DPF removals shamed as report reveals shocking reality

29,000 deaths a year have been linked to air pollution from diesel particulates, an investigation finds

DPF removals shamed as report reveals shocking reality
Tens of thousands of diesel cars are illegally pumping out dangerous pollutants because they have had their DPFs removed.

The Independent on Sunday has found that more than 1,000 garages and tuning firms are offering to remove DPFs for as little as £250 – despite new MOT rules which now mean that a DPF must be present on a vehicle factory fitted with one.

The investigation found that businesses are continuing to remove the filters under a legal loophole – it is only an offence to drive a car without a factory-fitted DPF.

DPFs became mandatory on diesels manufactured since 2009 but owners can face bills of up to £1,500 to have the DPF replaced.

Health concerns

Air pollution from diesel particulates has been linked to 29,000 deaths a year.

Experts say the particulates enter the lungs and bloodstream and have been linked to autism, heart disease and cancer – they have also been shown to stunt children’s brains.

Kerry McCarthy the Shadow Environment Secretary, said: “This will add to growing public concern about pollution from diesel cars, and the impact on air quality.

“Regulations exist to protect public health, but we are being let down by a negligent Government that is failing to enforce them.”

With further bad press for the diesel engine following the VW emissions scandal, which concerns nitrogen oxides rather than particulates, Simon Birkett, director of Clean Air in London, said the scale of DPF removal uncovered was ‘shocking’.

“Frankly, at least VW had a chip, even if it cheated during testing.

“Removing factory-fitted DPFs involves tricking or disengaging the whole emissions chip, all the time, on gases and particles,” he explained.

MOT implications

Chris Roberts, managing director of Quantum Tuning, which offers DPF deletion services to around 300 garages and turning firms said: “Either they scrap the car or get something done about it.

“And if they are going to have it done, they may as well have it done properly by a garage that will explain what the MOT implications are, as our dealers do.”

Campaigners argue that the MOT fails to catch DPF removal because it only includes a ‘visual inspection’ of the hardware, which can be welded back together and the optical smoke test cannot detect dangerous particulate matter.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “If a car is fitted with a DPF and it is removed, it is illegal to be driven on the road.

“We continue to monitor how many vehicles are failing the MOT for this reason, and explore steps to stamp out this practice.”

With more and more diesels suffering DPF-related issues, how do you deal with DPF problems in your workshop? Share your experiences, thoughts and concerns in the comments below.

26 Comments

  1. I was first told that diesel emissions caused cancer over 50 years ago as an apprentice mechanic. It seems to have taken a long time for government to take notice, are there votes in it.
    It is my understanding that when a DPF regenerates the particulates are smaller and more harmful to our health.
    Successive governments have known about this problem for many years , so a cynics view is that they are trying to save the planet by killing all the humans off.
    See you on the other side
    Yours cheerfully

    Les

    Reply
    • Les just to clarify to you how a DPF deals with soot particulates, when it regenerates it actually but men’s the carbon at tempratures in excess of 550 deg C and the precious metals within the DPF concert the gasses to CO2 and H2O, a residual amount of ash is left in the core of the DPF. It does not make large particles smaller, you gettin mixed up with the filtration rate of the DPF which is a filter, it allows particulate matter of less than 5 microns pass through and traps the larger particulates. These “nano” particulates are the ones linked to cancer as they’re the ones small enough to absorbed into the body.
      Gary Wood
      The Diesel Doctor.

      Reply
  2. I was first told that diesel emissions caused cancer over 50 years ago as an apprentice mechanic. It seems to have taken a long time for government to take notice, are there votes in it.
    It is my understanding that when a DPF regenerates the particulates are smaller and more harmful to our health.
    Successive governments have known about this problem for many years , so a cynics view is that they are trying to save the planet by killing all the humans off.
    See you on the other side
    Yours cheerfully

    Les

    Reply
    • Les just to clarify to you how a DPF deals with soot particulates, when it regenerates it actually but men’s the carbon at tempratures in excess of 550 deg C and the precious metals within the DPF concert the gasses to CO2 and H2O, a residual amount of ash is left in the core of the DPF. It does not make large particles smaller, you gettin mixed up with the filtration rate of the DPF which is a filter, it allows particulate matter of less than 5 microns pass through and traps the larger particulates. These “nano” particulates are the ones linked to cancer as they’re the ones small enough to absorbed into the body.
      Gary Wood
      The Diesel Doctor.

