- info@autoservisstefanko.sk
- +421 908 254 061
- Pon - Pia (8:00 - 16:30), Sob - Ned (ZATVORENÉ)
The DPF filter cleans itself through a process called regeneration. On short, mostly urban trips, regeneration doesn't get a chance to run properly, and soot builds up. The first signs are subtle, but they get worse over time.
Soot is not the same as ash. Soot can be burned off during regeneration or cleaning. Ash — a non-combustible residue from burnt engine oil — cannot be burned off or cleaned out.
Once ash capacity is reached (usually around 200,000–300,000 km), cleaning no longer helps and the filter needs replacing. This distinction is exactly what decides whether cleaning is even worth trying.
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DPF warning light is onSoon
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The filter isn't managing to regenerate on its own and soot is building up. Try 20–30 miles of highway driving at higher revs. If the light stays on, it's time for a service visit. |
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Higher fuel consumption
Soon
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The engine is triggering active regeneration too often, which burns extra fuel. Left unaddressed, this usually gets worse. |
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Reduced power, slower acceleration
Now
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The filter is significantly clogged and restricting exhaust flow. This calls for a diagnostic check, not waiting it out. |
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Engine light + DPF light together
Now
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The filter is overloaded and automatic regeneration has failed. We recommend a service visit as soon as possible. |
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Limp mode
Now
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Critical clogging or damage — the control unit has restricted power to protect the engine and turbo. Have the car towed in. |
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Black smoke from the exhaust
Now
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The ceramic substrate is damaged and soot is passing straight through the filter. The car will typically fail an emissions test. |
DPF cleaning with us isn't an isolated job. Every visit includes assessing the underlying cause and a clear recommendation for what to do next, so the filter doesn't clog up again.
We check the filter's actual condition before cleaning it, so you don't pay for a procedure that won't help.
Using a dedicated machine, we inject BG Products cleaning foam directly into the DPF filter, without taking it off the car.
After cleaning, we verify the filter's condition and advise how to prevent it from clogging again.
If the real problem is an EGR valve, a turbo burning oil, or faulty injectors, we fix it right here — not just the filter, but the reason it's clogging in the first place.
For heavily clogged filters, we refer you to a specialist partner in Žilina who cleans the filter after removal using Hot Air technology, no chemicals involved.
You'll know exactly what you're getting into, including cases where we don't recommend cleaning at all.
No waiting around in uncertainty. You know exactly what stage your car is at, what it will cost, and when you can leave.
We note what you've noticed on the car.
~10 minDifferential pressure and control unit data reveal the real condition.
~20–30 minCleaning foam injected straight into the filter, no removal.
~2 hod.We verify the result and advise on next steps.
~15 minChemical DPF filter cleaning, passenger cars.
Including diagnostics before cleaning.
Cleaned right on the car, nothing taken out.
Prices listed are approximate. We'll confirm the exact amount, and whether it's worth doing at all, after diagnostics. We currently don't service commercial trucks.
We don't want to sell you a fix that fails again in a month. That's why diagnostics comes first, and the decision comes after.
"I recommend chemical cleaning more as prevention than as a rescue for a completely blocked filter. When you push foam into something that could be almost fully clogged, there's a risk it damages the filter. The manufacturer says it shouldn't happen, but I'd rather play it safe — and when a filter is genuinely in bad shape, I send the car to where they can clean it thermally, without any chemicals."
Differential pressure and control unit data show the filter's real condition before any procedure begins.
No need to drop the filter off anywhere or leave the car for days — the whole procedure happens on the car in 2–3 hours.
When chemical cleaning doesn't make sense, we'll tell you, and point you toward a better option instead.
EGR valve, turbo, injectors — if one of these is causing the clogging, we handle it right here.
Answers to the questions drivers ask us most often about DPF filter cleaning.
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