Engine: D52447: Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)

[reggie59]

Originally Posted by scrambler

How much oil would it take to raise the level from min to max on the dip stick? Maybe a litre? If someone tipped a litre of diesel in my sump i'd have to change the oil. Just sucking the oil/diesel mix out to correct the level is unacceptable.

I agree 100%. In my case, as I did not check oil level when I took delivery of the car, I have no idea whether it was diluted with diesel or whether it was overfill at factory (pretty unlikely bur cannot prove).
I am going to monitor bu the letter attached at the beginning of this thread from Volvo clearly state that there is a risk.

As far as I am concerned, if this is the case and the oil keeps being contaminated by diesel, this engine is not fit for purpose.

[AlunH]

I totally agree with Reggie59 "...not fit for purpose".

We've had our XC60 D5 since Oct, I've only just found out about this problem in the last few weeks after a chance find on the internet when I noticed that the oil level has risen steadily since delivery. At first I thought the dealership had given it a free (and perhaps over-zealous) top up at the 3K mile check up and again at the steering hydraulic recall (at about 6K miles). It wasn't until I checked it again at 8,000 miles that alarm bells rang as the level had exceeded the Max level; A level at which Volvo claim will cause damage.

The car was NOT part of the Volvo recall regarding rising oil levels and according to Volvo it does not suffer from this problem. I've found otherwise and urge ALL twin scroll turbo D5 owners to regularly check their oil level and return the vehicle to the dealer to have the oil fully drained and refilled with the correct synthetic oil that the manufacturer states MUST be used to avoid engine damage.

Nowhere in the manual (Which I downloaded before purchasing the car) nor in the sales blurb, is there reference to the fact that you have to drive the car continuously hard for 20 minutes on a motorway every few hundred miles to stop it from self destructing. If it did, I would never have paid in excess of £30,000 for such a lemon. I find it hard to believe that a modern manufacturer of motor vehicles expects their customers to drive in a fashion which is both polluting and, quite likely, dangerous simply to avoid engine damage. I drive approximately 30K miles a year and have rarely been in a motorway situation where I can guarantee a constant 3,000 RPM for 20 minutes, except perhaps late at night.

Our car has done most of its' miles on long runs between London and Southampton, so is not guilty of being used purely for 5 minute trips to the shops. Yet it still has this problem.

Why should we have to drive those miles in 4th gear instead of 6th, and lose fuel economy, to make up for poor engineering?

If it doesn't work when driven sensibly and economically, in my book, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK!

I am waiting for Volvo UK to advise us on what to do next but fear I will soon need to contact watchdog, the citizens advice bureau and the office of fair trading.

...watch this space

[AlunH]

In addition to my last comment, I'd like to add that the rest of the car is fantastic! I'm so sorry the engine lets it down.

[xc90paddy]

Just for info - its just not the volvo that has problems re DPF, I understand it's common across many modern diesels, somthing about the government wanting to reduce particulate emissions by 80% is why DPFs are being fitted.

My wife's car is a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara with DPF. Car was bought specifically for the school run!!. DPF light and hence regeneration is a frequent occurance. I don't live near any motorways so to drive @ 60mph for 1/2 hr is very difficult. Car nows has other problems wihich appear to be related to the DPF. The DPF warning light is now on most of the time.

I've spoken with a no. of dealerships who all have said it's a standard thing and is in the owners handbook. B*****ds.

You may think ahhh it's only a filter and would be cheap to replace...... I've been quoted £1800 by local dealer.

Another thought - if you purchased a 4x4 (with a DPF fitted) as an off raod vehicle , the regeneration bit could become very exciting!!

[chunderground]

I have read of several makes having the same problem

[scrambler]

Do other makes have the problem with the oil level rising?

[reggie59]

Originally Posted by scrambler

Do other makes have the problem with the oil level rising?

right, had a bit of time and have been reading about it.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/dies...culate-filters

it is not a Volvo issue but an industry wide one... not sure if this is good news or bad news... so thanks to DPF, MPG have dropped, oil needs to be replaced regularly, talk about progress.

Checked oil level this AM and it is above max.... what is surprising is this car is used twice a week on a 70mi motorway journey... maybe I should drive above speed limit instead of just 70mph ;-) ? UK speed limit will have to be increased to adapt to Diesel DPF.

I think a lot of people do not realise as in general, no one checks oil level.
I think we all have the problem.

Was thinking of a golf 1.6TDI DSG for school run... good timing. Will have to be a petrol one now!

[xc90paddy]

Originally Posted by reggie59

Was thinking of a golf 1.6TDI DSG for school run... good timing. Will have to be a petrol one now!

I've been on other vehicle forums and its amazing how many people are doing the same i.e. thinking of buying a petrol car for the school run type journeys

[chunderground]

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice...e-filters.html


See section titled :- Mainly town based driving

[chunderground]

if manufacturers do not fix this problem I think there will be a mass market for disabling DPFs. I would far prefer it if motor manufacturers found a fix but 3- 5 years on there is no fix in sight. I would think that the cost of running back to the manufacturers dealer for new DPFs / engines / turbos (the two latter items lubricated with what is effectively vegetable oil) every few thousand miles would be unacceptably expensive to the majority of owners.
Volvo claim it is the bio diesel (vegetable oil) component which is getting into the sump which will not evaporate out.
With the expensive 0w-30 oil volvo spec for the engine it is laughable that they refuse to change the oil when it has been diluted with vegetable oil.
It is now a legal requirement that all diesel fuel has to contain 7% bio fuel.
The DPF engines were designed before this was a legal requirement.
The excess fuel getting into the sump was supposed to evaporate before causing problem. Bio fuel (vegetable oil) does not evaporate. Which is why we now are having this problem.
So the EU created the problem by insisting on DPFs being fitted to diesel engines and the UK government completed the stitch up by insisting on a 7% bio fuel component.
We have been stitched up good and proper the EU and UK legislators and the motor manufacturers.
End of Rant