Black Smoke from Honda: DPF or Sensor Issue?

Hey there! Had almost identical issues with my 2007 Honda CR-V i-CTDI last year. Black smoke, sluggish performance, and failed DPF regen cycles, the works. First thought it was just the sensor too, but turned out the DPF was heavily clogged with soot and had internal damage. The garage found that my EGR valve was sticking, which led to the DPF getting loaded up faster than normal. They had to clean the EGR, replace the DPF (it was too far gone to just clean), and recalibrate the engine management system. It was a serious job that took a couple of days to sort out properly. The symptoms you're describing match my experience exactly, especially the rough running and increased fuel consumption. Would definitely recommend getting it checked by a Honda specialist who knows these diesels well. The back pressure sensor might be part of it, but there could be more going on under the hood. Good luck sorting it out!

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's super helpful to know about the EGR valve being the root cause. If you don't mind me asking, what did you end up paying for the whole repair job? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? My Honda's been giving me anxiety lately, so I'm trying to prepare myself mentally (and financially) for what might be coming.

Hey again! Great news, I actually just got my CR-V sorted last week! Just like I mentioned before, my situation was really similar to yours. The mechanic confirmed it was indeed the exhaust gas back pressure sensor causing trouble with the DPF, and they got it all fixed up. Ended up costing me 1,325€ for the whole job since the DPF was pretty badly clogged. I've gotta say, the difference is like night and day! The engine's running super smooth now, no more black smoke, and my fuel consumption is back to normal. It's such a relief not seeing that check engine light anymore. Since the repair, everything's been running perfectly, no problems whatsoever. The car feels like new again, honestly. I know these kinds of repairs can be pretty scary on the wallet, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. Trust me, it's worth getting it sorted properly rather than letting it get worse. Hope this helps with your decision making! Let me know if you need any other info about my experience.

Thanks so much for the detailed feedback! I bit the bullet and took it to a certified Honda mechanic yesterday. Turns out you were spot on, my DPF was totally clogged, and they found issues with the EGR valve too. The whole repair set me back about 1,200 bucks, which hurt the wallet but was actually less than I feared. Just picked up the car this morning and wow, what a difference! The engine's purring like a kitten now, no more black smoke, and it's got all its power back. Such a relief to have it sorted properly. Guess I learned my lesson about not skimping on maintenance and getting things checked out sooner rather than later. Really appreciate everyone's advice, it definitely helped me make the right call instead of trying cheaper fixes that probably wouldn't have solved the real problem. Time to enjoy my smoke-free drives again!