What is the Volkswagen Tiguan L Particulate Filter?
4 Answers
Volkswagen Tiguan L particulate filter is a ceramic filter installed in the diesel engine emission system, which can capture particulate emissions before they enter the atmosphere. Functions of the particulate filter: The particulate filter can reduce soot produced by diesel engines by more than 90%, and the captured particulate emissions are subsequently burned off during vehicle operation. To check whether a vehicle is equipped with a particulate filter, you can use the following three methods: Check the and to see if there is a particulate filter function. Additionally, you can carefully check the fault codes in the manual to see if there is a "Particulate Filter" warning light indicator. Check the label on the oil filler cap. If the oil cap clearly states 0W-20 grade oil, it indicates that a particulate filter is installed. Check whether there is a cylindrical section behind the three-way catalytic converter on the exhaust pipe. If there is, that is the particulate filter.
The particulate filter in the Tiguan L is essentially a filter installed in the exhaust pipe, specifically designed to trap fine carbon particles from the exhaust. Nowadays, gasoline vehicles, just like diesel ones, are required to have this installed; otherwise, they wouldn’t meet the China VI emission standards. During my last maintenance, the technician mentioned that this component needs regular cleaning. If it gets clogged, the car becomes sluggish, and pressing the accelerator feels like stepping on cotton. This is especially true for frequent short trips in the city, where the exhaust temperature isn’t high enough to burn off the carbon deposits, leading to easy clogging. My neighbor’s Tiguan had to visit the 4S dealership last month for this exact issue—they had to perform a forced high-temperature regeneration using a computer to fix it.
Simply put, the particulate filter is like putting a mask on the engine's exhaust port, specifically designed to filter ultra-fine particles like PM2.5. The manual for my Tiguan L states that the exhaust pipe can reach 600 degrees Celsius when this thing is working, directly burning the accumulated carbon particles into ash. However, if you drive at a snail's pace in the city for too long, the system will prompt a regeneration request. At this point, it's best to immediately get on the highway and drive at a steady speed for about ten minutes to let the high-temperature exhaust pipe burn off the blockages. Never ignore it—my colleague learned this the hard way. In the end, the fault light came on, the power dropped to just 80%, and the repair was a huge hassle.
Many people wonder why gasoline cars now require particulate filters. I specifically looked it up—the new China 6 standard imposes a 90% stricter limit on particulate emissions compared to China 5. Without it, engines like the 2.0T in the Tiguan L simply couldn’t pass emissions tests. Last time at the repair shop, I saw a removed filter—its structure resembles honeycomb ceramics, densely packed with microscopic pores invisible to the naked eye. But a reminder for owners: using low-ash oil is crucial. Additives in regular oil can clump inside the filter, causing the ceramic core to crack during regeneration.
