What is a DPF (diesel particulate filter)?
A DPF (diesel particulate filter) is a filter that sits in a diesel car's exhaust system. It extracts particulates – mainly the nasty black soot you see coming from older diesel cars' exhausts – to stop them from getting into the atmosphere. Every so often, the DPF will 'regenerate', deliberately heating up to burn the captured particulates off. Some drivers have encountered problems because they don't cover enough long journeys to let the DPF regen take place, causing it to clog.
All modern diesel cars have a DPF and, if you don’t use the car properly, it can cause expensive problems. Read our guide explaining how to avoid DPF issues
Related glossary terms
EGR valveAn EGR valve is the main component in an engine's exhaust-gas recirculation system. Petrol and diesel engines deliberately capture some of their spent exhaust gases and flow them back into the intake alongside fresh fuel and air.Catalytic converterA catalytic converter is a part of your car's exhaust system that uses chemical reactions to turn your engine's harmful emissions into less harmful gases.NEDC - new European driving cycleNEDC (new European driving cycle) is an older testing standard used to measure a car's fuel economy (mpg) and emissions.