MajorCommonEngine

Mitsubishi Canter: DPF clogging, failed regeneration and emission system limp mode (4P10 3.0 twin-turbo diesel, 8th gen FEA/FEB/FEC)

DPF clogging, failed regeneration and emission system limp mode (4P10 3.0 twin-turbo diesel, 8th gen FEA/FEB/FEC) is a common engine fault on the Mitsubishi Canter on the 2010–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 6 documented faults on the Mitsubishi Canter.

Vehicle: Mitsubishi Canter
Only on: Bi-Turbo / twin-turbo
Engine: 3.0L
Years: 2010–2020
Fuel: diesel
System: Engine

This page covers the Mitsubishi Canter as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mitsubishi Canter faults6 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Turbocharger or Diesel particulate filter yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The 4P10 relies on a diesel particulate filter (DPF, Fuso calls it DPD) that must burn off soot, plus EGR and on many markets an SCR system. Trucks used on short urban runs never get hot enough to regenerate, soot builds up, the ECU asks for manual regenerations more and more often and eventually derates the engine to limp mode. Owners also report wet DPF sensor wiring and connectors giving false readings, failed exhaust pressure sensors, and repeat regeneration loops. In the US the 2012 to 2016 Canter emission system problems (sensors, injectors, crankcase breather, catalytic muffler) led to a class action settlement of 17.5 million US dollars. A DPF that has been removed or tuned out is illegal for road use and hard to reverse.

What you would notice

DPF or regeneration warning lamp on the dash, often flashing
Loss of power and engine held at low revs (limp mode)
Frequent manual regenerations needed, high idle while regenerating
Hot, acrid smell from the exhaust area

How to check it

Where to look. Exhaust system under the chassis on the right hand side (DPF canister and pressure sensors), EGR valve on the engine under the tilt cab

Switch the ignition on and confirm the DPF and engine warning lamps light up and then go out once running; a lamp that stays on or flashes is a red flag. Ask how the truck has been used; mostly short town runs is the high risk pattern. Ask how often the driver has to press the DPF regeneration switch. On a test drive get the truck up to open road speed and check it pulls cleanly without the engine holding back. Look at the exhaust for a hollow can, cut and welded pipe, or missing sensor wires that suggest the DPF has been removed. If a workshop inspection is possible: have a Fuso capable scan tool read soot load, regeneration history, differential pressure sensor values and stored codes, and inspect the EGR valve for carbon.

Parts involved: Turbocharger, Diesel particulate filter.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“How often does it ask for a manual regeneration?”
“Has the DPF ever been cleaned, replaced or removed?”
“Has it ever gone into limp mode?”
“What kind of work has it done, town deliveries or highway runs?”

Now check the Mitsubishi Canter you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Expedition Portal thread: Fuso FG140 2013, 600km on the clock, already at the dealer (DPF limp mode, failed manual regen)
Expedition Portal thread: Fuso 3.0, Duonic transmission, SCR? (DPF harness moisture derate reports)
US class action settlement, 2012 to 2016 Mitsubishi Fuso Canter emission system defects (Consumer Law Group summary)

Mitsubishi Canter buyer questions

Is dpf clogging, failed regeneration and emission system limp mode (4p10 3.0 twin-turbo diesel, 8th gen fea/feb/fec) serious on a Mitsubishi Canter?

We rate it major and common on the Mitsubishi Canter. The 4P10 relies on a diesel particulate filter (DPF, Fuso calls it DPD) that must burn off soot, plus EGR and on many markets an SCR system. Trucks used on short urban runs never get hot enough to regenerate, soot builds up, the ECU asks for manual regenerations more and more often and eventually derates the engine to limp mode. Owners also report wet DPF sensor wiring and connectors giving false readings, failed exhaust pressure sensors, and repeat regeneration loops. In the US the 2012 to 2016 Canter emission system problems (sensors, injectors, crankcase breather, catalytic muffler) led to a class action settlement of 17.5 million US dollars. A DPF that has been removed or tuned out is illegal for road use and hard to reverse.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mitsubishi Canter?

$300 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mitsubishi Canter years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2010–2020 Mitsubishi Canter. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.