      Reply
  3. Although I agree with exhaust after treatment, I still fail to understand why we are still testing vehicles during MOT tests under existing standards set out more than 15 years ago. Ie by the use of an opacity test. Surely, since the many revisions of allowed exhaust content; we should now be enforcing the laws governing vehicle emissions/ at every mot. Once again I see the whole situation as a farce, we are supposed to be environmentally friendly yet do nothing to enforce the legislation that is in place.
    The recent publications and statements made by government ministers and ambulance chasing lawyers is a joke, never mind nailing VW to the cross lets do something about the modification of vehicle software once the said vehicles are out there in the public domain. DPF removal is only the tip of the iceberg!!! Mileage correction, warning light manipulation for SRS and ABS to name just three major areas of concern.
    It is time this whole industry was governed under a licensing arrangement, not as a stealth tax but as a means of weeding out unscrupulous traders and bodge it and scarper merchants.
    That then poses more food for thought, where do you set the bar at?? Not very qualified examination???? I don’t think so! Plumbers and electricians are regulated why are mechanics and auto electricians, panel beaters and paint refinishers not regulated.
    Sorry for the rant…..
    Gary Burgess MIMI

    Reply
  4. Although I agree with exhaust after treatment, I still fail to understand why we are still testing vehicles during MOT tests under existing standards set out more than 15 years ago. Ie by the use of an opacity test. Surely, since the many revisions of allowed exhaust content; we should now be enforcing the laws governing vehicle emissions/ at every mot. Once again I see the whole situation as a farce, we are supposed to be environmentally friendly yet do nothing to enforce the legislation that is in place.
    The recent publications and statements made by government ministers and ambulance chasing lawyers is a joke, never mind nailing VW to the cross lets do something about the modification of vehicle software once the said vehicles are out there in the public domain. DPF removal is only the tip of the iceberg!!! Mileage correction, warning light manipulation for SRS and ABS to name just three major areas of concern.
    It is time this whole industry was governed under a licensing arrangement, not as a stealth tax but as a means of weeding out unscrupulous traders and bodge it and scarper merchants.
    That then poses more food for thought, where do you set the bar at?? Not very qualified examination???? I don’t think so! Plumbers and electricians are regulated why are mechanics and auto electricians, panel beaters and paint refinishers not regulated.
    Sorry for the rant…..
    Gary Burgess MIMI

    Reply
  5. I totally agree with Gary why hasn’t vosa updated emission testers to read these dangerous particles,as a mechanic for 30 years isn’t it time this trade was regulated and the cowboys stopped from trading…. are we not dealing with peoples lives when these people make mistakes? two tons of car can do a lot of damage….. Please regulate the honest mechanics would welcome this !!!!

    Reply
    • I completely agree with Gary, why is a NOx test done as well as the standard smoke test, also with most diesels not revving passed 1500 rpm at idle cars should legally have to rev to full throttle to allow and full emissions test to be carried out.
      Licensing is a 100% Must now

      Reply
  6. I totally agree with Gary why hasn’t vosa updated emission testers to read these dangerous particles,as a mechanic for 30 years isn’t it time this trade was regulated and the cowboys stopped from trading…. are we not dealing with peoples lives when these people make mistakes? two tons of car can do a lot of damage….. Please regulate the honest mechanics would welcome this !!!!

