Citroen C4 Diesel Particulate Filter

[Andyvon]

Does anyone know about these?

I drove my neighbour from Bucks up to Liverpool on Saturday as he's seen a C4 Vrt (I think it is) at a dealer on-line. What a wild goose chase! The car has an engine management light showing and the screen says the DPF filter is the problem. The dealer said they had the Citroen expert come from Coventry and change the filter on Friday and the car was fine so my neighbour could collect it Saturday. When we got there (after a four hour drive) the light was back on with the same warning. The dealer said the Citroen man had said on Friday that the car would be fine after a good run (!). The dealer is now going to find out this week why the warning is still there.

Looking on-line it seems to be a common fault. The DPF is self-cleaning and needs a good run to burn off the soot collected but problems occur when the car potters round town and the soot builds up. It's cleared by a good run. I told my neighbour that and he now wants the car again! I've told him to forget this car and look for something nearer to home but he's set on this car and wants to go back on Saturday to buy it despite the warning light! (You've really got to know my neighbour! "There's one born every minute" said Mr. Barnum!)

Does anyone else know more about this common fault and will a good run down the motorway clear the DPF (I doubt it). It's apparently just had a new filter. Seems like there are other problems to me.

Thanks in anticipation.

[outrageoushk]

Suggest u/yr friend checks this site www.honestjohn.co.uk All info re DPFs is there

[AlBags]

Cars with dpf's do NOT like short trips all the time. They need a long hot blast out every week to conserve their life. It probably needs changing .. which is not cheap.
You can always tell the dealer you will consider the car if the light is out .. and stays out .. and make this a condition for the first few months of ownership.

[Andyvon]

Thanks you two,

The dealer said the mechanicsaid the car needed a good run and it would be fine. That sounded odd to me but it seems to be the case. I don't see why the dealer doesn't take it for a good run on the M62. We are going up there again tomorrow but the dealer says the light is still on. My neighbour is a bit of a mug and he's bought two duff cars on-line already. This car has a one month dealer warranty but me neighbour obviously couldn't get it back to Liverpool if there was a problem. It's his problem now. I'm just going along for the ride. I've told him to look at cars nearer to home but he's set on this sporty version.

Thanks for the comments.