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6 Signs Your Diesel Vehicle’s DPF Needs Cleaning

HOLLY, Mich., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Like many filters on a diesel truck, car or SUV, the diesel particulate filter (DPF) requires periodic cleaning to function properly. In normal use, pollutants and soot can clog the DPF. Cleaning the DPF will ensure it continues working properly to reduce harmful exhaust emissions, maintain fuel efficiency, and prevent potential engine damage.

Modern diesel vehicles of all sizes are equipped with complex aftertreatment systems to reduce exhaust emissions. The DPF’s role in these systems is to capture and store soot particles. When the filter is full, an automatic process called regeneration burns off the accumulated soot. But in vehicles regularly driven at low speeds for short durations, regeneration may never occur, causing the filter to get so full that it becomes blocked.

A blocked DPF can destroy fuel efficiency and kill engine power and performance. It may also affect drivability and cause the engine to overheat or be hard to start. How do you know when the DPF needs cleaning? Keep an eye out for any of these six signs:

  1. DPF Warning Light: A clear indication that the DPF is clogged is when the DPF warning lamp on the dashboard lights up. With some vehicles, the general “check engine” light may also come on. Hooking up an OBD II reader may reveal a P242F or related trouble code.
  2. Frequent Regeneration Cycles: A vehicle that is having trouble getting through a full regeneration cycle to clean the DPF may make frequent attempts. If a diesel engine starts or undergoes regeneration more frequently than usual, it may indicate that the DPF is clogged and needs to be cleaned.
  3. Increased Fuel Consumption: A clogged DPF forces the engine to work harder, which burns more fuel per mile. It’s generally less expensive to clean the DPF than it is to let a blocked DPF drive down fuel economy.
  4. Loss of Power: A blocked DPF will restrict exhaust flow, which causes the engine to reduce acceleration, be less responsive, and have difficulty maintaining high speeds.
  5. Limp Mode: If the DPF becomes clogged or fails to regenerate, it may trigger the vehicle to go into “limp mode” to prevent damage. While in limp mode, the vehicle’s power output is significantly reduced, its top speed is limited, auxiliary functions may be disabled, and it may be locked in a low gear.
  6. Rough Idle: A clogged DPF can cause the engine to run roughly or have a hard time maintaining a steady idle. 

Cleaning a clogged DPF doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive thanks to recent advances in chemical technology. Simply pour a bottle of the new Rislone DPF Clean® Diesel DPF, Exhaust & Emissions System Cleaner into the fuel tank and drive.

DPF Clean’s special blend of high-performance detergents and heavy-duty cleaning solvents scrubs away contaminants, soot, carbon build-up and oily residue from the DPF, fuel injectors, combustion chambers, turbo, EGR, diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), and exhaust system. Formulated to tackle even the toughest clogs, DPF Clean® contains Rislone’s exclusive Diesel Regen Medic+, an active DPF regeneration accelerator and cleaning fuel catalyst guaranteed to clear a blocked DPF.

“You don’t have to be a mechanic to keep your diesel vehicle’s DPF functioning properly,” says Clay Parks, vice president of development for Rislone. “Modern vehicles make it pretty obvious when there’s an issue, and Rislone makes it easy to fix. DPF Clean restores power, performance and mileage, reduces regeneration cycles and extends DPF filter life – all for thousands of dollars less than a mechanical DPF repair or replacement.”

Learn more about cleaning a diesel vehicle’s DPF at rislone.com/products/dpf-clean-diesel-dpf-exhaust-emissions-cleaner/.

About Rislone

As a global leading engine treatment brand since 1921, Rislone has a long history of solving and preventing diesel engine issues. The company conducted years of research to develop solutions to help customers avoid expensive emissions system repair bills. Like all Rislone products, DPF Clean® Diesel DPF, Exhaust & Emissions System Cleaner is made in the USA. Rislone products are available where auto parts are sold. Based in Holly, Michigan, Rislone is ISO 9001 certified.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/994fad26-864c-4a8c-a039-65718d9ea32e


Media Contact:
Kristen Simpson
Simpson Communications, LLC
(216) 991-4297
kristen@simpsoncomm.com

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