DPF cleaning worked for me. Had it done at 160k km and its been fine for 30k km since. Worth trying before spending on a new DPF.
Chemical DPF cleaning works if the filter isnt completely blocked. The process involves flushing the DPF with a special cleaning solution that dissolves the soot. It costs about 250-400 EUR and takes a few hours. Success rate is about 70-80% in my experience. If the DPF is over 80% blocked or has been in limp mode for a long time, cleaning might not work and youll need a replacement.
Ive seen both successes and failures with DPF cleaning at the shop. The key is catching it early. If the DPF warning light just came on and the car still drives normally, cleaning has a good chance of working. If the car is in limp mode and the DPF pressure differential is very high, youre probably looking at a replacement. Always get a diagnostic reading of the DPF soot level before deciding.
