DPF Flashing
 

My car is a 2007 Mazda 3 Sport 2.0 MZR-CD Active DPF 1st Gen 2003-2009

The DPF light can be in three different states:
1) OFF (not visible)
2) ON and visible as a solid light (ON but NOT flashing)
3) ON and FLASHING

If its option 1) then happy days.

If its option 2) then this means that the DPF has probably failed to perform a number of regens successfully due to you doing short journeys or driving the car very conservatively (low revs under 2000 for example in 6th gear in an attempt to try and save fuel). So if you have a solid light I would recommend doing the following, this has turned off the solid light for me four times since 2007.
Drive the vehicle at an engine speed of 2500rpm or higher and a vehicle speed of 50mph for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will remove the particulate matter. The engine sound and smell may change as the particulate material is being removed. The light will go off when complete.

If its option 3), this is the tricky one. It could mean any number of reasons. In my experience it has meant 3x things.
a) The oil has reached a point where it is too contaminated with diesel fuel due to lots of failed DPF regenerations. You basically have too much diesel in your sump, this can be bad if you don’t get your oil changed as the car can use this as a fuel rather than the diesel in your fuel tank. Your car could ‘Runaway’ and you can’t stop the engine (This hasn’t happened to me but it has happened to other people on the forums). So taking your car for a burn at high revs/speed with a flashing DPF light may not be the most sensible thing to do.
b) The car has reached 12,500 miles from the last OIL reset, this happens to force you to take action after 12,500 miles (Take it for a service, where they will change the oil/filter and reset the light, this is trying to stop what I describe in a) above.
c)The DPF system has a fault or is full. Sensors could have failed or the whole DPF unit could need replacing etc…you won’t know unless you can see the fault codes or can diagnose the issue.

Lots of people will fall under Option 3) probably, so I will explain what kind of thought process you could use if the DPF light is flashing on your Mazda 3, 2.0D 2007.

1st- Leave the car on a flat surface and check the oil on the dipstick. If it’s within a cm or so of the ‘X’, and you can’t remember the last time you changed the oil, then it might be wise to get the oil and filter changed. The garage should reset the DPF flashing light oil timer to zero miles.

2nd If you check your dipstick and the oil is somewhere near the max or a little above and you have had your car serviced in the last 12,500 miles. The DPF light is probably flashing because they have forgotten to reset the timer to zero miles. i.e, you have your car serviced at 30,000 miles and the DPF starts to flash at 32,500, if you check when the last time you serviced your car before the 30,000mile one and it was 20,000miles, then 32,500 minus 20,000=12,500. Bingo, they haven’t reset the light. Take it back and get them to do it for free. They might say that they need to perform a forced regen and turn the light off, which wouldn’t be a bad idea. £75 and 1 hour later it will be solved. Now you could have paid for this in your service so check 1st.
NB/ When the oil gets changed on my Mazda I make sure the oil is between the Min and the MAX on the dipstick. This way any increase in OIL on the dipstick has to be because of the diesel. I can’t tell you how many times the garage (Mazda mainly) has refilled my oil to well above the max on the stick, in one instance a full 1” above the max. This confuses the driver, as you could check the oil 3 months later after the oil change and it could be near the ‘X’ mark so you think the oil needs replacing because you have too much diesel in the sump etc. But the reality is that the garage has just over filled it on your last service 3 months ago.

3rd – If your oil is OK, and the garage hasn’t forgot to reset the light, then it’s probably DPF fault finding time….this will mean a garage visit.

The above is good info for all those who don’t service their cars themselves. Always good questions to ask after a service.
“Did you perform a forced regen of the DPF?”
“Have you reset the DPF after the cleaning process?“
“Have you reset the DPF after the oil change?”

I do the following every 10,000 miles (As well as any other servicing items when they are due like cambelt, replace coolant etc) I don’t do the oil change at 6000miles as I choose a cost to service balance. My car has done 130,000miles on its original DPF and I have done the following.

Every 10,000miles:
Drain oil, flush engine.
Replace oil/air filter. (Mazda DPF Oil 5W30 Dexelia, Low Ash)
Forced DPF Regen
Reset DPF light after forced Regen
Reset DPF light after oil change
Calibrate the injectors
Check dipstick for oil level and make sure it is between MIN and MAX

How to reset the DPF light after a forced regen or oil change without the Mazda VCM.

The Mazda 2.0D 2007 has a 2 port diagnostic connector covered by a cap inside the engine bay. It is located by the radiator on the cross beam in the middle, right underneath the hood catch. If you take the cap off the connector you will see the 2 pins, The one you need is the top right pin.

Connecting this pin using a switch(the switch must stay down) on a 2.5m long lead with the other end connected to the negative terminal on the battery will give you control from inside the car. You will be basically connecting the negative terminal of the battery to the top right hand connector of the test port. You will need to follow these instructions to do the required actions.

NB/ You must change the oil/filter if the light is flashing BEFORE doing this. VERY IMPORTANT

The following process has been mentioned elsewhere on the internet for a Mazda 6 and changed for the Mazda 3.

