In our previous article, we detailed the complex and costly issues arising from substandard DPF and AdBlue deletions. The feedback and cases we’ve since encountered confirm a critical point: standard diagnostic and labour rates are not suitable for this category of work.
These jobs are not simple repairs; they are forensic investigations and surgical reversals of another technician’s errors. They demand our highest level of expertise, carry significant operational risk, and consume a disproportionate amount of time.
To address this fairly and effectively, we are formalizing our correction services into a transparent, tiered class system with a corresponding pricing structure. This ensures precision and reliability for your customers, while guaranteeing that the complexity of the work is accurately reflected. This new policy will take effect on 1 January 2026.
The Essential First Step: The Discovery & Forensic Diagnostic Fee
Before a vehicle can be classified, we must first diagnose the depth of the problem. Therefore, every correction job will begin with a mandatory, non-refundable Discovery Fee of US $150.
This fee covers the initial, critical investment of our specialists’ time to:
Conduct a forensic analysis of the ECU firmware to map all modifications, both necessary and erroneous.
Perform physical inspections of related components (exhaust, turbo, EGR).
Determine the true scope and viability of the correction required.
We aim to provide a full report and classification within 24 hours of assessment. If you and the customer proceed with the recommended work, this Discovery Fee will be credited in full against the final invoice. This step ensures we dedicate our resources to serious commitments.
The Three Tiers of Correction
Following the discovery process, each vehicle will be assigned to one of three classes. Each tier carries a labour surcharge that reflects the escalating complexity, risk, and specialist expertise required.
Class 1: Standard Correction (Up to 15% Surcharge)
Symptoms: Problems are directly linked to incomplete or basic firmware errors. Common indicators include:
Phantom DPF messages or persistent DPF-related fault codes.
Excessive smoke traceable to a poor fuel map, occurring only after the initial deletion work.
Scope of Work: Typically involves re-flashing the ECU with a correct calibration and properly disabling all DPF/AdBlue-related parameters. Diagnosis is generally swift with a clear path to resolution.
Class 2: Complex Correction (Up to 25% Surcharge)
Symptoms: Vehicles exhibit intermittent or systemic issues indicating deeper corruption of the ECU’s logic. This includes:
Intermittent, unexplained power loss and limp modes with no fault codes (Symptom 5).
Periodic white smoke and oil degradation, indicating active regeneration cycles are still present, posing a severe risk of oil dilution and engine damage (Symptom 4).
Scope of Work: Requires advanced diagnostics, custom mapping to correct specific trigger parameters, and significant testing to resolve underlying logic faults. Time investment is substantially higher.
Class 3: Intensive Correction (Up to 40% Surcharge)
Symptoms: The most severe cases, where the faulty calibration has crippled core ECU functions or is causing active damage. This tier includes:
The “Silent Limp Mode” – no power and no fault codes, indicating a fundamental breakdown in diagnostic capability (Symptom 2).
Vehicles that fail to start altogether due to firmware damage.
Scope of Work: May involve reverse-engineering the damaged firmware, sourcing and virginizing a replacement ECU, or extensive mechanical inspection for collateral damage. These projects are highly unpredictable and demand our highest level of skill. Any components requiring replacement will be identified and quoted separately.
Next Steps for Our Partners
When you encounter a vehicle with a suspected bad deletion, view it as an opportunity to demonstrate superior value. A successful correction will show your customers a night-and-day difference in their vehicle’s performance and reliability.
Implement the Discovery Fee immediately for all such cases.
Contact us to initiate the assessment (please allow a 24-hour period for classification).
Quote with confidence using the appropriate class surcharge.
We are here to support you with the technical expertise for any class of job. By adopting this structured approach, we can collectively transform an industry-wide challenge into a testament of our superior skill and commitment to quality.
