An Interesting Problem

I was going to suggest the same as Castleman, but advise against performing the function early on a Sunday morning.

LeckyLes 

I would do as my previous poster suggested but do it when you go next for your shoping. If you park your car and do not use it, you will do no harm to the engine. Is it vw/audi? 

I can’t swear to it, but I have a feeling that I read somewhere that the car needs to be moving in order to get more cooling to offset the higher temperature required for regeneration?

I was thinking the same. Just a bit concerned that I’ll be throwing myself upon the mercy of whomever pulls me over.

Its a Skoda - so VW.

I am going to call and see if Skoda in Torrevieja are open for repairs. If so, I’ll try and get an appointment and evidence of same. If, as expected, the fault clears en-route, then I can simply drop in and tell them then drive home again.

Thanks to all for the replies.

Well, if anyone is interested - I got hold of Skoda (Grupo Rubio) and they could only give me an appointment for after the 5th May.

I printed out the relevant pages of the handbook in English and Spanish, highlighting the advice that I needed to drive the car at relatively high speed (but within the law - for the pedants among us) for at least 20 minutes. I photographed the dash with the engine running, showing the DPF light on and the mileage and prepared both car and personal documents on the passenger seat.

I then drove from El Galan to the AP7 via San Miguel de Salinas and Vista Bella (because that has the longest, straightest roads) and then N on the AP7 to the Almoradi turn-off, where I did a 180 and headed home the same way. The warning light actually cleared shortly after I joined the AP7. 

On the way back I stopped at Pets World for dog biscuits and Mas y Mas for food. The only policeman I saw was doing his shopping in Mas y Mas. I'm sure had I not made the elaborate preparations, there would have been a roadblock at every junction!!!!

Anyway, car is back to normal and should be OK for another few weeks of short runs.

Having suffered badly with same issue on Ford Connect drive as hard as you can in 3rd gear it has to burn off the soot.  its a problem if you are only doing short journeys.  So give it welly in 3rd for as long as you can on your short journey or if you have another shop slightly more distant then that will work as well take a shopping bag and a list and if your going to Consum and Mercadona is nearer tell them if you get stopped Consum do not sell  5 of the items on your list. Your still breaking the rules excessively more bending.

Hope this helps.

Pete TV

Thanks Pete. Mine's an automatic, so will use it in 'Sport' mode for the time being, which keeps the revs higher than normal and delays upshift - same as driving a manual in lower gear.

As mentioned on another post, our friend has been stopped several times going to Iceland Cabo Roig, which is a couple of miles past our nearest supermarket and has not had any problem when telling them where she's going/been, so I think I will chance that too. I will (if able) explain that not only doesn't Mercadona have what we want, but also the issue with the car and hope that common sense prevails!

As a garage owner for 40 years I can confirm the above advice as exactly what I would do in the 1st instance. I would run engine at about 2000 to 2500 Rpm though unless it’s a high mileage tired old dog. 👍