5 Steps To Resolve John Deere Parked Exhaust Filter Cleaning Not Working

John Deere has become a well-known brand with a wide range of construction, forestry, and agricultural equipment. They have all the heavy vehicles available for farming projects and are made from top-notch materials to offer a long-term solution to the users.

However, many people have complained about the malfunctioning cleaning of an exhaust filter. In case you have a similar issue, let’s check out the solutions!

Fixing John Deere Parked Exhaust Filter Cleaning Not Working

1. Keep the Engine Warm

In case the vehicle’s exhaust filter is not working, you need to ensure that the engine is warm. For this purpose, keep the machine moving and do add some load as it’s essential to heat up the engine.

You need to keep the John Deere vehicle operating for around twenty to thirty minutes to optimize its temperature. Once the vehicle is warmed up, the filter will start working normally.

Warming up is important because the filter system is responsible for controlling the engine speed to improve the exhaust temperature. So, if the temperature is low, the cleaning is restricted, and the filter fails to clean the soot or particulates.

Once the engine has been running for a few minutes, follow these steps to initiate cleaning;

• Choose parked exhaust filter cleaning (the button is labeled as “P”)
• Then, hit the next button
• When the cleaning process starts, the status page will appear. There are two steps of parked filter cleaning, known as preparation and cleaning. The filter system will control the engine’s speed during preparation to increase the exhaust temperature. Once the temperature has increased, the soot and particulates are cleaned from the system

Keep in mind that the vehicle motion must be stopped, the PTO should be turned off, and the park feature must be engaged when you start the cleaning process. Lastly, the engine speed should be set to low idle.

2. Incomplete Service Regeneration

The second common reason behind malfunctioning filter cleaning is incomplete service regeneration. The diesel particulate filter cleans itself at regular intervals to burn off the accumulated soot, which is known as regeneration.

This is because the filter works to regenerate itself to the original form. So, if the filter cleaning is not working, there are chances that the service regeneration process is going on or the regeneration process has failed.

This is because if the vehicle is unable to regenerate properly, the filter will be plugged. It is important to understand that it’s a security feature to prevent permanent damage to the vehicle.

So, before you put the vehicle in regeneration mode, make sure there is enough fuel in the John Deere vehicle because the entire process takes over forty minutes. Once the regeneration is complete, the filter will start working properly.

Usually, the John Deere exhaust filter and engines are designed with passive regeneration, which is a cleaning process with which the engine exhaust temperatures are optimized to oxidize the PM (particulate matter) of the filter.

The passive regeneration process is constant during the engine operations and is the most efficient way of cleaning the filters.

On the other hand, if load, speed, and temperature conditions aren’t sufficient for passive regeneration, the particulate matter is removed through active regeneration, which is an automated cleaning process.

For active regeneration, some fuel is injected into the exhaust stream, and the exhaust temperatures are increased to clean the filter. The active regeneration process is used as a backup system as it works only when the temperature, speed, and load aren’t optimal for passive regeneration.

For instance, it will be activated when the filter has partial restrictions and takes over fifty minutes to complete.

3. Management System

The John Deere vehicles are designed with an exhaust temperature management system that ensures the inlet temperature of DPF is higher than the threshold needed to facilitate passive regeneration and active cleaning.

In addition, the machine operators can enable active and parked cleaning through this system. Usually, the filters need cleaning after three thousand to five thousand hours to ensure the ash collected from regular operations is removed.

However, if the exhaust temperature management system is damaged, the cleaning and regeneration processes will be adversely impacted.

So, it is recommended that you hire an authorized OEM dealer to repair the exhaust temperature management system. Once it is fixed, the filter will clean up properly.

4. Clogged DPF

The diesel particulate filter is an important component of the diesel engine of your John Deere vehicle. It is integrated with the exhaust and is responsible for lowering the emissions from the vehicle to meet the emissions standards.

It captures and stores the soot that’s produced by an exhaust, which is burnt off later. However, when the filter is blocked, it fails to complete the cleaning process. Usually, the DPF warning light will blink on the dashboard, which means it’s time to replace the filter.

People tend to opt for active or passive regeneration for cleaning the filter, but if it doesn’t clear the clogging, it is recommended that you get professional DPF cleaning services to remove the ash and soot.

Some users opt for forced regeneration, but it only removes the ash, and the soot will be left behind. So, get professional cleaning services or replace the filter.

Keep in mind that proper cleaning of the filter is essential to ensure proper power generation in the engine and to use the stop-start system.

In addition, when the filter is clogged, the oil level will increase, the vehicle will start releasing excess smoke, and the fuel efficiency will be reduced. These are just some signs that your vehicle needs a filter replacement.

5. Get It Checked

If the filter cleaning feature is still not working, it’s recommended that you contact an authorized dealer to inspect the John Deere vehicle to find the root cause and fix it.

In addition, if the vehicle or its parts are in warranty, you can contact John Deere’s technical support team at +1 309-765-8000. This is because if your vehicle is in warranty, you can get free repair or replacement.

Maintenance Checklist For Normal Exhaust Filter Cleaning

Maintaining the John Deere vehicle can help you optimize the vehicle performance and make sure the filter cleaning is completed on time. Some of the maintenance tips include;

1. Daily Maintenance

It is not possible to conduct in-depth maintenance every day. However, it’s recommended that you check the fluid changes before and after using the John Deere vehicles to ensure that there is enough fuel for the engine to operate during the regeneration process.

In addition to fluid and fuel levels, make sure the internal components are properly lubricated.

2. Check The Manual

John Deere vehicles come with a manual, so it’s recommended that you read the maintenance schedule to determine the recommended frequency of maintenance. In addition, the manual can provide information about changing the fluid and filters.

3. Use The Vehicle Properly

Properly using the John Deere vehicle/equipment is essential to make the maintenance and repair process easier. This is because mishandling of the vehicle can lead to wear and tear of the internal components, adversely impact the lifespan, and increase the need for repairs.

For this purpose, you need to select the right attachments according to the vehicle’s hydraulics and horsepower.

Moreover, make sure that the hydraulic fluid level, engine oil level, and fuel level are optimized in the vehicle. This is because these fluids and fuel levels are essential to operate the vehicle for streamlined regeneration.

The Bottom Line

The filter cleaning not working is a common issue for many John Deere users. Once the fuel level and regeneration mode are corrected, the cleaning function is likely to start working normally.

However, you should always hire a professional to fix the internal components of the vehicle. Lastly, always keep up with the maintenance schedule!