Mk1 focus c-max dpf issues

Tina77

I have a c-max 1.6 tdci (euro4) , ever since I purchased it, it has had dpf issues.
I had a new dpf fitted 9 weeks ago and it blocked up again within 6weeks, forced , worked out I needed the eosyl additive which has been added, and gone back into limp mode again , after 3 weeks. This car has gone on a diagnostic machine and regen’d more times than I can remember, luckily my ex is a mechanic so has done it for free otherwise I suspect I would be bankrupt. I am getting to the end of my tether with it now , it was only on 72’000 when I bought it 2 yrs ago, now on 90’000.
Does any one have any suggestions on anything else I can try before I run it into a tree or it kills me trying to pull out on a roundabout in limp mode. I don’t have the funds to buy a new car, equally don’t have the funds to keep replacing stuff for it to not fix the issue.
Thankyou in advance.

Arklight

What kind of driving are you doing? Mostly stop start in town or long motorway journeys?

couriervanman

18000 miles in 2 years......equals 173 miles a week,even used only monday to friday to and from work is only 18 miles each way,hence why it will constantly go into limp mode

If its used at weekends as well figures are worse....... not enough miles for a diesel car,solution is drive more miles or sell and buy petrol car

Just noticed that your ex is a mechanic...........surely he should have told you the car was no good for the miles you are doing

Tina77

It is mostly local driving, but I have been taking it up the motorway once a week for a blowout to try and burn any soot off since new dpf fitted. It’s not possible for me to get enough motorway miles, to keep car happy. Ex didn’t even know about the eosyl additive. Says he’s never come across a c-max with so many issues. There’s loads of things he should know but doesn’t until I find things out through research and forum trawling but it’s all old information. And he’s a mot tester and the garage he works supposedly does terraclean.
Think my car was owned by an older person for a fair few years, then sold to the person I bought it off of. Think it spent most of its time parked up (probably same issue)
I don’t think I can drive it in about a years time anyway as I’m London based but rereally need car to last until I can save enough to buy a newer petrol.

forgotmyname

Taking it up the motorway is no good if its not doing a regen during that journey.

AdrianC

Tina77 wrote: »

Ex didn’t even know about the eosyl additive.

Eolys. It's been in use for nearly two decades.

A free mechanic is not necessarily a good mechanic.

If doing the same thing repeatedly hasn't fixed it so far, then that's probably not the problem, and it's time to look a bit more widely.

If a brand new DPF is claiming to be clogged in weeks, and regenerating doesn't work, perhaps it's the pressure sensor. Or some other part of the system that flags up when the DPF needs regenerating. This stuff should be basics for any mechanic these days. DPF problems are not rare. This engine is not rare.

I don’t think I can drive it in about a years time anyway as I’m London based but rereally need car to last until I can save enough to buy a newer petrol.

Two and a half years until the ULEZ moves out to the circulars. And you don't need a newer petrol - one five years older than your current diesel will be fine. Or a diesel five years newer.

System

You have to use Ford DPF filters or at least third party ones made the same way Ford do. Unlike most manufacturers Ford use chemicals mixed into the ceramic coating inside the DPF filter so additives like AdBlue are not needed. If you don't use the proper DPF filter and it is a cheap one (using the method Ford does is more expensive to make a DPF filter) then it'll fail as there is no mechanism to feed the additive into the DPF filter.

As AdrianC says though the problem is most likely the pressure sensor or rather the rubber pipes feeding it. There is a known issue with Fords and the rubber pipes going from the DPF filter to the pressure sensors. Because Ford decided it was a good idea to use rubber next to a piping hot filter they go brittle and then break. Because the second sensor cannot sense any pressure it throws up exactly the same fault code as a blocked filter. Fortunately when it happened on mine I'd done some research and found this out. Using Forscan and an OBD2 reader I monitored the live data of the two DPF sensors and indeed one was showing zero which it shouldn't do unless there was a completely blocked solid filter. On the ramp the split pipe was found and the garage replaced it for a tenner using a couple of feet of braided rubber fuel hose instead of the £80 Ford wants for a replacement pipe.

couriervanman

Tina77 wrote: »

It is mostly local driving, but I have been taking it up the motorway once a week for a blowout to try and burn any soot off since new dpf fitted. It’s not possible for me to get enough motorway miles, to keep car happy. Ex didn’t even know about the eosyl additive. Says he’s never come across a c-max with so many issues. There’s loads of things he should know but doesn’t until I find things out through research and forum trawling but it’s all old information. And he’s a mot tester and the garage he works supposedly does terraclean.
Think my car was owned by an older person for a fair few years, then sold to the person I bought it off of. Think it spent most of its time parked up (probably same issue)
I don’t think I can drive it in about a years time anyway as I’m London based but rereally need car to last until I can save enough to buy a newer petrol.

Surely any mechanic would know about owning a diesel car and mileage......if not......not a very good mechanic

Tina77

Thankyou tarambor and Adrianc. Sorry havnt worked out how to cut a quote yet.
What you both have said makes sense to me. I will start looking into the sensors.
Unfortunately the ex, who used to be a good reliable trustworthy mechanic , (not so much now)likes to play games, he frequently doesn’t finish fixing my car even though he knows our daughter travels in it.
I’ve bought a cheap plug in reader (with good reviews for fords) and a Haynes manual, trolley jack and axel stands so I can have a go at doing it myself. Would the MAF sensor be one to look at aswell?
Thankyou for all your help

couriervanman

Tina77 wrote: »

Thankyou tarambor and Adrianc. Sorry havnt worked out how to cut a quote yet.
What you both have said makes sense to me. I will start looking into the sensors.
Unfortunately the ex, who used to be a good reliable trustworthy mechanic , (not so much now)likes to play games, he frequently doesn’t finish fixing my car even though he knows our daughter travels in it.
I’ve bought a cheap plug in reader (with good reviews for fords) and a Haynes manual, trolley jack and axel stands so I can have a go at doing it myself. Would the MAF sensor be one to look at aswell?
Thankyou for all your help

I'll stick to my original answer.......you are not doing enough miles for a diesel,you can spend as much as you want on jacks,manuals and parts........it will still go into limp mode regularly
It needs a good run most days ie 30/40 miles on dual carriageway or motorway,a once a week thrash wont do it much good

Sell it and buy a petrol car

Tina77

I know I’m not doing enough miles to keep this car happy, my previous car was a diesel and had absolutely no issues with it for the 3 plus years I owned it , same year car but a Vauxhall. Which is why I bought another diesel. I will have to save up to buy a petrol as have no clear funds for a while. I’ve bought all the stuff so I don’t have to keep asking my ex as he controls me with my daughter, car and money. I also have a chronic illness and he knows I can’t get around without a car, for more than a day as it physically knocks me for six. So he uses my dependence on needing a car as a negotiating point. I used to help him With jobs, strip cars down and build /repair banger racers so I’m not completely incompetent . I’m just abit stuck at mo