    Reply
    • I completely agree with Gary, why is a NOx test done as well as the standard smoke test, also with most diesels not revving passed 1500 rpm at idle cars should legally have to rev to full throttle to allow and full emissions test to be carried out.
      Licensing is a 100% Must now

      Reply
  7. ECU Remapping, Diagnostics, Smoke Diagnistics, DPF clean/regeneration is the business I do, I can manipulate 95% of vehicles DPF & EGR systems by ECU, but I don’t, mileage corrections..? I get phone calls all the time on this, unless you’ve had a major issue that can be proved I refuse the job. My system works on a 3 month from MOT or last stamped service, where as the mileage will be averaged over the last 12 months or if you’ve owned the vehicle fir less than a 12 month period with last service on purchase dare area alternatively if you use a company fuel card where mileages are recorded.
    As far a manipulating SRS systems, the government better start checking TAXIS, mainly Hackney and Private hire, not black cabs, 80% of them gave SRS system failures, I know of one particular MOT station and an auto electrician who uses resistors on TAXIS to turn of lights.. TAXIS carry babies and little children in them to the unsuspecting innocent public who’ll never know.
    No one is doing anything about it, no one in the government, nothing, but they want your money…

    Reply
  8. ECU Remapping, Diagnostics, Smoke Diagnistics, DPF clean/regeneration is the business I do, I can manipulate 95% of vehicles DPF & EGR systems by ECU, but I don’t, mileage corrections..? I get phone calls all the time on this, unless you’ve had a major issue that can be proved I refuse the job. My system works on a 3 month from MOT or last stamped service, where as the mileage will be averaged over the last 12 months or if you’ve owned the vehicle fir less than a 12 month period with last service on purchase dare area alternatively if you use a company fuel card where mileages are recorded.
    As far a manipulating SRS systems, the government better start checking TAXIS, mainly Hackney and Private hire, not black cabs, 80% of them gave SRS system failures, I know of one particular MOT station and an auto electrician who uses resistors on TAXIS to turn of lights.. TAXIS carry babies and little children in them to the unsuspecting innocent public who’ll never know.
    No one is doing anything about it, no one in the government, nothing, but they want your money…

    Reply
  9. Tuners need to take the moral high ground here, removing DPF’s is not clever and cannot be justified to make a quick buck by taking advantage of a poor MOT inspection process. There are sensible and occasional reasons DPF may need to be removed, but that is not for road going vehicles in the UK.

    The situation is a product of poor government advice in the past telling us to all buy diesels, poor homologation emission testing that has no connection with on road conditions, and an out of date MOT inspection – but none of that means we should be making money by removing these things.

    We test emissions and NOX on every tune we provide – that is how you make money from this situation – do the job right.

    VOSA needs to step up and do more.

    Reply
  10. Tuners need to take the moral high ground here, removing DPF’s is not clever and cannot be justified to make a quick buck by taking advantage of a poor MOT inspection process. There are sensible and occasional reasons DPF may need to be removed, but that is not for road going vehicles in the UK.

    The situation is a product of poor government advice in the past telling us to all buy diesels, poor homologation emission testing that has no connection with on road conditions, and an out of date MOT inspection – but none of that means we should be making money by removing these things.

    We test emissions and NOX on every tune we provide – that is how you make money from this situation – do the job right.

    VOSA needs to step up and do more.

    Reply
  11. The only way to stop this trade of deliberately making diesels even more lethal than they already are is for the owners to develop a conscience about their own actions. And when there is a bit of money out of their pockets at stake what are the chances of that ever happening?

    Reply
  12. The only way to stop this trade of deliberately making diesels even more lethal than they already are is for the owners to develop a conscience about their own actions. And when there is a bit of money out of their pockets at stake what are the chances of that ever happening?

    Reply
  13. This is all a joke IMO. To those vehicle that I’ve seen age 2007. Which are aloud double optical limit to a vehicle of July 2008 on? All providing nox and particulate matter. Have seen these vehicles modified. Have larger turbos exhaust systems.. etc etc. To still get through emissions. Yet the more modern CR engines with a much lower limit and up raw regarding dpf cr#p. Are actually a far more efficient engines. With such high pressure fuel systems. That the combustion process is second to none. Already a great improvement to the less taken about non particulate filter pre CR engines.
    Regards.

    Reply
    • So legality would be advised to fit all vehicles pre 2008 with a dpf. Get further recalls planned! How many of these 29000 people are due to vehicles that had a DPF removed.. more likely due to the very many pre dpf vehicles already on the road.
      Rant over.

