Can a DPF Cleaner be used on a vehicle with an on-board reservoir DPF Additive?
Some vehicles are fitted with an on-board reservoir of a DPF additive which is dosed into the fuel at regular intervals. These systems are found in Peugeots, Citroens and some Ford, Volvo and Mazda cars that use the same engine technology. Some heavy duty vehicles with retrofitted exhausts systems to lower emissions also use this approach – for more information see History of DPF Additives. Like all DPF additives, these reservoir fluids will contain a fuel borne catalyst (FBC). The on-board reservoir will need to be topped up periodically to keep the DPF regenerating efficiently – usually at service intervals.
However, there is no reason why an aftermarket, bottled DPF additive (often called ‘DPF Cleaner’ or ‘DPF Regenerator’) cannot be used in a vehicle fitted with an on-board reservoir as a ‘top up’ treatment.
If the on-board system is operating normally but the vehicle still suffers DPF blockage problems (e.g. due to constant low speed, urban driving), the vehicle may benefit from an occasional additional dose of an aftermarket DPF Additive. The extra FBC should act as a boost to the effect of the on-board system and may be sufficient to overcome the problem.