Ford Ranger XLT 2021 Urgent DPF Issues. Please help

[LeroyS]

I work with Heavy Equipment and Semi Trucks, I am very familiar with DPF's and the complete operation of the system as it works in North America. The DPF itself is a ceramic filter that collects the soot from the exhaust of the diesel engine. As the soot accumulates it builds back pressure in the filter(restriction). Once that pressure reaches a pre-determined amount ( set by the manufacturers engineering in order to meet the Emission regulations for the country), the truck will perform a Regen to incinerate the soot to ash, there by rendering it harmless to the environment and allowing it to pass through the filter out into the atmosphere. For a regen to be successful the vehicle has to be run at operating temp for a min of 30 minutes to fully complete the Regen. Any stops in between will interrupt the process, meaning it will have to re-start once all the parameters have been met again. In NA - the EPA set that at 8km/h(5mph), once the truck drops below that = regen stops. So, lets say the truck is set to regen at 90% soot, you go for a long drive and once the engine is up to temp and your moving, its starts a regen. Regen goes for 10 minutes and then you stop = regen stops. If soot dropped to say 70%, the regen won't start up again until it gets back up to its pre-determined amount (90% for this example).
Make sense ? We see issues all the time with trucks that do "short hauls" so they are on and off throttle lots ( builds lots of soot ) and not driven long enough at steady state ( highway) to properly complete a regen. Some of these trucks require a manual regen daily.

OK, this is good and I hear what you are saying. The consistent theme being that the car likes hot, long journeys. This is precisely my point as to why I'm confused and annoyed about it as logic dictates that at some point, it will regenerate on the journey and I won't even realise its happening.

I have to go out of my way up some awful road and sit at 47 mph and drive for 10 or 15 mins and it sometimes empties out and you can really smell when it's happening. I get maybe a day or two out of it, go on my journey and its back on again....and even after saying that, I went for what I think is a regen, pulled up and it clearly was regen, the car stunk, the heat was tremendous but the light STILL stayed on.

Is my dpf perhaps just consistently full and my regens are barely even scratching the surface before it fulls up again? I can't figure out why it is doing this and it's really annoying me now as it kills my torque, or is there perhaps a way to tweak my regular drive to get a regen in? My regular drive is circa 60 mph which might be too fast for regen?

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[LeroyS]

Does your truck use DEF? In the US large diesel motors use Diesel Exhaust Fluid - Ammonia - to help with the cleaning process in the Exhaust Filter. I am no mechanic but I do have a basic working knowledge of these systems and you may need DEF. I do know that smaller diesel engines in the US do not require DEF so being small and European your truck may not use DEF.
In my opinion you're truck has likely never done a Regen - we call it a "burn" because the exhaust system gets extremely hot and burns the particulates out of the filter system. At 3000 miles, depending on driving conditions, your truck should have done it's first one or two regen. I would get it too the service shop ASAP because a clogged DPF system can cause major engine damage.

Hi,
Yes it's called adblue in UK and it's all topped up. I've done a few regens, as the light has gone off after it. I know when it's happening as the smell is awful and the heat is very hot but I'm maybe doing something wrong with the driving or underestimating what "regen" is. It's going in to the garage September....I really have no idea what to do for the time being as the light is still yellow and has been for 4 days even though my last circa 47mph drives have cleaned it enough so that it goes off but as soon as in back on my normal drive again, boom, she fills up. Then it's even more painful when I watch all these manual regens but my ranger doesn't have that option.

 

[LeroyS]

Mike seems to know his stuff on this. I have no experience with the DPF in the Ranger, but I have a tractor that uses a DPF. I have over 100 hours of use and have never had to regen because I always run the tractor at WOT once it has warmed up. You could try using S mode and manually setting the gear to something that leaves your RPMs much higher, say 4000 or so. It should burn off at that point.

I know low RPMs are bad for DPF's, hence why my tractor is always run at WOT.

Can you explain why it should burn off at that rpm? My understanding is that it needs to have parameters to enter a cycle? People have told me I just need to horse it and red line the thing but from what I've read, it needs parameters to enter a cycle?

 

[Trigganometry]

OK, this is good and I hear what you are saying. The consistent theme being that the car likes hot, long journeys. This is precisely my point as to why I'm confused and annoyed about it as logic dictates that at some point, it will regenerate on the journey and I won't even realise its happening.

I have to go out of my way up some awful road and sit at 47 mph and drive for 10 or 15 mins and it sometimes empties out and you can really smell when it's happening. I get maybe a day or two out of it, go on my journey and its back on again....and even after saying that, I went for what I think is a regen, pulled up and it clearly was regen, the car stunk, the heat was tremendous but the light STILL stayed on.

