Defender DPF Woes: Black Smoke & Power Loss Symptoms

Hey there! I feel your pain. Had a similar situation with my 2015 Discovery TD6 last year. The symptoms were exactly like yours, black smoke, sluggish performance, and constant DPF regen failures. Turned out the DPF had internal structural damage, not just a clog. The mechanic found cracks in the ceramic honeycomb structure inside. This was causing incomplete regeneration cycles and letting soot escape. These symptoms won't go away with just a forced regen or cleaning. In my case, the DPF needed complete replacement along with new pressure sensors. It was a serious job that took about two days to complete, but it solved all the issues. The engine performance returned to normal, no more smoke or smell, and the warning lights cleared up. If you're seeing these symptoms, don't wait too long, driving with a failing DPF can lead to more engine problems. Best to get it checked by a specialist who knows Land Rover diesels well. Hope this helps with your decision!

Thanks for sharing that experience! It's really helpful as it sounds just like what I'm dealing with. Quick question, do you remember roughly how much the DPF replacement and sensor work set you back? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the repair, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? Been a bit worried about potential long-term effects on the engine.

Hey again! Great news, I can actually give you a happy update since my last post! I took my Discovery to a Land Rover specialist last month and yep, you were spot on, it was indeed the DPF causing all that drama. The final bill came to 1550.00 € for fixing the internally defective DPF, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The best part? Everything's been running like a dream since then. The heavy load warning on the DPF system that was driving me nuts? Completely gone. No more black smoke, no more diesel smell, and the engine's got its pep back, feels just like when I first got her. As for long-term effects, I was worried about that too, but the mechanic did a thorough check and assured me there's no lasting damage to the engine. They caught it just in time, which was lucky. Been about four weeks now, and she's purring like a kitten with zero issues. Pro tip though, don't wait as long as I initially did. These DPF problems can snowball if you let them go too long. But sounds like you're on top of it already! Let me know how you get on with yours!

Thanks everyone for the advice! Just wanted to share a quick update, I bit the bullet and took my Defender to a diesel specialist yesterday. They diagnosed the issue, and it turns out my DPF was completely shot, just like yours was. The mechanic found similar damage to the internal structure. The whole repair set me back about 1400.00 €, which included a new DPF unit and pressure sensors. They had it for two days, but wow, what a difference! Just picked it up this afternoon and it's like driving a different car, no more black smoke, engine's got its power back, and that annoying check engine light is finally off. Really glad I didn't put it off any longer. The mechanic was super thorough and showed me everything they found. Even saved the old DPF to show me the damage, pretty eye-opening stuff! They also did a full system check and confirmed no other engine damage, which was a huge relief. Thanks again for sharing your experiences, definitely helped me make the right call on this one! Time to enjoy my smoke-free drives again!