A couple of years ago diesel cars were considered the preferred option when purchasing a car.

Their fuel economy was so much better then petrol cars and with new technology they didn't lack the power of the old diesels. Service your Diesel Car with Schneider Mechanical or call us for a free consultation.

What a lot of people didn't know, and still don't to a certain extent - diesel cars require more maintenance or they fail terribly later on. This really came to light with Toyota Hilux and Prado's DPF filter issues.

So what is a DPF? A DPF is a Diesel Particulate Filter.

Have you seen a diesel car - when driving, all the black smoke that comes out the exhaust? Well the DPF helps to filter all of that carbon and then burns it off in a "DPF regeneration". It is important that this is done at servicing, otherwise it gets blocked up and the car doesn't run efficiently.

This is all great when it works well - however the DPF can't filter everything.

The excess carbon then blocks up the EGR system. The EGR or Exhaust Gas Recirculation System helps to provide the oxygen to the engine so it can combust. If this blocks up completely, it is very time consuming to rectify - see photos below.

This EGR has some carbon build up. Essentially, carbon acts like cholesterol in your arteries. To pull apart this system to clean it all out is very time consuming and costly.

The photos above show a clean EGR.

So, instead of waiting until it gets really blocked, there are a couple of things you can do.

The first is: if you get a new diesel, see if it is possible to have a catch can fitted. These filter systems have cleanable or changeable filters that help to catch excess carbon and are intended to be emptied or changed at every service.

If you didn't have one of these fitted at time of purchase, you can run a treatment called a prostream through the car that will help to dissolve the carbon and then get burnt off out of the car. This gives you back better fuel economy and more power.

Whilst diesel cars are more economical on fuel, sometimes the issues that come up with them (especially if they haven't been looked after properly) end up costing you more. The environmental benefits are also not as sound as they were originally thought.

I hope this helps clear up some of the problems associated with diesel engines. Our preference (however, it is only ours) is to stick to petrol cars. If you have recently bought a diesel car have a chat to Schneider Mechanical & Tyre Centre about having a catch can fitted or a prostream treatment run through the vehicle.

Have a great week and remember: if there are any topics you would like me to discuss feel free to comment.

The Author, Gabbi is a mum who helps to run a family owned car service workshop in Dianella WA. Gabbi also produces her own blog called Mechanical Mums