Infiniti EX DPF Issues: Black Smoke & Power Loss Help

Hey there! I had the exact same issues with my 2014 Infiniti FX diesel a couple years ago. I have some experience working on cars as a hobby mechanic, but DPF issues are definitely workshop territory. Had similar symptoms black smoke, rough idle, terrible fuel economy. After limping to my trusted mechanic, they diagnosed a failing DPF. Ended up replacing the whole unit since it was internally damaged. Set me back about 1550€, but the car's been running like new since. Quick question what's your mileage and have you kept up with regular DPF maintenance? Might help me give you more specific advice based on my experience. Hope this helps!

Thanks for sharing that! Mine's at 80117 KM, and I've been good with maintenance just had a service done recently. Your experience sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. That price range helps set my expectations too. Did you notice any warning signs before it got really bad, or did it just hit you all at once? Also, how long did the repair take in your case?

Hey again! To answer your questions in my case, there were definitely some warning signs before it got really bad. About a month before the complete failure, I noticed slightly worse fuel economy and occasional stuttering during acceleration, but I brushed it off (big mistake!). Then it suddenly got much worse over just a few days that's when the black smoke and power loss really kicked in, just like what you're describing. The repair on my FX took about a day and a half. My mechanic had to order the part, but once it arrived, the actual work wasn't too drawn out. They also did a full diagnostic check to make sure there weren't any related issues with the sensors or fuel system. One thing I forgot to mention in my first reply after the replacement, I changed my driving habits a bit. I make sure to take longer drives at highway speeds regularly to help with DPF regeneration. Makes a huge difference! My new DPF has been going strong for almost two years now with no issues. Given your mileage is pretty similar to what mine was when it failed (I was at about 85,000 KM), it sounds like you're hitting that typical DPF lifespan. Better to get it sorted sooner rather than later I learned that the hard way when I ignored those early warning signs! Let me know if you need any other info about the repair process!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! That's really helpful, especially the tip about driving habits I'll definitely keep that in mind once I get this fixed. Good to know about the timing too; yeah, sounds like I'm right in that typical failure window. I'll get it into the shop this week rather than risk more damage. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I'm actually feeling a bit more confident about handling this now! Thanks again for walking me through it all!