      Reply
  14. This is all a joke IMO. To those vehicle that I’ve seen age 2007. Which are aloud double optical limit to a vehicle of July 2008 on? All providing nox and particulate matter. Have seen these vehicles modified. Have larger turbos exhaust systems.. etc etc. To still get through emissions. Yet the more modern CR engines with a much lower limit and up raw regarding dpf cr#p. Are actually a far more efficient engines. With such high pressure fuel systems. That the combustion process is second to none. Already a great improvement to the less taken about non particulate filter pre CR engines.
    Regards.

    Reply
    • So legality would be advised to fit all vehicles pre 2008 with a dpf. Get further recalls planned! How many of these 29000 people are due to vehicles that had a DPF removed.. more likely due to the very many pre dpf vehicles already on the road.
      Rant over.

      Reply
  15. It is a complete joke that there is nothing set up to enforce this, and bad and all as it may seem on the mainland…here in Northern Ireland the Diesel smoke test isn’t even performed on vehicles in the MOT test, only on HGVs!!
    I do fully understand the implications to vehicle owners in the event of DPF failures, and that the cost can run into £1000s, but in the majority of cases if the vehicles where better maintained/diagnosed or driven properly it wouldn’t, but also from the other side of the spectrum….a hell of a lot of Garages have invested heavily in machines/equipment that offer services to clean/rejuvenate DPFs, fortunes spent on training and educating staff on diagnosing/testing/servicing and rectifying issues such as these, to ensure that vehicles meet the correct standard of emissions levels and to prevent these dangerous particules being admitted to the atmosphere and poisoning the People….but with No one to enforce it!! All we get is a load of Bull about VW scandal’s etc….yes it is shocking, but no more shocking that what is being done aftermarket by A#@holes!!
    Here in this small Province of mine a lot of guys in the building trade would have been out of work, with the downturn in the economy and the collapse of the “Celtic Tiger” in the Irish Republic, as a lot of said tradesmen would have travelled South for work……I am sure people reading are wondering where this is going (or what this has to do with DPFs) well here goes…….One guy I know 37 years of age, left School went to College, became an Architect and drawed plans for houses for years, worked dried up for him, 4 yrs ago after a week long course in England…..he is a DPF/EGR delete expert and a remapper…
    Another a Carpenter all his life, same as previous mentioned…….now a fully fledged Remapper and DPF delete expert, and why not at £450 a vehicle to install software coming from China/India onto ECUs from equivalent models, and from Countries with “Real Strict Emissions Guidelines”. The majority of these experts DONT Know Nor understand the fundamentals of how an Engine even operates!!! But all get away with it!!!
    Gary is also 100% correct Airbags/ABS etc are also regularly being tampered with by the same types of “GOOGLE Technicians” who have no regard for the safety/health nor wellbeing of anyone other then their own pockets……………..All this completely Frustrates the Genuine Motor Vehicle Trade.
    These Problems must be addressed

