DPF Failure @ 27k Miles

[UTDieselRubi]

Hello fellow diesel owners. This last weekend my DPF failed, cracked internally they said, while returning from a long trip in MOAB back to Salt Lake while towing a SxS, the literal most optimal conditions for normal regen. Though under warranty, and the dealer is already working on a replacement, I am just curious to know what has caused your failures of the DPF if you have ever had one? The dealer is kind of trying to say its was improper maintenance related, however, I have my records of maintenance with in spec, ie, oil every 7500 with the initial one at 2500, Air filter every 10k, and fuel filter every 10k. I also take 3 hour highway trips every weekend, which should be good enough for regens.

Yes, I have researched this extensively, but from what I find, I have done everything right. So this is just a curiosity check to see what known causes, or rather what your were told the "why" was that have resulted in failures so I can hopefully avoid future pre-mature DPF replacements. Maybe mine was just a dud form the factory, idk. Maybe some of you have seen failures that are not from common no nos.

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[rharr]

IF they are replacing it under warranty I would let it be and take their accusations with a grain of salt.

If they want to fight you on the matter, then kindly ask them to put it in writing what actions you took caused the damage and where in the owner's manual does it state the correct care and steps required to provide approved care.

 

[DylanM]

I'd love to hear their theory on how and what improper maintenance would cause an internal crack in the DPF.

The only DPF cracks I've heard of were in the outer casing, due to material failure next to the weld for a mount bracket.

 

[Rusty PW]

I'd love to hear their theory on how and what improper maintenance would cause an internal crack in the DPF.

The only DPF cracks I've heard of were in the outer casing, due to material failure next to the weld for a mount bracket.

Think there has been 2 reports of broken/cracked brackets on the forum. The one guy fixed it himself.

 

[UTDieselRubi]

I agree, maintenance shouldn't be the cause, and as of now, the dealer is doing the work under warranty, but they wanted to "prep me" for if stellantis pushes it back. I have the maintenance ducks in a row anyways, but it would be interesting to hear it from the tech directly as to why he would say that in the first place. I'm just scratching my head as to what may have actually caused the failure at such a low mileage. Especially on a truck that checks the boxes and doesn't idle much. I just hope it's not ultimately another piece of the system that is failing that caused this that they are avoiding.

 

[Bacardiac]

Always ask for proof in writing. Dealers hate putting things in writing. You can call jeep directly and report issue with dealer 877-IAM-JEEP. (877-426-5337) Believe it or not contacting them and providing proof really effects the dealership.

 

[RudeJeepin]

Hello fellow diesel owners. This last weekend my DPF failed, cracked internally they said, while returning from a long trip in MOAB back to Salt Lake while towing a SxS, the literal most optimal conditions for normal regen. Though under warranty, and the dealer is already working on a replacement, I am just curious to know what has caused your failures of the DPF if you have ever had one? The dealer is kind of trying to say its was improper maintenance related, however, I have my records of maintenance with in spec, ie, oil every 7500 with the initial one at 2500, Air filter every 10k, and fuel filter every 10k. I also take 3 hour highway trips every weekend, which should be good enough for regens.

Yes, I have researched this extensively, but from what I find, I have done everything right. So this is just a curiosity check to see what known causes, or rather what your were told the "why" was that have resulted in failures so I can hopefully avoid future pre-mature DPF replacements. Maybe mine was just a dud form the factory, idk. Maybe some of you have seen failures that are not from common no nos.

So they are saying the honey comb filter inside cracked? And somehow it could be your fault?

If it were me, I'd ask "what did I do wrong?" And "what can I do differently in the future to prevent this?" Ask them in all sincerity. As if your really are interested in the answers, because you don't want this to happen again.
I've done this in the past. It will either educate you if there is any thing to learn, or call out their BS if there is any. Without sounding like your calling BS on them. But be prepared to say "oh, I must of miss understand what you where saying" when they say they didn't say that.
Honestly though, this should help you out either way.

My understanding is the internal filters only crack from overheating, or being hit. Unless there is a defect, which would be pretty rare I believe. Overheating wouldn't be caused by your driving and pulling a SxS.

 

[kb5zcr]

I also have a 23 diesel. How did the fault come to your attention? Did you get a failed regen message or something?

 

[ourjeeps]

Hello fellow diesel owners. This last weekend my DPF failed, cracked internally they said, while returning from a long trip in MOAB back to Salt Lake while towing a SxS, the literal most optimal conditions for normal regen. Though under warranty, and the dealer is already working on a replacement, I am just curious to know what has caused your failures of the DPF if you have ever had one? The dealer is kind of trying to say its was improper maintenance related, however, I have my records of maintenance with in spec, ie, oil every 7500 with the initial one at 2500, Air filter every 10k, and fuel filter every 10k. I also take 3 hour highway trips every weekend, which should be good enough for regens.

