Black smoke and loss of engine power in my Citroen C2: experience and recommendations wanted

Hey guys, I'm a bit worried and could use your help. I drive a 2003 Citroen C2 with just under 190,000km on the gasoline engine. I've noticed a few problems recently: black smoke when accelerating, engine light is constantly on, engine power is weak and erratic and my DPF regeneration error won't go away either. It's obviously burning too much fuel. I think this may be related to a faulty exhaust back pressure sensor, but I'm not sure. Have any of you had similar symptoms and problems? How did it go with your mechanic? My last experience with him was unfortunately not the best, so I'm also looking for recommendations. Thanks for your feedback!

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

Hey, I had similar problems with my 2006 Citroen C4, except mine is diesel. Seems like your DPF is heavily overloaded. It was actually like that with me. The mechanic said that the irregular engine performance and black smoke when accelerating are signs that the DPF is no longer working properly. This is a serious incident that should not be ignored as it severely affects the life of the engine and also carries a hefty fine in low emission zones if you are caught. The only solution the mechanic could suggest was to clean or replace the DPF. Ultimately, this also improved fuel efficiency and solved the problem with the smoke. In my case, the exhaust back pressure sensor was also defective, but this only had an indirect connection with the DPF. The sensor plays an important role in monitoring the DPF, and if it is defective, this can lead to errors during regeneration. But either way, you'll need to see a mechanic - you can't check or repair the sensor or the DPF yourself. Good luck with that!

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for the quick reply! You've really confirmed my suspicions. How must the cleaning or replacement of the DPF have affected the bill, i.e. how much did it cost at the time? Has there perhaps been another problem since then or is everything running smoothly? I look forward to your feedback!

(Translated from German)

Hey, you're welcome! So, cleaning the DPF cost me €1325 at the time. That's a lot of money, I know, but since then it's been running like a dream again. The engine is purring again, the engine light is off and fuel consumption has also improved noticeably. I can reassure you about the exhaust back pressure sensor - that was also fixed after the visit to the mechanic. So my conclusion: it really was a hefty sum, but it was worth it, especially when you consider what you'll face if you get caught in the city or the engine breaks down. Hope this helps you!

(Translated from German)

Wow, that's really helpful, thanks! Sure, it's a lot of money, but if the car runs again, then it was probably worth it. I think I'll make my way to the garage and hope for the best. Thanks again for your help and experience!

(Translated from German)

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