First Vehicle Leasing is advising drivers of diesel cars to heed dash warnings and regenerate Diesel Particulate Filters quickly.
A Diesel Particulate Filter is part of the vehicle’s exhaust system that traps ‘soot’ particles created during the normal operation of a diesel engine. These are designed to reduce harmful exhaust emissions.
Whenever drivers of diesel vehicles used mainly for city driving and stop-start commuting see a warning light appear on their dashboard, they should take steps to ensure that they drive at higher speeds on a motorway or dual carriageway above 40mph for a period of time to ‘regenerate’ the Diesel Particulate Filter. Manufacturers’ handbooks will detail the warning lights and procedures for individual car models.
“If you do not do this, you may need to have the filter replaced, and this cost is unlikely to be covered under the vehicle’s warranty,” said Andy Watson, business development manager at First Vehicle Leasing.
Watson is encouraging fleets to investigate returning to petrol as an option for certain drivers.
“If you plan to drive exclusively in cities, or know your main journeys will be stop-start at low speeds, you may wish to consider the option of leasing a petrol-engined vehicle, which can be just as economical as a diesel.
“Three years ago, you’d probably have chosen a 1.6 or 1.8 litre engine for a mid-sized car. Today, Ford’s Focus with a 1.0 litre Ecoboost petrol engine delivers 100 BHP and offers up to 68.9 mpg using the type of turbo charger technology you find in Formula 1 cars. Hybrid cars can offer even better fuel economy.”
Ed Ratcliff - 19/08/2014 09:23
Not really news, we've been advising customers this for 6/7 years, ever since their introduction.