DPF Failure: Black Smoke and Power Loss in Insignia

Hey there! I have some experience with diesel engines and had almost the exact same issue with my 2011 Vauxhall Astra diesel last year. Those symptoms match perfectly with what I went through! My DPF was totally clogged and needed replacement due to high mileage (was at 180K miles). Like you, I had black smoke, drop in power, and that annoying engine light. Took it to my trusted workshop, and they confirmed the DPF was beyond cleaning. The whole job, including parts and labor, set me back about €1550. Since it's an Insignia, the setup might be a bit different. What's your current mileage? Also, have you noticed any warning lights specifically related to the DPF? This info would help me share more relevant details from my experience. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any other info.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's actually at 296478 KM, and I just had it serviced last month. I also wondered if it might be the DPF, but my symptoms seem a bit different from what you described. The black smoke only happens on hard acceleration, and the engine light just started flashing yesterday. Did yours have any rattling noise during idle? Also, how long did the repair take in your case? Been meaning to use the car for a long trip next week, so trying to figure out if I should postpone it.

Hey again! Yeah, now that you mention those extra details, I see some differences from what I experienced with my Astra. In my case, I didn't have any rattling noise during idle, but the black smoke was pretty constant, not just during hard acceleration like yours. My engine light was steady too, not flashing. The repair on my Astra took about 2 days total, one day for diagnosis and parts ordering, and another for the actual replacement. But honestly, given your symptoms, especially that flashing check engine light and the rattling, you might be dealing with something different than what I had. The flashing CEL usually means something more serious that could damage the catalytic converter. For reference, after I got my DPF replaced, I never had any issues with black smoke or power loss again. Been running smooth for about 18 months now. But with your trip coming up next week, I'd definitely get it checked ASAP. Don't want to risk getting stranded somewhere, right? My mechanic also suggested doing more frequent motorway runs to help the new DPF regenerate properly. Been doing that, and it seems to help a lot. But yeah, get those symptoms checked before your trip, better safe than sorry!

Thanks so much for the detailed response! You're right about getting it checked before the trip, I'll definitely take it to my mechanic tomorrow morning. That's really concerning about the flashing CEL potentially being something more serious. I hadn't thought about the catalytic converter, but it makes sense given the symptoms are a bit different from your DPF experience. Really appreciate you sharing about the repair timeline too. Think I'll have to postpone my trip next week, just to be on the safe side. Better to deal with this now than end up stuck somewhere! I'll keep in mind your tip about the motorway runs too, that'll be useful once everything's sorted. Thanks again for all your help! Will probably get back to the forum once I know what the actual issue is.