Black Smoke & Power Loss: Eclipse Cross Mystery

Hey there! I actually had really similar issues with my 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander diesel. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I experienced with a severely clogged DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter). Last month, I took mine to the dealership when it started blowing black smoke and losing power. Turned out the DPF was completely blocked, preventing proper regeneration. They had to do a forced DPF regen first, but that wasn't enough. The filter was too far gone and needed replacement. It was definitely a serious issue that needed immediate attention since a blocked DPF can lead to more engine damage if left untreated. The whole repair took about two days to complete. From what you're describing, I'd strongly suspect your DPF is the culprit rather than just the back pressure sensor. Get it checked soon, these symptoms usually don't improve on their own. Hope this helps with your decision making!

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds spot on with what I'm dealing with. My mechanic actually suggested the same thing about the DPF being clogged. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then? I'm trying to get an idea of what I'm in for, both cost-wise and whether I might need to plan for any follow-up issues.

Hey again! Glad to help! Yeah, I got the repairs done and everything's running like a dream now. The whole thing, including the DPF replacement and fixing the faulty exhaust back pressure sensor, set me back 1,325€. Not gonna lie, it was a bit of a hit to the wallet, but totally worth it to have the car running properly again. Since the fix, my Outlander's been performing beautifully, no more black smoke, power's back to normal, and fuel consumption has dropped back to what it should be. It's like driving a different car! The mechanic mentioned that catching it when we did probably saved me from more expensive engine problems down the line. Just keep an eye on your driving patterns once it's fixed. I'm making sure to include more highway driving to help with regular DPF regeneration cycles. That's supposed to help prevent it from clogging up again. Trust me, you're doing the right thing getting it sorted now. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks so much for all the details! Just wanted to update you, I took your advice and got it sorted yesterday. You were absolutely right about everything! The mechanic I found was great, really explained everything clearly. The total came to about 1,450€ which was pretty close to what you paid. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected. Dropped it off in the morning, and they had it ready by the next afternoon. The difference is like night and day, no more black smoke, engine's running smoothly, and the power's back to normal. Even my fuel consumption has improved already! Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it gave me the confidence to get it checked out before it turned into something worse. And thanks for the tip about highway driving, I'll definitely keep that in mind to avoid future problems. Best mechanic experience I've had in ages, honestly. Sometimes it pays to ask around! Thanks again for all your help!