Thanks for your reply. The MOT was fine a few weeks back, emissions tests etc.. all passed, and the car passed as a whole.

Regarding what was done by the previous owner, I actually don't know. I didn't know that the DPF had even been removed until a week or so back, I'm just guessing that the EML is pinging on as a result of the DPF being chopped out.

Just trying to work out if the EML pinging on at 70mph is more than likely related to the fact the DPF has been hauled out and the ECU not re-calibrated properly.

If that is the case, can my mechanic 'start again' if you like, and re-programme the ECU properly? Or now it's been done, can it not be sorted?

Thanks for your advice, it is really appreciated.

As Collos25 says your real problems will begin when your car is MOT'd by a propper garage and they fail it due to missing emissions kit, that will cost possibly over £1000 to reinstate it along with snsors and software.

If you look on single make forums there are plenty of threads where following DPF removal and bodged software updates the car keeps putting lights up on the dash. By all accounts some garages do a propper job but if your cars ECU is updated later as part of a manufacturer software campaign the DPF delete software will be overwritten and the car will then report faults.

Regarding your comment about a regen triggering at 70 mph this is not true. For a regen to trigger several conditions need to be met such as engine temp, exhaust pressure revs but speed is never one of them. All the handbooks I have read whilst we have owned cars fitted with DPF's have stated that for regens to take place revs need to be within a certain range, too little and the exhaust cannot achive the required temp and too high and the gas speed will again mean the exhaust cannot get up to temp. In my experience the recommended revs have been between about 1600 and 2000 but regens still take place at 70 mph when one of our cars is doing 2200 rpm.

But there may be one small flaw in your garages arguement. Most 2005 Focus 1.6 TDCi's did not have a DPF fitted. The 1.6 TDCi only had a DPF for Euro 4 which became law on Jan 01 2006. Euro 4 1.6 TDCi's only began manufacture late in 2005 and deliveries to dealers began early in November 2005. There were 1000's of Euro 3 cars wilh no DPF that needed to be registered by law before 31 December 2005 and dealers (and Ford) were pushing the sale of these before ordering Euro 4 cars.

If your 2005 is a Euro 4 car you are very unlucky. The V5 will tell you what emmisions class it is.

Just found this regarding your Euro3/4 info :

Date of First Registration 01 06 2005

CO2 Emissions 129 g/km

Your car was registered before Euro 4 cars started rolling off the production line, it will 100% be a Euro 3 and will never have been fitted with a DPF.

Forget the CO2 bit, DPF's do not change those. The remove the soot particles and a figure for that should also be on the V5.

Basically you need to find a garage that is familiar with the Focus TDCi. The one you have been too clearly have no idea and their poor knowledge will end up cost you large sums of money if you continue to use them.

Edited by thunderbird on 20/11/2013 at 10:32

I read that the physical presence of a DPF isn't an MOT requirement and that the MOT looks only at the emission test results, but that may not be correct. There's information and mis-information out there. You can't believe everything that you read on-line. It may be worthwhile reading through some of the Ford related forums on line to see what other Focus owners have to say about DPF removal, and perhaps 'phone a couple of those companies who claim to be able to remap the ECU to remove the regeneration software and see what they say. Perhaps the previous owner simply removed the DPF and didn't get the re-map done?

It is if it came out of the factory with one I suggest you read and thoroughly digest the new MOT regulations.