So it has finally hit my 2010 JSW: the dreaded P401 and P2002 errors have shown repeatedly. First occurrence was in May 2022: CEL came on, VCDS confirmed both errors and suggested a forced regen. I did that and it temporarily fixed the issue until late December 2022 when CEL and the two errors appeared again. Another forced regen made the CEL go away, but not for long. Just a couple hundred miles later it is back again. Knowing from all the helpful posts in this community that this means a cracked DPF I am now looking at options.
I bought the vehicle in 9/2020 for about $4K and it has since served us very well. We put about 25K miles on it with only having done DIY oil changes, DIY transmission fluid change, DIY TB and thermostat change. I originally bought it as a hobby car to learn about cars and never expected to drive it that much and for it to be so reliable. It has now 207K miles on it. I did read up on DIY DPF replacement and feel confident enough to do it with 4 jack stands and all the tools that I have. Engine is CJAA but I don't know if I have the DPF with the NOx cat built-in or separate. The only concern that I have is, is it cost prohibitive to attempt this on a vehicle with this kind of mileage?
I would love for you guys to chime in on whether or not it makes sense or if you would personally do it. So far I have come up with the following thoughts:
* DPF and new EGR filter will likely cost around $1,500 plus core charge, which I hope is easy to claim back once I return the old part. We live about an hour from Tijuana, Mexico and I am hoping that I can get a new DPF/EGR filter from the dealership over there for much less (in the hopes that they can order the parts for a US vehicle). Is there a way for me to figure out which DPF / part number I need without taking it apart first? I will likely need a wheel alignment after the job too because I'm not a pro and am not expecting to drop the subframe and put it back on just the way it was, so I am calculating with another $100 for that
* We have a second vehicle and both work from home, so mobility during the repair will not be an issue. We also have a 2-car garage where I will be able to do the work.
* The vehicle has a lot of miles on it already, but has been performing great so far. However, I am a little concerned that after putting all the money and work into this repair, another wear-and-tear item will crap out soon leaving me with the same situation. I believe the HPFP is fine as I do not see any metal shavings when I change the oil. The only item of "concern" is the DSG-- although it has been since I bought the vehicle and do not think it has gotten any worse. Specifically, this transmission seems to have trouble getting into or staying in first gear. Example, I am parked and move the lever from P into D, sometimes (like once in a blue moon) the gear pops out and stalls the engine. Another example, I am in stop-and-go traffic on an incline, while in D, if I let go of the brake pedal too quickly the car will also stall. Of course I know that this is not normal and attempted DSG calibration via VCDS but have not been able to fix it with that. Also, over the last 25K miles of use, this hasn't gotten any worse. I don't know if this is the original transmission, original DMF etc. as I purchased the vehicle with 182K miles on it.
* We live in CA, so DPF delete is not an option. Smog check is every other year but 2023 is a smog year. If this DPF issue won't hurt the vehicle or put it into limp mode eventually, could I just do a forced regen right before I take it to the smog check and just "live" with the cracked DPF?
* Vehicle replacement is difficult -- used cars are expensive right now, plus the risk of not knowing what I'm getting into. Also, good luck finding another TDI, especially in CA. We don't need a second car but it's much easier with it (which makes it moot to even think about buying a new car). Plus the JSW was a champ during our remodel with countless hardware store runs-- my personal favorite: picking up a 28 ft extension ladder
.
I feel like I definitely got my money out of this vehicle and learned a lot along the way. I am just not sure when enough is enough and am hoping to get some insight from you guys. Thank you so much!
I bought the vehicle in 9/2020 for about $4K and it has since served us very well. We put about 25K miles on it with only having done DIY oil changes, DIY transmission fluid change, DIY TB and thermostat change. I originally bought it as a hobby car to learn about cars and never expected to drive it that much and for it to be so reliable. It has now 207K miles on it. I did read up on DIY DPF replacement and feel confident enough to do it with 4 jack stands and all the tools that I have. Engine is CJAA but I don't know if I have the DPF with the NOx cat built-in or separate. The only concern that I have is, is it cost prohibitive to attempt this on a vehicle with this kind of mileage?
I would love for you guys to chime in on whether or not it makes sense or if you would personally do it. So far I have come up with the following thoughts:
* DPF and new EGR filter will likely cost around $1,500 plus core charge, which I hope is easy to claim back once I return the old part. We live about an hour from Tijuana, Mexico and I am hoping that I can get a new DPF/EGR filter from the dealership over there for much less (in the hopes that they can order the parts for a US vehicle). Is there a way for me to figure out which DPF / part number I need without taking it apart first? I will likely need a wheel alignment after the job too because I'm not a pro and am not expecting to drop the subframe and put it back on just the way it was, so I am calculating with another $100 for that
* We have a second vehicle and both work from home, so mobility during the repair will not be an issue. We also have a 2-car garage where I will be able to do the work.
* The vehicle has a lot of miles on it already, but has been performing great so far. However, I am a little concerned that after putting all the money and work into this repair, another wear-and-tear item will crap out soon leaving me with the same situation. I believe the HPFP is fine as I do not see any metal shavings when I change the oil. The only item of "concern" is the DSG-- although it has been since I bought the vehicle and do not think it has gotten any worse. Specifically, this transmission seems to have trouble getting into or staying in first gear. Example, I am parked and move the lever from P into D, sometimes (like once in a blue moon) the gear pops out and stalls the engine. Another example, I am in stop-and-go traffic on an incline, while in D, if I let go of the brake pedal too quickly the car will also stall. Of course I know that this is not normal and attempted DSG calibration via VCDS but have not been able to fix it with that. Also, over the last 25K miles of use, this hasn't gotten any worse. I don't know if this is the original transmission, original DMF etc. as I purchased the vehicle with 182K miles on it.
* We live in CA, so DPF delete is not an option. Smog check is every other year but 2023 is a smog year. If this DPF issue won't hurt the vehicle or put it into limp mode eventually, could I just do a forced regen right before I take it to the smog check and just "live" with the cracked DPF?
* Vehicle replacement is difficult -- used cars are expensive right now, plus the risk of not knowing what I'm getting into. Also, good luck finding another TDI, especially in CA. We don't need a second car but it's much easier with it (which makes it moot to even think about buying a new car). Plus the JSW was a champ during our remodel with countless hardware store runs-- my personal favorite: picking up a 28 ft extension ladder
.I feel like I definitely got my money out of this vehicle and learned a lot along the way. I am just not sure when enough is enough and am hoping to get some insight from you guys. Thank you so much!
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