Emissions

P2464 — Diesel Particulate Filter Soot Load Very High

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P2464 means

The diesel engine control unit has detected far more soot in the diesel particulate filter (DPF) than is acceptable. Normally the filter cleans itself through regeneration, where hot exhaust burns the soot off. When regenerations fail or the engine makes too much soot, the load keeps climbing and P2464 is set.

Symptoms

  • DPF or check engine light on or flashing
  • Reduced power or limp mode
  • Frequent regeneration attempts
  • Higher fuel consumption
  • Cooling fan running longer and hot exhaust after shutdown
  • Oil level rising from fuel dilution

Possible causes

  1. Mostly short trips that never heat the filter enough
  2. Interrupted or failed regenerations
  3. EGR fault producing extra soot
  4. Faulty differential pressure sensor or clogged, cracked sensor hoses
  5. Exhaust leak upstream of the sensor
  6. Faulty exhaust gas temperature sensors
  7. Engine problem such as injectors or boost raising soot output
  8. Soot load beyond the normal regeneration limit

How to diagnose

  1. Scan for codes and freeze frame data, looking for related injector, EGR and boost codes
  2. Read soot load, ash load and differential pressure in live data
  3. Inspect the differential pressure sensor and its hoses for blockage, cracks or swapped lines
  4. Compare exhaust gas temperature sensor readings
  5. Check the exhaust for leaks ahead of the filter
  6. Test the EGR valve and boost system
  7. Review driving habits and whether long highway runs happen
  8. Check engine oil level and condition for fuel dilution

Common fixes

  • Run a forced regeneration with a scan tool, or a sustained highway drive with a warm engine
  • Replace a faulty pressure sensor or hoses
  • Repair the cause of excess soot: EGR, injectors or boost
  • Fix exhaust leaks and replace bad temperature sensors
  • Clean or replace the DPF if the load will not come down
  • Change the oil if it is diluted with fuel

Questions and answers

Can I drive with P2464?

For a short while, yes, and a longer highway drive may help the filter regenerate. If power drops, get it diagnosed quickly to avoid ruining the filter.

How do I clear P2464?

First find why soot built up: pressure sensor, EGR, injectors or short trips. Then run a forced regeneration, clean or replace the filter if needed, and clear the code.

This is general information about the code. The meaning can differ between makes and models: a scan tool and the repair manual for your car will show the exact cause.