Spring light on dashboard

[stuavo]

Hi. I bought a 2012 T5 Cali Manual transmission 6 months ago.

it has driven faultlessly for a couple of thousand miles and then last weaaA light appeared on the dashboard recently (spring shaped warning light) and the car went into limp mode.

I had someone take a look and they
Ran a diagnostics test which pointed to the DPF. They told me it’s a fiddly/expensive job to replace. Anyone had a similar issue/ got any suggestions. Thanks

 

[andyinluton]

Hi. I bought a 2012 T5 Cali Manual transmission 6 months ago.

it has driven faultlessly for a couple of thousand miles and then last weaaA light appeared on the dashboard recently (spring shaped warning light) and the car went into limp mode.

I had someone take a look and they
Ran a diagnostics test which pointed to the DPF. They told me it’s a fiddly/expensive job to replace. Anyone had a similar issue/ got any suggestions. Thanks

Is it showing orange? if so my old van used to do that if used for too many short trips. The cure was a get it fully warmed up & do 70mph in 3rd for a few miles or 40 in 2nd etc.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Hi. I bought a 2012 T5 Cali Manual transmission 6 months ago.

it has driven faultlessly for a couple of thousand miles and then last weaaA light appeared on the dashboard recently (spring shaped warning light) and the car went into limp mode.

I had someone take a look and they
Ran a diagnostics test which pointed to the DPF. They told me it’s a fiddly/expensive job to replace. Anyone had a similar issue/ got any suggestions. Thanks

If you update your info including model/engine, it might help someone here give you advice. Is it a 180?

 

[andyinluton]

If you update your info including model/engine, it might help someone here give you advice. Is it a 180?

I am guessing its a "2012 T5 Cali Manual" if you read the question there is a bit of a clue in the first line.

 

[clarinetbcn]

By that definition mine is a 2014 T5 Cali manual. You can’t tell what engine I have, or, for future reference, not even whether I have a Beach or an Ocean. That's why I asked him if it was a 180...that is, a 2012 180, which can have DPF failure as a secondary symptom of other problems.

 

[andyinluton]

By that definition mine is a 2014 T5 Cali manual. You can’t tell what engine I have, or, for future reference, not even whether I have a Beach or an Ocean. That's why I asked him if it was a 180...that is, a 2012 180, which can have DPF failure as a secondary symptom of other problems.

Fair enough.

The answers the same though, if its just an orange light, give it some welly & see if it clears it.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Fair enough.

The answers the same though, if its just an orange light, give it some welly & see if it clears it.

Can he do that if it's in limp mode?

 

[andyinluton]

Can he do that if it's in limp mode?

I found turning it off & back on again cleared limp mode but left the light on.

 

[stuavo]

Hi chaps, yes it is a 180 (berghaus edition). The light on the dashboard was orange. It’s intermittent so it can sometimes be fine for a while and then come on and drop into limp mode. If I turn the engine off and on it goes off and then comes on again after driving for a bit. I’m happy to try giving it some welly but was concerned that I might do some lasting damage to the engine. I took it to a garage and they hooked it up to their diagnostics and said it was the DPF and would cost £3500 to replace!! I took it to another garage who ran a diagnostic as the light had come in again and he said it wasn’t showing a fault and reset the light. It came back on after about 5 miles.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Hi chaps, yes it is a 180 (berghaus edition). The light on the dashboard was orange. It’s intermittent so it can sometimes be fine for a while and then come on and drop into limp mode. If I turn the engine off and on it goes off and then comes on again after driving for a bit. I’m happy to try giving it some welly but was concerned that I might do some lasting damage to the engine. I took it to a garage and they hooked it up to their diagnostics and said it was the DPF and would cost £3500 to replace!! I took it to another garage who ran a diagnostic as the light had come in again and he said it wasn’t showing a fault and reset the light. It came back on after about 5 miles.

Did the engine use any oil in the 2000 miles you drove it?

 

[stuavo]

Did the engine use any oil in the 2000 miles you drove it?

No. No warning lights or overheating

 

[Perfectos]

Post 12 (attached thread) suggests a certain driving style may solve the issue of a partially blocked DPF.

short journeys, sedate driving and Not completing Full Regens of the DPF (which are far less frequent on a T5 than T6 onwards) are known to have the potential to causes the DPF to become clogged.

As @andyinluton suggested, getting the engine hot and using the engine exhaust pressure to force hot exhaust gases through the DPF is a key factor in clearing it.
There are a pair of differential sensors (before and after the DPF) These monitor the differences between the two & will throw up a fault light if the difference between the two sensors is above a certain parameter (which indicates a blocked DPF.

Obviously you will need the van to stay out of lip mode long enough to get it to full operating Temp (oil 90+ degrees C) to give it a chance to clear The potential blockage.
The key is to keep Engine revs above 2500 rpm at all times
You may have to drive until the EML light comes on, stop, turn off for five minutes to reset the limp mode then try again whilst the engine is hot. (Keeping engine revs above 2500 at all times)

if the light turns Red do not continue to drive.

Engine emissions light

Hi our engine emissions light came on about a month ago after a longish journey. I had a guy do a forced regeneration on it which solved it. It has now came back on, it’s yellow in colour. Has anyone had this and if so can you give any advice/tips. My guy said he could remove the dpf and...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

failing that a Regen can be “forced” using software,
Carista, VCDS, etc.(search the forum)

Similarly DPF cleaner additives are available although I have no experience of any particular product.

Please do report back to assist others

 

[B J G]

It is possible to get the DPF cleaned-washed out. not cheap but much less than replacing.

Came up with these on a search

DPF Cleaning in Cheshire | Ultrasonic DPF Cleaning in Cheshire

DPF Failed? Car in Limp Mode? We offer Ultrasonic DPF Cleaning in Cheshire, a state of the art solution that can save you £100's of pounds and is MOT safe. Come and find out more .....

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