[Alan]

Antara 2.2 CDTi
Purchased brand new 7 weeks ago, only done 1000 miles. Engine overheating after 2 miles+. Also autostop no longer working. Cooling fan has kicked in. Back at dealership but had for a couple of days and no news about what's wrong or when will get back. Very frustrating. Anyone had similar problem??

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Are you sure it's not just a DPF regen?

 

[Griffin]

Deffo sounds like a DPF regen. Eco stop/start doesn't work when a regen is taking place. Also if the antara was overheating the warning light would come on. Did you check the coolant level in the header tank? A regen takes place at approx 500 mile intervals so 1k is about bang on. Hope this helps.

 

[Grumps]

Welcome to the forum Alan.

Other than the oolong fan what other symptoms of over heating did you have.

If it was only the fan then defiantly sounds like a DPF regeneration. The fan does kick in a bit more when the car is new.

 

[KenB]

Just to add my twopennyworth:

My car is new ( 500 ish miles ) and I have had the fan run on after switching off twice.
I originally thought that this was overheating - but I have been told that it is related to the PDF.
It is common when the car is new.


I too have noticed that the Eco stop/start has not worked at times and was wondering why.
If Griffin is correct this explains it.

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

I've read somewhere (owners manual I think) that the start/stop feature does not work during a DPF regen (for obvious reasons)

If a regen is taking place when you turn the car off, the fan will usually keep going as the engine is so hot (purposely so as to burn off the soot deposits in the DPF) & so, naturally you will smell burning & the car will seem much hotter than usual.

 

[Alan]

Thanks all, the fan has been kicking in on every trip made over the past week or so, engine light comes on after only a couple of miles. Coolant level is fine. How long would the DPF regen last for, does it go back to normal after a few miles or would it go over several trips? Still waiting for the garage to give me some news!!!!!

 

[Dilligaf]

Hi Alan what mileage are you doing on each trip ?

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Thanks all, the fan has been kicking in on every trip made over the past week or so, engine light comes on after only a couple of miles. Coolant level is fine. How long would the DPF regen last for, does it go back to normal after a few miles or would it go over several trips? Still waiting for the garage to give me some news!!!!!

If they are small trips e.g. under 10 miles then as far as I understand the regen isn't getting chance to finish. I reckon the "engine" light might be the DPF light?


I've only had 2 regens so far (done 1300 miles from new). The first one started & finished in the one trip. The second one I thought had finished, I had to turn the engine off after approx 20 mins & 10 miles (fan going + burning smell) but the next day it did another full (20 odd minutes & approx 12/13 miles) regen, so it must not have completed the day before.


Have a look in the handbook & see if you can for definite identify the light on the dash which is coming on. I think the DPF light could easily be mistaken for an engine management light to anyone who doesn't read this forum!!

 

[Alan]

Picked the car up last night from garage. They said couldn't find anything wrong with it. When I mentioned the forum and the DPF regen they said that was probably it, apparently this is not covered under Vauxhall warranty if faulty!! Told them that the light coming on was definitely red engine light not regen light and they said that was correct, when that comes on must get revs over 2000 and drive for 15 minutes, do not stop, even though the handbook says that if red engine light comes on to get to workshop immediately. Very confusing, glad for everyone's input on the forum, you all seem to know a lot more than the so called professionals!

Car has been fine today, so far so good.

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Picked the car up last night from garage. They said couldn't find anything wrong with it. When I mentioned the forum and the DPF regen they said that was probably it, apparently this is not covered under Vauxhall warranty if faulty!! Told them that the light coming on was definitely red engine light not regen light and they said that was correct, when that comes on must get revs over 2000 and drive for 15 minutes, do not stop, even though the handbook says that if red engine light comes on to get to workshop immediately. Very confusing, glad for everyone's input on the forum, you all seem to know a lot more than the so called professionals!

Car has been fine today, so far so good.

There are a couple of ways to tell if a regen is taking place, by knowing them you can ensure that you can finish the regen & avoid it happening again.


The one I lookout for is the instant MPG reading. Normally, when you take your foot off the accelerator & coast along, it reads 999.9 mpg. If a regen is taking place this will not read anything like 999.9, it will read around the 100 to 200 mark.


The other one is (& I'm not too sure of the figures here so maybe someone else can jump in here) the mpg figure while stood still- reading gallons per hour rather than mpg (while stood still) normally this will read 0.1 gph but if a regen is taking place then it will read approx 0.7 gph.


Once you get familiar with these you can manage the regens without issue.

 

[Griffin]

Hi Alan that's good to know all is ok with the car. Unfortunately most if the vx dealers are not much help

 

[JR123]

Not me to question things but I almost certain that the engine light coming on would not automatically be connected with the DPF regen, even more so if you have not had the DPF warning light come on......

I personally find when mine is doing a regen that the car is not as responsive say pulling away from traffic lights etc...