— The DPF Team: Your Partner in High-Performance Tuning
A Structured Approach to Correction Work: Introducing Our Tiered Service Classes & Pricing
In our previous article, we detailed the complex and costly issues arising from substandard DPF and AdBlue deletions. The feedback and cases we’ve since encountered confirm a critical point: standard diagnostic and labour rates are not suitable for this category of work.
These jobs are not simple repairs; they are forensic investigations and surgical reversals of another technician’s errors. They demand our highest level of expertise, carry significant operational risk, and consume a disproportionate amount of time.
To address this fairly and effectively, we are formalizing our correction services into a transparent, tiered class system with a corresponding pricing structure. This ensures precision and reliability for your customers, while guaranteeing that the complexity of the work is accurately reflected. This new policy will take effect on 1 January 2026.
The Essential First Step: The Discovery & Forensic Diagnostic Fee
Before a vehicle can be classified, we must first diagnose the depth of the problem. Therefore, every correction job will begin with a mandatory, non-refundable Discovery Fee of US $150.
This fee covers the initial, critical investment of our specialists’ time to:
Conduct a forensic analysis of the ECU firmware to map all modifications, both necessary and erroneous.
Perform physical inspections of related components (exhaust, turbo, EGR).
Determine the true scope and viability of the correction required.
We aim to provide a full report and classification within 24 hours of assessment.
If you and the customer proceed with the recommended work, this Discovery Fee will be credited in full against the final invoice. This step ensures we dedicate our resources to serious commitments.
The Three Tiers of Correction
Following the discovery process, each vehicle will be assigned to one of three classes. Each tier carries a labour surcharge that reflects the escalating complexity, risk, and specialist expertise required.
Class 1: Standard Correction (Up to 15% Surcharge)
Symptoms: Problems are directly linked to incomplete or basic firmware errors. Common indicators include:
Phantom DPF messages or persistent DPF-related fault codes.
Excessive smoke traceable to a poor fuel map, occurring only after the initial deletion work.
Scope of Work: Typically involves re-flashing the ECU with a correct calibration and properly disabling all DPF/AdBlue-related parameters. Diagnosis is generally swift with a clear path to resolution.
Class 2: Complex Correction (Up to 25% Surcharge)
Symptoms: Vehicles exhibit intermittent or systemic issues indicating deeper corruption of the ECU’s logic. This includes:
Intermittent, unexplained power loss and limp modes with no fault codes (Symptom 5).
Periodic white smoke and oil degradation, indicating active regeneration cycles are still present, posing a severe risk of oil dilution and engine damage (Symptom 4).
Scope of Work: Requires advanced diagnostics, custom mapping to correct specific trigger parameters, and significant testing to resolve underlying logic faults. Time investment is substantially higher.
Class 3: Intensive Correction (Up to 40% Surcharge)
Symptoms: The most severe cases, where the faulty calibration has crippled core ECU functions or is causing active damage. This tier includes:
The “Silent Limp Mode” – no power and no fault codes, indicating a fundamental breakdown in diagnostic capability (Symptom 2).
Vehicles that fail to start altogether due to firmware damage.
Scope of Work: May involve reverse-engineering the damaged firmware, sourcing and virginizing a replacement ECU, or extensive mechanical inspection for collateral damage. These projects are highly unpredictable and demand our highest level of skill. Any components requiring replacement will be identified and quoted separately.
Next Steps for Our Partners
When you encounter a vehicle with a suspected bad deletion, view it as an opportunity to demonstrate superior value. A successful correction will show your customers a night-and-day difference in their vehicle’s performance and reliability.
Implement the Discovery Fee immediately for all such cases.
Contact us to initiate the assessment (please allow a 24-hour period for classification).
Quote with confidence using the appropriate class surcharge.
We are here to support you with the technical expertise for any class of job. By adopting this structured approach, we can collectively transform an industry-wide challenge into a testament of our superior skill and commitment to quality.
— The DPF Team: Your Partner in High-Performance Tuning
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A Structured Approach to Correction Work: Introducing Our Tiered Service Classes & Pricing
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