Is my dpf perhaps just consistently full and my regens are barely even scratching the surface before it fulls up again? I can't figure out why it is doing this and it's really annoying me now as it kills my torque, or is there perhaps a way to tweak my regular drive to get a regen in? My regular drive is circa 60 mph which might be too fast for regen?

Do you have a PC, OBD cable and Forscan? Just reading the stored codes will tell what’s going on somewhat. It almost sounds like the process starts and then is interrupted so it’s only getting partially done. Seems fine but you only got partially through the burn off. So tops off and tries to do it again.

Like others mentioned it not so much your speed but the RPM’s that is more relevant here. 3 to 4K sustained would probably get it totally burned off. That might be 20 minutes give or take. Seeing its close to topped off if you could manually start the process with Forscan possibly and do what we’re thinking here just might do the trick.

if you’re not comfortable doing this I would get it to a dealer and tell them the issue and they can force the process to start. It under warranty right? Ether way, I don’t think you’re doing yourself any service continuously driving in this state. Could do more harm than good.

 

[66F100]

Hi,
Yes it's called adblue in UK and it's all topped up. I've done a few regens, as the light has gone off after it. I know when it's happening as the smell is awful and the heat is very hot but I'm maybe doing something wrong with the driving or underestimating what "regen" is. It's going in to the garage September....I really have no idea what to do for the time being as the light is still yellow and has been for 4 days even though my last circa 47mph drives have cleaned it enough so that it goes off but as soon as in back on my normal drive again, boom, she fills up. Then it's even more painful when I watch all these manual regens but my ranger doesn't have that option.

I don't have the slightest idea how warranty work is performed in the UK but I know in America that an intermittent warning light and reduced power is definitely reason to get a new vehicle into the garage for a good going over. Something is wrong and I wouldn't waste anytime getting the truck looked at.
Not trying to wind you up but what you are describing isn't a proper operation and needs to be checked out sooner than September, in my humble opinion.
Good Luck! Please keep us informed!

 

[Bludrok]

Can you explain why it should burn off at that rpm? My understanding is that it needs to have parameters to enter a cycle? People have told me I just need to horse it and red line the thing but from what I've read, it needs parameters to enter a cycle?

It won't be entering a cycle by keeping the RPMs up. You are burning off the soot that is stuck in the DPF. Basically you are manually doing the regen.

 

[Adventure Ranger]

Got it. Government Juice reduces NoX. Am I correct that smaller diesel engines do not use DEF?

All current diesel engine in NA & EU use DEF ( AdBlue ). some smaller engines and automotive applications don't have a tank that gets refilled, they have a cartridge/ canister that gets replaced once depleted. ( Mercedes does this - makes it to oil change and replacing the canister is part of the service)
Funny thing is - last year our local Mercedes dealer couldn't get the canisters, so they brought them out to us and we pressure filled them with DEF
There is currently no DEF in South America or Australia. A lot of "Deleted" trucks simply run SA programming in the engine module.

 

[LeroyS]

So over this DPF guys. Was tempted to just jimmy the truck off the pier and commando roll out of it. I took it on a 40 minute slow road. Circa 47 mph in 6th gear, revs down at about 1300 circa. Uninterrupted. No braking etc slowing me down. Basically the optimum driving threshold. I pulled over, done a check, had a sniff test and right enough, it was clearly in regen. That metallic smell was there and the heat from the exhaust was tremendous. Saying to the wife "look....look, it's having a regen"

I then waited about another 5 mins and heard the revs click down to under 1000rpm at idle. Waited a minute or two after this and shut the engine off. I Come back and the light is STILL ON. I'm annoyed because these 47mph drives have worked to turn the light off in the past.

So to summarise:

1. My normal method of regen (what it tells me to do in the manual and what I know has worked before) has failed
2. The method of redlining and booting it out the exhaust also failed
3. Another youtube video I watched said to do 3rd gear, revs over 2500rpm for 15 mins and that failed too

All I can think of is maybe another issue is present or the computer somehow needs to do a few on/offs to actually realise the regen has cleaned the DPF?

So over this guys. I'm convinced it's a money making scheme and because my vehicle is 2021, the parameters will be even stricter.

 

[Trigganometry]

It’s under warranty, although it might be a PIA it still should get looked at and the issue recorded by the dealer. That way if issue escalated further down the road you have documentation to show that it’s not anything you did to void warranty. If you keep driving it and something happens dealer will put it all on you for ignoring the problem hoping it goes away.

 

[LeroyS]

It’s under warranty, although it might be a PIA it still should get looked at and the issue recorded by the dealer. That way if issue escalated further down the road you have documentation to show that it’s not anything you did to void warranty. If you keep driving it and something happens dealer will put it all on you for ignoring the problem hoping it goes away.

I know. Covid demand has meant the dealer is fully booked up for warranty work until September...