Yes, I have researched this extensively, but from what I find, I have done everything right. So this is just a curiosity check to see what known causes, or rather what your were told the "why" was that have resulted in failures so I can hopefully avoid future pre-mature DPF replacements. Maybe mine was just a dud form the factory, idk. Maybe some of you have seen failures that are not from common no nos.

I'm a huge fan of powerful, reliable, fuel sipping, diesel, torque monster engines over the many decades. I 100% get why you chose that Jeep/RAM Eco Diesel. What an ideal engine (minus the emissions) for a Jeep/Gladiator vehicle.

Not so much a fan of the newer ones (everyone's got problems with them) --- with countless unreliable emissions components hung on them, EGR on a diesel is just a bad idea. DEF?. DPF = you gotta heat up the DPF to over 1,000F to burn off soot captured there, and be sure to use low-ash oil so you don't plug up the fine ceramic filter material, thermal cracks at some point, stress fractures from rough roads... From the mechanical diesels of many decades ago (had some) to the modern multi-valve electronically controlled diesels they had a good run. Reliability more difficult in current times to say the least. Then there's DEF watch that shelf life, and temperature exposure.

Here's some widely shared, common suggestion to extend the Service life of modern diesel emission components, consider them as you endure the trials of modern diesel engines.

For me, I'd take a vintage, old school Cummins BTA-6 mechanically controlled, minimal emission diesel. Can't kill them. Still used in marine and industrial use today.

"Here are some tips for properly maintaining your DPF:

- Short trips at low speeds can prevent the DPF from reaching the temperature needed for passive regeneration. Regularly driving at higher speeds for extended periods helps maintain the DPF.
- Using low-ash engine oils reduces the amount of ash that accumulates in the DPF, prolonging its life and efficiency.
- Pay attention to the DPF warning lights on your dashboard. If the DPF warning light comes on, it might indicate that the filter is becoming blocked and needs regeneration or cleaning.
- Occasionally, the DPF may require professional cleaning to remove ash buildup that cannot be burned off during regular regeneration cycles.

• - Engage in regular driving at higher speeds to facilitate passive regeneration.
• - Utilize low-ash engine oils to reduce ash accumulation in the DPF.
• - Monitor DPF warning lights for timely regeneration or cleaning.
• - Consider professional cleaning for thorough removal of ash buildup.

Endure the pain, do your research, and vote carefully.

And remember the Number One Rule in Logistics and Sustainment --- Keep It Simple Stupid!

 

[biodiesel]

my DPF failed, cracked internally

I don't know how anyone would know that the DPF cracked internally unless they cut open the DPF and inspected.

I own three EcoDiesels (all are stock) and have spent many hours on the forums and social media groups. DPFs on the 2014 - 2019 Rams/Jeeps can last 300,000 miles. It's rare to see a DPF failure on those vehicles unless they eventually get full of ash, which takes a very long time.

The 2020 - 2023 EcoDiesels are slightly different in that most people are running a high-SAPS oil. I do believe those can fill-up with ash much quicker than the previous generation. But to answer your question, most DPFs are lasting a good 150,000 - 200,000 miles on the 2020 - 2023 EcoDiesels before they become full of ash and need to be replaced.

If your DPF was replaced, it was replaced because either they misdiagnosed the problem or they observed something out of ordinary.

 

[UTDieselRubi]

Yeah the failure is unusual given the circumstances. I plan to nicely interrogate the dealer, hopefully even get to talk to the tech about it and find out just exactly how it failed and how they know it failed. I fear other related components being near failure if the DPF had this kind of trouble. If they are wrong on the diagnosis, well that's more issues. It seems to me that my truck was unable to do passive or active regens to get to this point. I use Rotella T6 when changing oil so no worries there. They may just not even know the cause and are trying to come up with something.

I also have a 23 diesel. How did the fault come to your attention? Did you get a failed regen message or something?

I had no indication until I received the message that the "DPF is at 80% full, See dealer now" popped up. This was nearing the end of a 3 hour towing trip. The truck immediately went into limp mode, and within 1 min the message returned saying now at 90% full. Being that I was driving on the highway and towing at the time, it should have been regening. but I don't have any scan tool yet to indicate soot levels or regen progress. So this was out of the blue with no pre-warning signs. The next day I had to limp it to the dealer, and while they are only 5 min from my house luckily, the message changed to 100%. I always thought the 80% message was to let you know to keep driving, but apparently mine was not, it was a its too late message. This was the first time it had ever appeared as well.

