Circuit/System Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 GMC Sierra, 2010 GMC Cab & Chassis Sierra, 2010 Chevrolet Silverado, and 2010 Chevrolet Cab & Chassis Silverado. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The particulates in the exhaust gases are collected by the diesel particulate filter (DPF). When the filter becomes saturated with particulates, they are incinerated by a regeneration process. The regeneration process increases the exhaust gas temperature, warming the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) first, then warming the DPF. The engine control module (ECM) monitors the system with inputs from two exhaust gas temperature (EGT) sensors 1 and 2 and an exhaust differential pressure sensor.

The ECM will command an active regeneration base on a calculated soot model. The soot model calculations are based on the following information:

Distance since last DPF regeneration
Fuel used since last DPF regeneration
Engine run time since last DPF regeneration
Exhaust differential pressure sensor values

If soot loading continues to increase it will eventually exceed a calibrated threshold and cause this diagnostic to run and fail.