Range Rover Diesel DPF Issues: Black Smoke & Power Loss?

Hey there! I had some experience with similar issues on my 2004 Range Rover Sport diesel (got some experience working on these). Had almost identical symptoms on mine, black smoke, check engine light, drop in power, and that nasty exhaust smell. Turned out the DPF was completely clogged and internally damaged beyond repair. Workshop diagnosed it with their diagnostic tools and found the DPF pressure readings were way off. Ended up having to replace the entire DPF unit, cost me around 1550 Euro but it fixed all the issues. The garage mentioned these problems are pretty common on older Range Rovers and Land Rovers in general. What's your current mileage and have you noticed any other symptoms? Also, when was the last time you had any DPF-related maintenance done? This info would help pinpoint if you're dealing with the same issue.

Thanks for the reply! Mine's at 124958 KM and just had its service last month. Getting really similar symptoms to what you described. The exhaust smell is getting worse by the day, and I'm losing more power, especially when going uphill. Pretty worried about the repair costs if it's the DPF. How long did the replacement job take for yours? Just trying to plan ahead since I rely on my car daily.

Hey again! Thanks for the additional info about your Range Rover. Yeah, those symptoms you're describing are exactly like what I experienced, especially that power loss on hills, it's such a pain! For my repair job, it took the workshop about 6-7 hours total. They had to order the part first though, which took a couple of days to arrive. I'd definitely recommend getting it checked soon because mine got progressively worse pretty quickly after those initial symptoms showed up. I actually ended up having to get it towed to the garage when it finally went into limp mode, definitely don't wait for that to happen! Since you mentioned you just had service last month, did they say anything about the DPF status during that service? Sometimes these issues can start showing up pretty quickly after a service if the DPF was already on its way out. I'd suggest maybe getting a second opinion from a different workshop that specializes in Range Rovers if possible. My first mechanic quoted me way higher before I found my current garage. Also, while you're waiting to get it fixed, try to take it on longer drives if you can, short trips are really bad for DPF health. Let me know what you end up finding out. Been through this headache myself so happy to share more details if you need them!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! No, the service guys didn't mention anything about the DPF, which is pretty frustrating now that I think about it. I'll definitely take your advice and get it checked by a Range Rover specialist ASAP. Really don't want to end up stuck somewhere needing a tow! You've been super helpful with the timeline and tips. I'll try to do some longer drives this week while I wait for the garage appointment. It's a relief knowing someone else has dealt with the same problems and got them sorted. Will skip the first garage I called since they quoted nearly 2000 Euro, sounds like I can definitely find better pricing. Thanks again for sharing your experience, really appreciate it!