needed a new DPF and it was covered under warranty. At that time I was not really sure whether this was a real problem, so I let it go until recently. Lately, the code became more frequent and more persistent, so I consulted this forum to figure things out.

For some reason, my rear oxygen sensor failed and needed replacement a year ago. (?soot effect)

I was getting no visible smoke from the tailpipe, but the soot deposits on the inside of the tailpipe were substantial though not severe. I found the pertinent TSB number for code P0401 and excessive soot in the tailpipe.

I called New Motors in Erie and explained that I have been getting more frequent P0401 codes and that I noticed excessive soot in the tailpipe. I brought to their attention my visit for P0401 code in 2011. Their response was that I probably did need a new DPF and EGR cooler and some other related items, and that this would probably be a warranty claim. They asked me to bring in the car to confirm all this before ordering the parts. After checking it out, they washed my car and set up a return visit to do the work.

I have already had the latest ECU flash. I suspect that the latest ECU flash is designed to put less thermal stress on the DPF, so it is less likely to crack. I am hoping also that the new DPF will be designed in a manner to withstand thermal gradients better.

As a matter of interest, the ash content by VCDS has been running at the usual 1.0 ml per thousand miles. This suggests to me that any crack is leaking an abnormally high amount of soot, but not actually a substantial percentage of the amount run through the DPF.

New Motors is treating me very well.

 

[redbarron55]

A crap ton is the equivalent of two SAE butt loads (metric) would be crap tonnes or 4.4 SAE butt loads.
As an aside the DPF thing is pretty ugly, but the inverse is beauty.
The measure of beauty is the Helen (for Helen of Troy who had beauty to launch 1000 ships. The usual measurement is the miliHelen which is the beauty to launch one ship. The micro Helen would launch a small rowboat.
The measure of ugly would be the inverse of the Helen or 1/Hellen or the Bob (Ugliest guy I know of) which would pretty ugly. The Crap load would be about .5 Bobs.
No offense meant any other Bobs out there who are all great guys to a man!

I also read the following on the Amsoil site:

AMSOIL European Car Formula 5W-30 Low-SAPS Synthetic Motor Oil (AEL) is recommended for European gasoline or diesel vehicles requiring any of the following performance specifications: • VW 504.00/507.00 • Mercedes-Benz 229.51 • BMW LL-04 • Porsche C30

While it is recommended by Amsoil it does NOT say it is approved by VW for 507.

Here are the manufacturers who have approved this oil:

Manufacturer Approvals

BMW Longlife-04
MB-Approval 229.51
Porsche A40

VW is conspicuous by their absence on this list from the Amsoil site.

 

[meerschm]

I have been getting an intermittent P0401 code typically when driving on the highway and not around town. My TDI is a 2010 Jetta with about 49000 miles on the odometer. The P0401 code first started showing up after about 10000 miles at one year. I took the car in then, and they said it needed a new DPF and it was covered under warranty. At that time I was not really sure whether this was a real problem, so I let it go until recently. Lately, the code became more frequent and more persistent, so I consulted this forum to figure things out.

For some reason, my rear oxygen sensor failed and needed replacement a year ago. (?soot effect)

I was getting no visible smoke from the tailpipe, but the soot deposits on the inside of the tailpipe were substantial though not severe. I found the pertinent TSB number for code P0401 and excessive soot in the tailpipe.

I called New Motors in Erie and explained that I have been getting more frequent P0401 codes and that I noticed excessive soot in the tailpipe. I brought to their attention my visit for P0401 code in 2011. Their response was that I probably did need a new DPF and EGR cooler and some other related items, and that this would probably be a warranty claim. They asked me to bring in the car to confirm all this before ordering the parts. After checking it out, they washed my car and set up a return visit to do the work.

I have already had the latest ECU flash. I suspect that the latest ECU flash is designed to put less thermal stress on the DPF, so it is less likely to crack. I am hoping also that the new DPF will be designed in a manner to withstand thermal gradients better.

As a matter of interest, the ash content by VCDS has been running at the usual 1.0 ml per thousand miles. This suggests to me that any crack is leaking an abnormally high amount of soot, but not actually a substantial percentage of the amount run through the DPF.

New Motors is treating me very well.

Glad you are getting good treatment.

it seems to me that the ash load is one of those calculated values, vs a measured one. I suspect some combination of miles, hours, and start cycles. (pure guesswork on my part, but the fact that you have to reset after changing a DPF makes me think my idea has some merit)

 

[ronaldleemhuis]

From the spreadsheet I've seen elsewhere on this forum, it seems that ash loads from VCDS are running close to 1.00 ml per 1000 miles. I doubt that it is a calculated value, because any calculation built into the ECU couldn't possibly take into account the amount of ash in the fuel or motor oil. It would have no way of knowing those values.

I looked up the maximum ash specification for diesel fuel and found a value of 0.01 percent ash by weight. Suppose that diesel fuel weighs 7 lb/gal and fuel economy is 35 miles per gallon. Then just counting the ash in the diesel fuel, one would expect (1000/35)*7*453.6*(0.01)*(0.01) grams (or about 9 grams) of ash per 1000 miles. Now I am not sure what the density of this ash is, but if the volume is truly 1 ml, this would have to be rather dense material with a specific gravity of 9 at least. This does not even count any ash coming from the motor oil.

Does anybody have a good idea how much DPF ash comes from fuel as opposed to motor oil? If, in fact, a large proportion comes from fuel, then it may not be as critical to use motor oil with the stringent VW standard for ash content.

 

[redbarron55]

I don't think it matters so much as to how heavy the particles are, but rather the size.
If the ash creates less volume per unit of weight it would take more of it to clog perhaps.
The metallic ash just does not "burn" it stays in the DPF and eventually builds up to the level where the thing is toast.
Since the computer calculated the loading the actual may vary from the calculated if a non conforming oil is used.
How much difference I would not have a clue.