How often should the urea filter be replaced?

[DiOmar]

The urea filter generally needs to be replaced every 50,000 to 60,000 kilometers. All vehicles with diesel engines require urea. Diesel engine vehicles have a urea nozzle in the exhaust pipe, which sprays a urea aqueous solution to purify the exhaust gas. Methods for cleaning the urea nozzle: 1. A small ultrasonic cleaner can be used for cleaning, with each cleaning session lasting no less than 15 minutes. During cleaning, functional tests can be performed to drive the nozzle, which improves the cleaning effect. 2. It can also be cleaned by soaking in warm water, with each session lasting no less than 15 minutes. Be careful not to immerse the plug in water.

[VanHazel]

Attention to friends who drive diesel vehicles regarding the urea filter component. Generally, most manufacturers recommend replacement between 50,000 to 70,000 kilometers. However, the actual replacement frequency really depends on your driving habits. For example, my buddy who does long-haul freight transport, often carrying heavy loads on rough roads, has to replace his filter almost every 30,000 kilometers because it gets severely clogged. If you use poor-quality urea from small workshops, the lifespan of the filter will be significantly reduced. If you notice the exhaust fault light on the dashboard, the SCR system reporting urea quality fault codes, intermittent urea injection, loss of engine power, or a sudden increase in fuel consumption, it’s likely the filter is completely clogged. The filter itself isn’t expensive, but if it gets completely blocked, cleaning the exhaust pipe can cost a fortune. During each maintenance session, ask the mechanic to blow out the dust from the filter and use original urea fluid to extend its lifespan considerably.

[LeMalachi]

My Foton Aumark light truck has run nearly 80,000 km. The urea filter is recommended to be replaced around every 50,000 km. The most obvious signs are when you feel the truck lacks power, abnormal urea gauge consumption, or frequent flashing of the exhaust light—these should raise alarms. Especially for truckers hauling fresh produce, frequent driving on rough roads or through muddy areas can easily clog the filter with sand and dust. Last time, I saw my neighbor’s JAC Junling’s filter completely blocked, causing the entire urea nozzle to crystallize and fail, costing 3,000–4,000 RMB in repairs. Now, during service station maintenance, I always ask the mechanic to clean the accumulated dust from the filter base, which takes about 20 minutes of labor and costs just a small fee—much more peace of mind. The key is also to choose high-quality automotive urea from reputable brands, as it contains far fewer impurities.

[Amy]

Regarding diesel vehicle urea filter replacement, most OEMs recommend a service interval of 50,000-70,000 kilometers. During daily operation, three warning signals are particularly critical: unexplained rapid urea fluid level drop, engine power limitation with sluggish acceleration, and SCR system fault codes appearing on the dashboard. Once when delivering goods to northern Xinjiang, I mistakenly refilled with cheap urea from a small gas station, resulting in completely clogged filters before reaching 30,000 km - it took half an hour of flushing with boiling water at a service area to barely unclog them. Developing a habit of keeping a spare filter in the glove compartment is very practical, especially when driving in mountainous regions like Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan. It's advisable to check before winter freezing, as low temperatures make crystallization and clogging more likely.