Seeking Advice on '04 Nissan Pathfinder's Black Smoke Issue, Check Engine Light, and DPF Regeneration Problem

Hey folks, I've got this '04 Nissan Pathfinder working on gasoline and it's been acting really off lately. Seeing a lot of black smoke when I take off, and the check engine light is on. Engine's a bit jittery and I've noticed a drop in power and a rise in fuel consumption. Looks like there's an issue with DPF regeneration, too. I've got a hunch this could be because the exhaust back pressure sensor is not working right but I'm hoping to get some real-life pointers here. Anyone ever deal with this sort of issue? I'm keen to hear what you got sorted at the workshop and any lessons learned. Thanks a bunch in advance, lads!

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

Hey, I've got a '02 Nissan X-Trail, pretty similar to your Pathfinder. Just a regular bloke with some car experience, not a mechanic, mind you. Ran into a similar pickle where the DPF was overloaded. Caused loads of black smoke, had me panicked for a bit. Took it to my local garage, good chaps, they had a look and said it was a real mess. The DPF was completely blocked, had to replace it outright, couldn't have it just cleaned or anything. Forked out 1325 Euro to get the job done. Can you spill the beans about the kilometers on your ride? Also, regular maintenance done? Might help me give ya a bit more detailed advice. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for the quick reply! My beast has clocked approxily 59772 km till now, I try my best to keep it serviced regularly. Last service was about a month ago. So, it seems like I might have a blocked DPF similar to yours. I'll take it down to my local garage and see what they say. Hopefully, I won't have to shell out much for it. Again, cheers for your advice!

(Translated from German)

Good on you for keeping your car regularly serviced! But even with regular service, these DPFs can clog up, more so if you regularly do short trips in your Pathfinder. That hinders the DPF regeneration. My Nissan X-Trail was about 80,000 km in when I faced my DPF issue, so the mileage could be a factor. Quick tip though, if your mechanic confirms that it's the DPF that's blocked, try asking if it can be cleaned first. Though in my case it was beyond repair, not all clogged DPFs need to be replaced outright. Some cleaning procedures can work wonders and are way cheaper than a full replacement. Worth a shot, if you ask me. Oh, and about the exhaust back pressure sensor, it might be contributing to the problem. A faulty one can prevent DPF regeneration. Ask your mechanic to check it just in case. Hang in there. Hope you don't have to loosen the purse strings too much! Good luck!

(Translated from German)

Absolutely! Can't thank you enough! I do take a lot of short trips, so that might've aided the DPF issue. I'll take your advice and ask my mechanic about the DPF cleaning and also to check the exhaust back pressure sensor. Fingers crossed that it doesn't hit my pocket too hard. Your tips and experience really helped. Many thanks, again. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

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