Many DPF filters are being replaced unnecessarily, causing unplanned downtime, according to DPF Clean Team.

The company is claiming that seven out of 10 fleet managers are being advised to have DPF units replaced unnecessarily when they could be restored quickly and cost-effectively with a thorough DPF clean.

According to DPF Clean Team, a lack of knowledge and training on the part of garage technicians relating to DPFs is behind the growth in vehicle owners being incorrectly advised.

The research from DPF Clean Team comes as a report from the RAC has shown the average cost for businesses forced to take a vehicle off the road is an average of £500 per day per vehicle, with findings from the Freight Transport Association also showing that the average unplanned downtime for fleet operators amounts to six days per year. This level of disruption can have a significant financial impact on businesses with fleet vehicles. 

DPF Clean Team's research follows a busy year for the company, which has seen a number of developments including the introduction of a rapid new cleaning method for DPFs; a service which is the first of its kind in the UK.

Utilising induction heating technology, DPF Clean Team can now effectively clean a DPF unit as well as catalytic converters and silencers in far less time using a kiln and clean cycle and still for a fraction of the cost of having the filter replaced. Although, DPF Clean Team has a 96% successful clean range, the percentage of fleet vehicles that do require a replacement filter can also now have a new or reconditioned filter fitted from stock carried by the company, which also provides a much a quicker turnaround time, usually within 24 hours.  

Director at DPF Clean Team, Cameron Bryce explained: "Our research has uncovered a worryingly high level of inaccurate advice given to vehicle owners regarding DPFs from garages and vehicle technicians. We are not suggesting this is deliberate. In fact, it appears to be a combination of a lack of knowledge and technical ability about DPFs.

"Regular maintenance of vehicles is a significant consideration for fleet managers not just in terms of costs, but also in relation to downtime and the impact this has on businesses. The cost of having a DPF replaced can cost as much as £2,000 per vehicle, and that's before the cost incurred by taking a vehicle off the road is even considered. By having DPFs unnecessarily replaced, fleet managers could also be wasting tens of thousands of pounds per year." 

Bryce continued: "The research conducted amongst our customer base has shown that the vast majority of DPF filters can be cleaned without the need for a replacement. DPF Clean Team's special heating technology enables our trained experts to bring filters back to a near-new condition, enabling fleet managers to have entire fleets serviced within a day. We also offer an additional Saturday drop off service which means we can ensure business disruption is kept to a minimum for our customers."

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