    Reply
  16. It is a complete joke that there is nothing set up to enforce this, and bad and all as it may seem on the mainland…here in Northern Ireland the Diesel smoke test isn’t even performed on vehicles in the MOT test, only on HGVs!!
    I do fully understand the implications to vehicle owners in the event of DPF failures, and that the cost can run into £1000s, but in the majority of cases if the vehicles where better maintained/diagnosed or driven properly it wouldn’t, but also from the other side of the spectrum….a hell of a lot of Garages have invested heavily in machines/equipment that offer services to clean/rejuvenate DPFs, fortunes spent on training and educating staff on diagnosing/testing/servicing and rectifying issues such as these, to ensure that vehicles meet the correct standard of emissions levels and to prevent these dangerous particules being admitted to the atmosphere and poisoning the People….but with No one to enforce it!! All we get is a load of Bull about VW scandal’s etc….yes it is shocking, but no more shocking that what is being done aftermarket by A#@holes!!
    Here in this small Province of mine a lot of guys in the building trade would have been out of work, with the downturn in the economy and the collapse of the “Celtic Tiger” in the Irish Republic, as a lot of said tradesmen would have travelled South for work……I am sure people reading are wondering where this is going (or what this has to do with DPFs) well here goes…….One guy I know 37 years of age, left School went to College, became an Architect and drawed plans for houses for years, worked dried up for him, 4 yrs ago after a week long course in England…..he is a DPF/EGR delete expert and a remapper…
    Another a Carpenter all his life, same as previous mentioned…….now a fully fledged Remapper and DPF delete expert, and why not at £450 a vehicle to install software coming from China/India onto ECUs from equivalent models, and from Countries with “Real Strict Emissions Guidelines”. The majority of these experts DONT Know Nor understand the fundamentals of how an Engine even operates!!! But all get away with it!!!
    Gary is also 100% correct Airbags/ABS etc are also regularly being tampered with by the same types of “GOOGLE Technicians” who have no regard for the safety/health nor wellbeing of anyone other then their own pockets……………..All this completely Frustrates the Genuine Motor Vehicle Trade.
    These Problems must be addressed

    Reply
  17. A Department for Transport spokesman said: “If a car is fitted with a DPF and it is removed, it is illegal to be driven on the road. We continue to monitor how many vehicles are failing the MOT for this reason, and explore steps to stamp out this practice.”

    HA ha ha. A visual inspection is not enough. It should be illegal to remove a DPF just the same as it is illegal to fit a non type approved catalytic converter to 2003- cars but will it make any difference? How many cars fail the MOT because they do not have a catalytic converter AT ALL? People that decat their cars just have a cat put back in just for the MOT and then have it removed again after the MOT. I am sure there would be similar ways around the DPF issue.
    What about people that have illegally spaced number plates to spell out their name or similar. They just change their number plates for legal ones for the MOT and change them back afterwards. The police don’t stop cars for illegal number plates unless there is another reason why they need to be stopped (lamps not working etc.)
    The same for mobile phone use in cars. (I know off topic). Not enough monitoring of this. Every night I drive home about 10 miles and I see at least 5 people (usually a lot more) either on the mobile phone or texting. You can tell when they are texting because they hide the phone in their lap and keep looking down and up and down and up and mostly this is females 18-35.

    Reply
  18. A Department for Transport spokesman said: “If a car is fitted with a DPF and it is removed, it is illegal to be driven on the road. We continue to monitor how many vehicles are failing the MOT for this reason, and explore steps to stamp out this practice.”

    HA ha ha. A visual inspection is not enough. It should be illegal to remove a DPF just the same as it is illegal to fit a non type approved catalytic converter to 2003- cars but will it make any difference? How many cars fail the MOT because they do not have a catalytic converter AT ALL? People that decat their cars just have a cat put back in just for the MOT and then have it removed again after the MOT. I am sure there would be similar ways around the DPF issue.
    What about people that have illegally spaced number plates to spell out their name or similar. They just change their number plates for legal ones for the MOT and change them back afterwards. The police don’t stop cars for illegal number plates unless there is another reason why they need to be stopped (lamps not working etc.)
    The same for mobile phone use in cars. (I know off topic). Not enough monitoring of this. Every night I drive home about 10 miles and I see at least 5 people (usually a lot more) either on the mobile phone or texting. You can tell when they are texting because they hide the phone in their lap and keep looking down and up and down and up and mostly this is females 18-35.

    Reply
  19. What a waste of time when a government representative informs us that they will continually monitor the failure rate of vehicles that should have a DPF fitted and has not! A visual inspection is insufficient unless as I have seen where a interconnecting pipe was fitted to replace the filter. More needs to be to test 1: if the filter is operational and 2: the vehicle has been remapped to overcome its removal.

    Reply
  20. What a waste of time when a government representative informs us that they will continually monitor the failure rate of vehicles that should have a DPF fitted and has not! A visual inspection is insufficient unless as I have seen where a interconnecting pipe was fitted to replace the filter. More needs to be to test 1: if the filter is operational and 2: the vehicle has been remapped to overcome its removal.

    Reply

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