# DPF regeneration minimum driving cycle and verification.



## Doug Huffman (Apr 25, 2015)

I am a new owner of a 47K mile CPO 2012 X5 xDrive 35d. I live on a small Island with ~100 miles of paved road and 200 feet elevation change. I am becoming paranoid of chronic short trips' effect on the DPF. Local mileage is 20 mpg, highway mileage is 28 mpg. The Carly for BMW dongle is here, but a smartphone will not be delivered until late next week.

Will someone please recommend a minimum driving cycle that should enable active DPF regeneration, and a way to verify regeneration has occurred, please? Perhaps something like; drive 25 miles in direct drive, not overdrive, and observe elevated idle engine rpm for verification.

On asking BMW SA about Engine Operating Temperature effect of an aged thermostat, I was blown off with "It will set a DTC." LOL, yeah, a failed DPF DTC requiring application of $$$ to clear.

Thanks for your attention.


----------



## Nadir Point (Dec 6, 2013)

I think you should consider getting a vehicle more suitable to your environment, rather than trying to somehow adapt the X5 to survive there.


----------



## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

Find some area that you can drive consistently for at least 15 minutes without stopping or at least without stopping for long. The higher the speed the better.


----------



## Flying Ace (Jan 26, 2015)

Here's the conditions that'll trigger the regen:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=503749&d=1429068279

DDE parameters are based on:
1. average distance driven
2. average speed driven
3. temperature of DPF 
4. values from the exhaust pressure sensor

Further confirmation that, if the car is a city car, one should at least drive it for 30 minutes for more on highway once a week (presumably on the weekends or on a road trip) to trigger the continuous regen.


----------



## Doug Huffman (Apr 25, 2015)

Nadir Point said:


> I think you should consider getting a vehicle more suitable to your environment, rather than trying to somehow adapt the X5 to survive there.


Read my introduction http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=848753 to see the kind of roads I live on - and the challenges of living on them.

It is an interesting coincidence that 'adaptation' is what VW calls coding. I adapt my lifestyle and habits to wanting what I have, rather than having what I want.


----------



## Flying Ace (Jan 26, 2015)

Doug Huffman said:


> Read my introduction http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=848753 to see the kind of roads I live on - and the challenges of living on them.
> 
> It is an interesting coincidence that 'adaptation' is what VW calls coding. I adapt my lifestyle and habits to wanting what I have, rather than having what I want.


so how much does it cost to get off your island?

b/c my opinion is you should drive it once a week at highway speeds on the mainland for a good 45 minutes to trigger the regen cycle. I know it's not ideal to drive for the sake of driving, but that's the situation you're in. The other option is not to drive the X5.

I also have a similar driving habit. The X5d is my wife's car, and she drives 2-3 miles to a train station daily. However, on the weekend, the X5d is our weekend car and we give it a good 40-60 miles highway drive weekly (not intentionally, but just where we want to go tend to be further away).

The X5 is also our long distance vacation vehicle as well, so we've already been on 3 trips already that required highway driving between 2-9 hours.


----------



## Doug Huffman (Apr 25, 2015)

Did'ja look at the image of the road? It was built that way _just for architectural _ fun. When the ferries are infrequent, it's fun to drive on cruise control. 
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4e/54/c3/4e54c3054a6efbb63baf5ce5c206940d.jpg But it costs $40 round trip, me and the BMW.

Today I did an hour of spirited driving on the Island. I didn't look at the average speed. We'll see. I hope _Carly for BMW_ displays miles since last regeneration.

Thank y'all - all of you - for the suggestions. When I can make positive statements, then I will. My Galaxy S5 smartphone should arrive next week. I have avoided a smartphone until now, but I prefer it to a Windoze emulator on my Fedora linux computer.


----------



## Flying Ace (Jan 26, 2015)

I looked at a few google street views of the roads on the island. I doesn't appear you can do a consistent 55 mph lap around the island though.

Congrats on the Galaxy S5...it's a great reasonably priced android phone. I have never gotten my android phone to pair properly on the CIC system. Bluetooth calling and phone address book works, but the other stuff like streaming music and apps are a no go. I have a cradle as well, but I think it's an iphone cradle, though I read somewhere that I can get some plug that'll work for an android phone. I'm not too much into the infotainment system for me to care whether I get streaming and apps to work, but I'd like to try it out at least once.


----------



## jfxogara (Oct 26, 2012)

I believe BMWhat aka Carly for BMW has a feature you can add for $ that allows you to trigger a regen manually.


----------



## Doug Huffman (Apr 25, 2015)

Yes, the in-app costs $10.


----------



## Doug Huffman (Apr 25, 2015)

Yesterday I did 250 miles at 70+ mpg and ASH MASS increased by 0.1 grams, to 16.8 grams


----------