How to start DPF cleaning process
Do only this outdoors with lots of free space behind the exhaust and with the hood open. The engine gets very hot.

1. Warm up the engine (important as it will not work unless the engine is hot). When hot turn off.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press your switch to connect the negative terminal to the test connector
4. Press the accelerator to the floor and release 2 times.
5. The engine speed increases to 1750rpm, if not got to (2).
6. Depending on the amount of accumulated PM, it may take a maximum of 94 min. from the time diesel particulate filter manual regeneration is started to the time the diesel particulate filter indicator light goes out.
7. When the engine goes to idle turn your switch off.
8. Let it run for 5 min before turning off.

9. To stabilize the exhaust gas temperature, shift to neutral soon after the engine speed decreases to 775 rpm, and keep the engine speed at 3,000 rpm for 1 min. (Finished)
9a. If diesel particulate filter manual regeneration is to be performed again, leave the vehicle untouched for approx. 5 min. before starting the operation.

How to reset DPF after cleaning process
1. Ignition to position on. (Dont start car)
2. Press your switch to connect the negative terminal to the test connector
3. Press the accelerator to the floor and release 2 times.
4. Ignition to position off.
5. Press your switch to DISconnect the negative terminal to the test connector

How to reset after an oil change
1. Ignition to position on.(Dont start car)
2. Press your switch to connect the negative terminal to the test connector
3. Press the accelerator to the floor and release 5 times.
4. The glow plug light flashes 5 times when resetting is complete.
5. Ignition to position off.
6. Press your switch to DISconnect the negative terminal to the test connector

The injectors may need calibrating as well, which can be done using using another process, I'll try and dig it out.

Look here at the bottom, it gives you a picture of the ground wire
https://euroesi.mazda.co.jp/esicont/...6f1805100.html

Yes its about Mazda 2 or 2.2 L the mazda engine, but here in Europe we have Mazda3 1.6 CRTD ,PSA engine its European (Peugout Ford , citroen) , 110 hp , our DPF is with mantenence , so we have the small deposite close to Gas tank and each 60/80.000 miles we have to add Urea in it , it spary the DPF sistem and clean all , thge DPF filter should be change afther 90.000 mile , but you can clean it and its more cheaper .in our case no flashing the light , when it get on , we have to add more Urea to Urea deposite 120$

Absolutely fantastic information, the DPF light has been flashing on the wife's car for months used this advise and finally the light is OFF many many thanks to Reedweaver for posting this info. btw it was going to cost £80 to have it switched off by Mazda dealer.

Good to hear it was useful. Just make sure the oil level is ok.

Thanks again mate, the car was serviced in May '13. I checked the oil level before doing the reset. Just wondered once the dpf light is reset will it then come on again when the oil gets near to the "x" on the dipstick or will it only appear when the next service is due?

If the oil level is OK and not anywhere near the 'X' on the dipstick then it sounds like they forgot to reset it on the service back in May 2013. I would note the mileage when you reset the service light and then you will know that 12500 miles later it will start flashing again. If it starts flashing before the 12500 miles is up then you know its nothing to do with the service intervals.

Newcybrown
 

Sorry, didnt answer the question....

I guess it all depends on how many miles you are going to do from now until May 2014 and where the oil is on the dipstick now? And how many miles you have done from may 2013 to now?

The light may not start flashing until its too late...As far as I am aware the light will start flashing if the oil contamination in the sump gets too high..

If the garage that did your service last year only put enough oil into the car to just register on the MIN on the dipstick. Then almost all of the rise on the dipstick is contamination with diesel. Where is it now on the stick? This is why I always recommend checking the oil AFTER an oil change so you know where you are. Countless garages have overfilled my oil and I have asked them to take some out..

Thanks for the additional info, at the service in may the car had done at 69k miles, the car has now covered 78k miles so has done 9k since may '13. I made sure the old oil was completely drained then refilled to the max mark on the dipstick. I checked it before dpf reset, it was 1/2 way between the max mark and the x so should be ok for a while. When the next service is completed i shall do the reset again so that it's in sync.
We also carried out the timing belt service on the car, being the diesel they are belt driven rather than chain driven like the petrol versions ??? It was due at 75k miles so a little over but now we have peace of mind.
The only other issue with the car is a noisy air con pulley, i am led to believe that the pulley can be replaced without the need of removing the pump, would you know if this is correct?
Once again thank you very much for all your help and advise it is greatly appreciated.

DPF reset
 

Hi guys,
very informative thread. However, I have a problem not being able to find test connector, where it's supposed to be. There's only one 2-pin and none 6-pin as service manual says and shows. I have a 2010 (2005 - 2010 generation) Mazda 5 2.0 CD (CR19). There's also no similar looking connector in the fuse box. Does anyone have a suggestion or advise? I see, that Reedweaver mentioned 2-pin connector in his post. Is it possible, that the one from my photo is really test connector? I highly doubt it.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Image00005.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Image00003.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Image00006.jpg