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Had the emissions update and now the DPF is clogged. Can I get Volkswagen to fix it?

I have a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle diesel. It went in for the emissions update but 12 months later, the DPF light came on. The car does very few miles per year. I took it to a local garage who told me this was a recognised fault following the emissions update and I should go back to Volkswagen. I did this, but they said as it was 12 months since the update, it was not their responsibility. I then went back to my local garage - which managed to clear the fault - but said it would need fixing soon. The light is now back on and we are looking at a large repair bill. Is there any way I can get Volkswagen to sort this out?

Asked on 29 May 2020 by andrew lynch

Answered by Dan Powell
Diesel cars are not designed for low mileage use. A DPF needs at least 15-miles (per journey) to passively regenerate - anything less will cause it to clog up. I do not think the DPF fault is related to the emissions update. I would recommend selling the car and replacing it with something more suitable for your needs, like a petrol or hybrid vehicle.
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