 

[UTDieselRubi]

I don't know how anyone would know that the DPF cracked internally unless they cut open the DPF and inspected.

That is the weird part about their diag that they completed within a few hours, didn't even take them a day, so I don't imagine they dissected it.

 

[biodiesel]

I plan to nicely interrogate the dealer, hopefully even get to talk to the tech about it and find out just exactly how it failed and how they know it failed.

Keep us posted on what you find out. The DPF has to be approved for warranty, so they have to come up with a good reason for replacement.

 

[MaximusTX]

Yeah the failure is unusual given the circumstances. I plan to nicely interrogate the dealer, hopefully even get to talk to the tech about it and find out just exactly how it failed and how they know it failed. I fear other related components being near failure if the DPF had this kind of trouble. If they are wrong on the diagnosis, well that's more issues. It seems to me that my truck was unable to do passive or active regens to get to this point. I use Rotella T6 when changing oil so no worries there. They may just not even know the cause and are trying to come up with something.



I had no indication until I received the message that the "DPF is at 80% full, See dealer now" popped up. This was nearing the end of a 3 hour towing trip. The truck immediately went into limp mode, and within 1 min the message returned saying now at 90% full. Being that I was driving on the highway and towing at the time, it should have been regening. but I don't have any scan tool yet to indicate soot levels or regen progress. So this was out of the blue with no pre-warning signs. The next day I had to limp it to the dealer, and while they are only 5 min from my house luckily, the message changed to 100%. I always thought the 80% message was to let you know to keep driving, but apparently mine was not, it was a its too late message. This was the first time it had ever appeared as well.

I had this same issue happen to me on my trip from TX to UT. It happened multiple times actually. The first time it happened I was about 10 miles outside a city so I limped it back to the city and the dealership did a manual regen for me and it fixed the issue. I also didn't ask the dealership to diagnose the issue I just requested a manual regen since that was issue to see if that would fix it and it did. The next time I just pulled over and ran it at like 3500 RPMs for 15min and it resolved it and the following times I put it in manual mode and ran it in 1st gear and then it would let shift in 2nd and then eventually 3rd and so on and it resolved it. I now carry these in the glove box along with JSCAN App on my phone to do a manual regen whenever I need to.

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From my research for my issue people were saying that others had similar issue and it was due to my tire size and something with the engine not getting hot enough to burn the ash so it would get clogged. I also read that too much Hotshots EDT could cause the issue as well so I stopped adding that to see if that is what was causing the issue and it still happened. There is an article or thread on it but I can't remember the codes I was getting to find that article. I thought I had posted about this issue on the forum but I can't find that thread either. It always seemed to happened around the 5-7 hour mark into the trip. No issues driving in the city just on long trips. I now have the Banks iDASH set to monitor the correct temps as before I had the wrong readings and it set for warnings as well. That was almost a year ago and haven't had any issues with it since.

 

[UTDieselRubi]

I had this same issue happen to me on my trip from TX to UT. It happened multiple times actually. The first time it happened I was about 10 miles outside a city so I limped it back to the city and the dealership did a manual regen for me and it fixed the issue. I also didn't ask the dealership to diagnose the issue I just requested a manual regen since that was issue to see if that would fix it and it did. The next time I just pulled over and ran it at like 3500 RPMs for 15min and it resolved it and the following times I put it in manual mode and ran it in 1st gear and then it would let shift in 2nd and then eventually 3rd and so on and it resolved it. I now carry these in the glove box along with JSCAN App on my phone to do a manual regen whenever I need to.

12+8 Pin Connector to OBD2 Adapter Security Bypass Cable for SGW-Equipped FCA Vehicles for Diagnostics, Coding and Programming, Compatible with JScan App

OBDLink MX+ OBD2 Bluetooth Scanner

From my research for my issue people were saying that others had similar issue and it was due to my tire size and something with the engine not getting hot enough to burn the ash so it would get clogged. I also read that too much Hotshots EDT could cause the issue as well so I stopped adding that to see if that is what was causing the issue and it still happened. There is an article or thread on it but I can't remember the codes I was getting to find that article. I thought I had posted about this issue on the forum but I can't find that thread either. It always seemed to happened around the 5-7 hour mark into the trip. No issues driving in the city just on long trips. I now have the Banks iDASH set to monitor the correct temps as before I had the wrong readings and it set for warnings as well. That was almost a year ago and haven't had any issues with it since.

What size tires? Sport or smaller? I was running stock rubi 33s. I would assume larger the tire, higher the RPM and thus more burn off.

I thought about forced regens, but from what I have researched, you would want to do an oil change after. I would hate to need a forced regen more often than my oil change schedule creating the need for an expensive maintenance item more often than needed.

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