maxraven1

Seat Ateca Diesel power loss and smoke

I've got a Seat Ateca from with a Diesel engine, and I'm pulling my hair out. Lately, it's been feeling sluggish, like it's lost a good chunk of its power. Plus, I'm noticing smoke when I accelerate, which is definitely not normal. My gut feeling is it's the diesel particulate filter, but I'm not sure. Anyone else experienced this? I'm trying to avoid a huge bill if possible. I've checked the usual suspects, like air filter, but no luck. My fuel efficiency has also taken a hit.

4 comment(s)

Sounds like a blocked DPF. I had similar symptoms – reduced power, smoke on acceleration – with my old Renault Megane a few years back. Is it trying to do a regeneration more often than usual? Are you getting any warning lights on the dash?

Regeneration seems normal, no more frequent than usual. No warning lights either, which is weird. Could it still be the DPF even without those signs?

Yep, it definitely points to DPF issues, even without the usual warning signs. Think of it like a clogged artery; sometimes, it's partially blocked for a while before you get the chest pain. The backpressure likely increased gradually. Best bet is to get it checked at a decent workshop. They can properly diagnose it and confirm if it's the DPF or something else causing the reduced engine power and smoke.

Thanks for the input. Took it to the workshop, and you called it – DPF was toast. 1550€ lighter now, but at least it's running right again. They also said something about a sensor fault that might have contributed. Hopefully, my fuel efficiency returns to normal now that the backpressure is gone. Passed the vehicle inspection with flying colors after the repair.

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