 

[Delirious]

Most new diesels have this issue with all of the emissions equipment now required on them. Unless you drive it hard and for longer trips regularly, you're going to run into trouble. The engine needs to get HOT to get rid of all the crap and if you're driving habits don't allow that, you'll end up with buildup. Idling isn't enough. Most manufacturers recommend driving at highway speeds for over an hour regularly to allow the system to work properly.

Despite the advantages, this is one reason many people should avoid modern diesels like the plague.

Get it hot and rev the crap out of it blowing all that black carbon out of it, smoking the taco behind you using fresh air or with their windows down. Maybe you could make their faces look like a chimney sweep.

 

[Trigganometry]

I know. Covid demand has meant the dealer is fully booked up for warranty work until September...

Still get the issue logged with them. It’s on them if you can’t be seen and something happens between now and when they do get to look. Are they the only dealer nearby? Perhaps another one could see you sooner than that.

 

[todorakiggg]

Which engine do you run? 2.0 biturbo or 3.2?
So I would not blame the dpf until I read the car...
Bluetooth adapter and torque or any other similar program on your phone will tell you a lot.
Second thing you have to do is to get forscan and a cable to connect to the engine. With it, you will be able to enable a setting that will make the dpf status visible on your instrument cluster (left side, driver assist). Very useful, this was one of the first things I enabled for my 2.0 biturbo. You can check anytime if your dpf is full, or it is regenerating or not.
I don't remember now, but you need to be driving with more than 30 mh/h for the regen to kick in...
Last but not least, this forum is great, but folks here do not have that much experience with diesel rangers, so I will advise you to check this forum: http://www.saeb.net
Guys in Australia drive diesel engines and all I mentioned above is well explained by them.

 

[LeroyS]

Which engine do you run? 2.0 biturbo or 3.2?
So I would not blame the dpf until I read the car...
Bluetooth adapter and torque or any other similar program on your phone will tell you a lot.
Second thing you have to do is to get forscan and a cable to connect to the engine. With it, you will be able to enable a setting that will make the dpf status visible on your instrument cluster (left side, driver assist). Very useful, this was one of the first things I enabled for my 2.0 biturbo. You can check anytime if your dpf is full, or it is regenerating or not.
I don't remember now, but you need to be driving with more than 30 mh/h for the regen to kick in...
Last but not least, this forum is great, but folks here do not have that much experience with diesel rangers, so I will advise you to check this forum: http://www.saeb.net
Guys in Australia drive diesel engines and all I mentioned above is well explained by them.

I think it's a 3.2..........can't remember. Lol that's embarrassing.

Is doing these things going to void the warranty? Yeah, I have no lights showing DPF at all. It went straight to an "engine management" light. reading the manuals it points to DPF lights and sensors, drive to clean error messages etc and even options for manual regen....none of that is present on my ranger. The only way I know if I'm regenning is the revs go higher and there's an almighty heat and smell outside when it's in the process, then the revs click down. The engine management light can then go off. It's been on for 5 days now.

What are these items you infer and is it okay for a noob like me to dabble in this or will it void warranties?

 

[66F100]

Which engine do you run? 2.0 biturbo or 3.2?
So I would not blame the dpf until I read the car...
Bluetooth adapter and torque or any other similar program on your phone will tell you a lot.
Second thing you have to do is to get forscan and a cable to connect to the engine. With it, you will be able to enable a setting that will make the dpf status visible on your instrument cluster (left side, driver assist). Very useful, this was one of the first things I enabled for my 2.0 biturbo. You can check anytime if your dpf is full, or it is regenerating or not.
I don't remember now, but you need to be driving with more than 30 mh/h for the regen to kick in...
Last but not least, this forum is great, but folks here do not have that much experience with diesel rangers, so I will advise you to check this forum: http://www.saeb.net
Guys in Australia drive diesel engines and all I mentioned above is well explained by them.

No offence but that is terrible advice. It is obvious the OP does not have a strong mechanical or technical understanding of the truck. Which is totally fine, you don't need to be a tech genius to drive a vehicle.
Why should he have to buy a scan tool and cables, and educate himself on all the nuances of diesel engines just to keep his truck on the road? Obviously something is wrong with the truck and it being so new and still under warranty means the OP shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to drive his new truck. File a complaint with Ford customer service and be a pain in their butt until your truck is straightened out. I personally would not wait until September to be able to have my brand new truck looked at for an issue that makes it undrivable.
You bought a new truck and should not have to worry about mechanical issues keeping it off the road. You should be able to use it and enjoy it.
Not to mention the fact that fiddling with the electronic systems on the truck could possibly void your warranty and you definitely don't want to give Ford an excuse to not repair your truck under warranty.
I don't mean to offend but modern vehicles should be simple enough for the normal consumer to use without any advanced knowledge or understanding. Especially for a brand new truck that won't act right.

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