DPF fluid top-up
u There are a surprising amount of diesel owners who, it seems, are unaware that the DPF (diesel particulate filter) system on their vehicle also requires an additive to operate the regeneration system.
Many modern diesels use Adblue fluid, a thin, watery and quite cheap liquid. Others, such as this MINI, use a thicker, oilier and potentially more harmful additive.
The owner of this 2009 MINI Cooper popped to see me because a warning had appeared on the dash informing her the DPF additive was low. The vehicle had been serviced some six months earlier and she was concerned that this should have been attended to then – but unlike some additive tanks, the MINI system can’t be topped up and uses a bag of additive that needs replacing when it runs out. It is easily changed by unplugging the old bag and plugging in the new.
Once the new bag is fitted into place the vehicle then needs to be informed of the fact, and this is done via a compatible diagnostics scanner.
The job should be very quick and simple. Be aware, though, that the housing holding the bag is secured by a bolt that screws into a nut held captive in plastic. If the bolt is corroded, the nut will spin in the plastic and be very awkward to remove.