2021 Ford F-150 Owners Manual - Diesel Particulate Filter

Diesel Particulate Filter

The diesel particulate filter is part of your vehicle's emissions system and filters harmful diesel particulates from the exhaust gas.

The diesel particulate filter reduces carbon emissions by trapping exhaust particles before they reach the tailpipe. The system must periodically clean the exhaust particles that gather inside the filter. This is carried out in three ways, passive regeneration, active regeneration and manual regeneration.

In passive regeneration, the normal exhaust system temperature cleans the filter by oxidizing the soot. Cleaning occurs during normal vehicle operating conditions due to driving patterns.

Once the diesel particulate filter is full, active regeneration raises the exhaust temperature to eliminate the particles. During cleaning, the particles convert to harmless gasses.

When the engine control module detects that the diesel particulate filter is nearly full of particulates, and you are not operating your vehicle in a manner to allow effective regeneration, messages appear in the information display as a reminder for you to drive your vehicle in order to clean the diesel particulate filter. If you drive your vehicle in a manner to allow effective regeneration, the information display shows a cleaning exhaust filter message.

Note: Avoid running out of fuel.

Note: During regeneration at low speed or engine idle, you may smell a hot metallic odor and could notice a clicking metallic sound. This is due to high temperatures reached during regeneration and is normal.

Note: Changes in the engine or exhaust sound may be heard during the regeneration process.

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Failure to perform active or manual regeneration when instructed could result in a clogged diesel particulate filter. If the diesel particulate filter fills beyond the regeneration threshold, your vehicle disables the ability for active and manual regeneration. This could result in irreversible damage your vehicle Warranty may not cover.

The diesel particulate filter on your vehicle requires periodic regeneration to maintain its correct function.

If your journeys meet one of the following conditions:

You drive only short distances.

You frequently switch the ignition on and off.

Your journeys contain a high level of acceleration and deceleration.

You must carry out occasional trips with the following conditions to assist the regeneration process:

Drive your vehicle in more favorable conditions, which you will find at higher vehicle speeds in normal driving, on a main road or freeway for a minimum of 20 minutes. This drive may include short stops that will not affect the regeneration process.

Avoid prolonged idling and observe speed limits and road conditions.

Do not switch the ignition off.

Select a suitable gear to ideally maintain engine speed between 1500 and 3000 RPM.

Diesel particulate filter manual regeneration allows you to manually start regeneration of the diesel particulate filter at idle to clean the filter.

Note: If you are not sure whether your vehicle has this feature, contact your authorized dealer.

You may not be able to use manual regeneration if the service engine soon warning lamp appears in the information display.

Note: During the use of manual regeneration, you may observe a light amount of white smoke. This is normal.

You can use the manual regeneration feature when a message appears in the information display and you are not able to drive in a manner that allows effective automatic active regeneration or if you choose to manually start the regeneration of the diesel particulate filter while the vehicle is idle.

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Before you start manual regeneration, do the following:

• Shift into park (P) and apply the parking brake, on stable, level ground.

• Park your vehicle outside of any structure.

• Park your vehicle 10–15 ft (3–5 m) away from any obstructions and away from materials that can easily combust or melt, for example paper, leaves, petroleum products, fuels, plastics and other dry organic material.

• Make sure there is a minimum of 1/8 tank of fuel.

• Make sure all fluids are at proper levels.

You cannot use manual regeneration until the diesel particulate filter load percentage has reached 100%. The diesel particulate filter load percentage fluctuates up and down when driving your vehicle due to active and passive regenerations.

If your vehicle is operated with significant stationary operation, low speed drive cycles less than 25 mph (40 km/h), short drive cycles, drive time less than 15 minutes or the vehicle does not fully warm up, passive and active regeneration may not sufficiently clean the diesel particulate filter system.

Aftermarket devices or modifications to the exhaust system may reduce the effectiveness of the exhaust system as well as cause damage to the exhaust system or engine. This may also degrade vehicle performance and could lead to engine damage that may not be covered by the vehicle Warranty.

Start with your vehicle engine and when it has reached the normal operating temperature, press the information display control button on the steering wheel. See Instrument Cluster Display (page 151).

If the diesel particulate filter is near or at saturation, a message requesting permission to initiate filter cleaning appears in the information display. See What Is the Diesel Particulate Filter (page 240). Answer yes to this prompt and then follow the next prompts regarding exhaust position required to initiate manual regeneration. Be sure to understand each prompt. If you are not sure what is being asked by each prompt, contact an authorized dealer. The display confirms the operation has started and when it has finished. You can also drive to clean the filter.

When the system is at the point of oversaturation, the service engine warning lamp illuminates

and a message appears in the information display. You cannot initiate filter cleaning. You must have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.

Once manual regeneration starts, engine speed increases to approximately 1600 rpm and the cooling fan speed increases. You will hear a change in audible sound due to engine speed and cooling fan speed increases.

It is not necessary to open the hood on the engine compartment. Once manual regeneration completes, the engine speed returns to normal idling. The exhaust system remains very hot for several minutes even after regeneration is complete. Do not reposition the vehicle over materials that could burn until the

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exhaust system has had sufficient time to cool. Depending on the amount of soot collected by the diesel particulate filter, ambient temperature and altitude, manual regeneration lasts approximately 30 minutes.

– TROUBLESHOOTING

If there are any issues with the diesel particulate filter system, the engine control system warning lamp and a service engine soon warning lamp illuminate to inform you that

your vehicle requires service. Have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.

If filter service is required, the engine control system warning lamp illuminates in the

information display.

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