Keeping Ghibli diesel Engine Management light off.

[JohnMcC]

How hard does the car have to be driven to keep the engine/exhaust healthy? I have a 2019 diesel Ghibli, 55,000 miles, (which I love). The Eening Management light came on in October followed soon after by the restricted speed setting. Main dealer changed oil and filter and blamed short journeys. Now light has come on again. How hard and how often does it need to be thrashed? Still love the **** car.

 

[Ebenezer]

My experience, admittedly with a rather old non ad-blue diesel, is you need to clear the particulate filter by getting the revs up from time to time. I normally wait until someone is up my chuff for no reason, and then knock it down a gear or two and give it the beans. However, you know you are in a diesel as it runs out of revs disappointingly quickly!
Eb

 

[alastairb]

How hard does the car have to be driven to keep the engine/exhaust healthy? I have a 2019 diesel Ghibli, 55,000 miles, (which I love). The Eening Management light came on in October followed soon after by the restricted speed setting. Main dealer changed oil and filter and blamed short journeys. Now light has come on again. How hard and how often does it need to be thrashed? Still love the **** car.

You need to get the codes read. An Autel AP200 will pay for itself within x1 main dealer visit.

Main dealer changed oil and filter and blamed short journeys

This doesnt make sense to me, did they mention DPF Regen ? Oil and Filters dont trip an EML.
Longer journeys are required for DPF Regen to occur (typically) - the dealer can trigger one via diagnostic tools but short journeys dont allow the car to do it automatically.

 

[CatmanV2]

You need to get the codes read. An Autel AP200 will pay for itself within x1 main dealer visit.



This doesnt make sense to me, did they mention DPF Regen ? Oil and Filters dont trip an EML.
Longer journeys are required for DPF Regen to occur (typically) - the dealer can trigger one via diagnostic tools but short journeys dont allow the car to do it automatically.

This. @JohnMcC happy to help if you're in my area

C

 

[P R]

Very similar age / milage to mine (2019, 50k). Mostly use mine for commuting (17 miles or so each way). How short are your short journeys? I thought if it required a regen it tells you to keep driving (if it fails to complete x number of times)?

 

[JohnMcC]

This. @JohnMcC happy to help if you're in my area

C

Thanks for taking the time. The main dealer said the oil and filter were contaminated so they replaced, This time the safe mode hasn’t yet been activated. I’ve gone to ‘Specialist’ who says drive as little as possible and slowly, and he’ll fix on 28th Nov. I’m not anxious to go back to main dealer, £192 per hour. I’m worried this will reoccur every 6 weeks. The car also has its first MOT in December and I’m concerned about failing the emission test.

 

[JohnMcC]

Very similar age / milage to mine (2019, 50k). Mostly use mine for commuting (17 miles or so each way). How short are your short journeys? I thought if it required a regen it tells you to keep driving (if it fails to complete x number of times)?

I’ve regenerated a number of times. These time it went straight to Engine Management symbol (yellow). I drove 80 miles at 50 mph to get to the ferry. Light still on.

 

[P R]

Other easy ish thing to try is a DPF cleaner in your fuel. Im not sure how effective they are but they arent too expensive so maybe worth a try..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redex-Diesel-Particulate-Filter-Cleaner/dp/B06XBX2R61/ref=sr_1_5_pp?crid=2WWEDBGKXOCFG&keywords=dpf+cleaner+diesel&qid=1700060036&sprefix=dpf+cl%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-5

I tried it on my old diesel Renegade, it seemed to work (cant say for sure but intermittant DPF light went off on that!)

 

[CatmanV2]

I’ve gone to ‘Specialist’ who says drive as little as possible and slowly, and he’ll fix on 28th Nov.

I have no idea what this is meant to achieve. Who is the 'specialist' (Disturbed by your quotes) Has the 'specialist' scanned it? Have they diagnosed it? How do they know they can fix it and why you need to drive slowly?

This screams to me.

C

 

[alastairb]

Honestly get an Autel Ap200 and scan the ECU for the fault codes.
Everything up to that point is guess work

 

[CatmanV2]

Honestly get an Autel Ap200 and scan the ECU for the fault codes.
Everything up to that point is guess work

This. In spades

C

 

[CJ Romeo]

You need to get the codes read. An Autel AP200 will pay for itself within x1 main dealer visit.



This doesnt make sense to me, did they mention DPF Regen ? Oil and Filters dont trip an EML.
Longer journeys are required for DPF Regen to occur (typically) - the dealer can trigger one via diagnostic tools but short journeys dont allow the car to do it automatically.

Failed regenerations dump fuel into the sump, diluting the oil.

Our Range Rover done this, detected the rising oil levels and asked for a service every 4000 miles. Thankfully these were worked out as we had a service plan and never paid, its a known issue anyway.

 

[CatmanV2]

Failed regenerations dump fuel into the sump, diluting the oil.

They do, but as you say, oil level goes up and you *should* get a DPF warning. Just swapping the filter and the oil is not really a long term answer IMHO

C

 

[CJ Romeo]

They do, but as you say, oil level goes up and you *should* get a DPF warning. Just swapping the filter and the oil is not really a long term answer IMHO

C

i know, it’s not the fix, it just prevents further damage, but if you’re only short running it, there is no fix.

 

[philw696]

A modern diesel is just not good for short journeys.
Not like using diesel's back in the 90's they would keep going and you would clear everything out everytime you went up a steep hill.

 

[allandwf]

I had a Subaru, for a few months, I got rid of for this very issue. Multiple failed regens. Trips to dealer withe oil change and filter each time. Finding a road where you could drive steadily at the prescribed revs for 20 mins was also an issue. Basically it wasn't fit for purpose!

 

[Oneball]

I’m guessing by the OPs ferry comment he may be on a very small island and it maybe his short journeys are really short like a mile. So it’s not just regen, it may not even be getting warm.

 

[allandwf]

I’m guessing by the OPs ferry comment he may be on a very small island and it maybe his short journeys are really short like a mile. So it’s not just regen, it may not even be getting warm.

Another one not fit for purpose then.

 

[CJ Romeo]

On regenerations, generally any diesel I’ve had has regenerated once, maybe twice per tank of fuel, some cars though are hard to spot when it’s doing it though, so you might not realise and switch off.

 

[P R]

Mine does it Id say on average once a tank (or 450 miles). There is no light or message to say its doing it. You can tell from a slightly gruffer note and the fuel economy goes through the floor.