Vauxhall meriva 1.3cdti problem

roysterer

I recently purchased a 2 yr old Vauxhall Meriva 1.3cdti Diesel. A problem as occurred with the Particulate Filter failing to regenerate. Luckily the car is covered under the manufacturer warranty. The main dealer as had the car for 8 days and could not understand why it would not regenerate.
They have fitted a new fuel pump and pressure regulator and it would still not regenerate, eventually they stripped out the DPF and cleaned it up (it was completely clogged up apparently) refitted it and now they tell me everything is working fine. I will be collecting the car tommorow. In the back of my mind I am half expecting the fault to come back. Can any of you car experts out there give me any advice, or are there any Meriva owners who have had the same problem?
The warning Light never came on, it was only when the car wouldnt run properly that I took it in to be looked at the mechanic took the car out for a test run and it broke down on him.
I have done a search on google and it would appear that other owners of this particular type of car have had similar problems. Would I be well rid of the car and cut my losses or do you think the garage have genuinely sorted the problem? The warranty will run out in a couple of months time.
I hate to think how much this would have cost me if it had happened outside of the warranty period.
Any advice would be welcomed, I have bad vibes about this car.

Cool_Username

Personally I'd keep the car as long as it's working properly after the repair. Not worth getting rid of a car every time there's a problem with it.

bonjy

DPF filters need to regularly regenerate in order to function properly.
It may state somewhere in the Owner's Manual, the procedure to do this, usually its by having a regular high speed run up the motorway in order to burn off the sooty deposits that are trapped in the DPF. If this isn't done regularly then it will block up again and you will be back where you started.
Check with the dealer if Vauxhall recommend a method for regenerating the DPF, also ask the dealer if the DPF additive level has been checked/topped up.

Cool_Username

I've got the 1300 Multijet engine in my Corsa - I haven't had many problems with it other than a curious tendency to go into limp home mode for a few hours once a year!

I do travel up and down the motorway probably once a week so maybe that's what keeping my particulate filter from giving me problems.

custardy

with the DPF you must give it long runs to get up to temp and full regenerate
if you do a lot of town driving then a car with a DPF isnt ideally uited
Fiat(who the CDTI engine is based on IIRC) are looking at phasing out DPF units with their new multi air technology

Ranger8

No help I know but the wifes 58 plate 1.3CDTi Astra doesn`t have a DPF
But also pays £120+ Road Fund

Lum

Diesel cars are only economical if you do high mileage. This is even more true nowadays thanks to DPFs that will fail if they aren't brought up to full operating temperature, which they wont be if you use the car as a shopping trolley and/or for short distance commutes.

There are a few companies nowadays that offer DPF removal and a remap to remove any warning lights. The car will still pass emissions as the MOT test is nowhere near EuroIV standards, let alone EuroV. This is something you might want to consider if DPF failure worries you.

flyingscotno1

custardy wrote: »

with the DPF you must give it long runs to get up to temp and full regenerate
if you do a lot of town driving then a car with a DPF isnt ideally uited
Fiat(who the CDTI engine is based on IIRC) are looking at phasing out DPF units with their new multi air technology

GM group diesels are indeed designed in Italy by Fiat in collaboration- was one of the things to come from the failed merger.

Multiair is for petrol engines however and is a bit like Fiat inventing common rail for diesels, therefore I don't see why they'd phase out DPF for that unless I am mistaken.

I had heard Fiat had been moving the DPF- nearer the manifold to help reduce issues.

Interestingly a lot of town driving isn't that bad- taxi drivers have been fine (in some models)- it is more the average distance short town runs that aren't liked. I do just under 30 miles a day at 50mph+ motorway and a-roads, and touch wood no dpf issues.

custardy

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

GM group diesels are indeed designed in Italy by Fiat in collaboration- was one of the things to come from the failed merger.

Multiair is for petrol engines however and is a bit like Fiat inventing common rail for diesels, therefore I don't see why they'd phase out DPF for that unless I am mistaken.

I had heard Fiat had been moving the DPF- nearer the manifold to help reduce issues.

Interestingly a lot of town driving isn't that bad- taxi drivers have been fine (in some models)- it is more the average distance short town runs that aren't liked. I do just under 30 miles a day at 50mph+ motorway and a-roads, and touch wood no dpf issues.

http://www.fptmultiair.com/flash_multiair_eng/home.htm

they are looking at bringing it to the dirty derv brigade
you're right though,they are moving the DPF units up to get them hotter

edit: knew i had seen an article on this

http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103498&lk=dm

“The technology is good enough so that we could meet the Euro6 regulations [in diesels] without the need for a particulate filter.”

Doing away with a particulate filter would more than offset the cost of the engine technology, according to Fulfaro. He also hinted that Fiat would use the technology for its large commercial vehicle engines.

roysterer

Thanks for all your replies, I have had a couple of diesel cars over the last couple of years and never even given this problem a thought. I guess I should get a petrol due to the type of journey the car predominately does.
Any recommendations for a similar size car or even a petrol Meriva? the wife really likes the car to drive, I would appreciate your views if you have had a really good experience with a particular car? I guess its Human nature only to write reviews only after a bad experience!
Thanks to all

Cool_Username

Or rather than buy a new car and lose thousands just give the Meriva a run up the motorway once a week.