On the Grand Cherokee of 2015, Jeep implemented a diesel particulate filter (dpf) to comply with emission regulations. The purpose of this DPF on the Jeep Grand Cherokee is to limit the amount of soot that the vehicle emits. It does so by trapping the soot inside the filter. According to most manufacturers, these Diesel Particle filters are supposed to last the lifetime of the vehicle. The systems contain self-cleaning mechanisms. However, more often these DPF systems fail beyond repair as a result of bad quality diesel, bad driving habits, or failing air-fuel mixtures in the combustion process. We have a full video that explains these issues on this car;

Bad driving habits

This car doesn’t favor use on short distances. Short distances mean you don’t give the vehicle enough time to do its self-cleaning process. This results in clogging. As far as this car is concerned using it over a short distance is a very bad driving habit.

Bad quality of diesel

Developing countries experience this problem more than developed ones. Perennial fuel shortages result in hoarding and subsequent storage of diesel in substandard often contaminated containers. DPF problems, therefore, arise as a result of contaminated diesel combustion.

Failing air mixtures

For example, if your turbo is on its way out, injector malfunctioning, EGR dirty, etc your will vehicle produce more soot which will end up clogging the dpf faster than its self-cleaning mechanism can cope.  

Indicators of DPF Issues

When the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Dpf starts to fail the Check Engine Light will come on. Additionally, a message showing that the Dpf is clogged pops up as in the picture below. Consequently, the vehicle will start to consume a high amount of diesel. This is its measure to raise exhaust temperature to cook the particles. As this is happening it will enter limp mode and performance is drastically limited.

When taken to a professional, the faults that will show when a diagnostic tool is connected to the vehicle are as follows:

• P2002 – DPF efficiency below threshold (Bank 2)
• P242F – Dpf restriction – Ash accumulation
• P2458 – DPF regeneration duration
• P2459 – DPF regeneration frequency
• P2463 – DPF Restriction – Soot accumulation
• P244A – DPF Pressure too low (Bank 1)

How to fix the dpf problem

There are 3 solutions available to fix Jeep Grand Cherokee dpf issues and below we will discuss each option.

Forced Regeneration

Find a technician who has an advanced diagnostic tool capable of placing the vehicle in regeneration mode. The vehicle will immediately begin the process of burning soot that is blocking the dpf by raising exhaust temperatures idling and occasionally revving itself whilst parked. You should always ensure there are no traces of oil around the exhaust or anything flammable underneath the car as exhaust can reach extreme temperatures. If this succeeds; good driving habits must be employed while using the best quality fuel to prevent recurrence of the same problem on the Jeep. When regenerations fail you are left with two options described below

Buy a new Dpf

You would think a Brand new Dpf would translate to problem-free but you may need to take a look at this video to make an informed decision. It is of importance to understand why the DPF has blocked to avoid failures on your new DPF. This option can only work if you are certain that the factors that caused Dpf failure as mentioned above have been identified and dealt with adequately. For those in developing countries dealing with the quality of fuel may prove to be a hard factor to control. If you are from a developing country where fuel quality is an issue it’s possible to get to a 5^th dpf replacement. The good news for you is there is a third and final option which is bulletproof.

Conversion to Non-Dpf 

This is a more permanent solution but you may need to check with laws in your country if it is legal. It may be prohibited to drive a vehicle that has been modified this way. Most developed countries have laws concerning emission systems and heavy penalties are to be paid by offenders. Some parts of the world are still to adopt these standards and they have an option to convert the vehicle to non- Dpf. Interestingly the same manufacturers assemble similar vehicles that are not equipped with dpf for the market does not have emission laws.

When the Jeep Grand Cherokee is converted, the diesel particulate filter will not cause you problems again. The DPF Team converted a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the results are worth looking at.

Other Solutions

• DPF Emulators are devices installed on the exhaust system to mimic a perfectly working diesel particulate filter. Now, if you read that right and understood what it means, then you know why it is a terrible idea to put an emulator on your Jeep Grand Cherokee. It seems like a very cheap way to deal with your problem but can you rely on a device that sends false signals to the Engine control unit of your vehicle. Just because foreign systems fail, you will learn that failures linked to your Engine control unit often lead to bigger problems that are hard to trace the source. We have seen a lot of vehicles with emulators at our workshop and we recommend against their use.

• DPF Fluid Additives are used to cause your exhaust to get hotter than normal in order to cook the soot that blocks the DPF. These additives come with very negative consequences for the sensitive injectors. They usually melt away the DPF itself instead of clearing its soot. When a DPF is melted it will block the exhaust and leads to excessive pressure that will destroy the turbo. Again we have seen the damage they cause at our workshop.

Final Word

Conversion to non-Dpf would be a perfect solution to the problem if it is legally allowed in your country. The DPF Team is based in Zimbabwe but can offer its services wherever you are on the globe. We love to hear from you and assist you if you are facing the same problem. You may contact us on this page.