I took delivery of a Volvo V50 D5 Geartronic in December 2007 and have completed only 16 000 km to date.
I’m very satisfied with the car, except for the fact that, at varying distances travelled, between say 500 and 1 000 km, the exhaust discharges a large dense volume of white smoke, which lasts for a couple of minutes and then slowly clears.
I have discussed the problem with the local dealers and their explanation is that the local diesel has high sulphur content and that this accumulates in the exhaust system. Every now and again this will have to be burnt out, thus causing the volume of white smoke.
I would like verification of this explanation, and ask if this process will have an adverse affect on the vehicle in the long term.
D H COCKSEDGE – Harare, Zimbabwe
The dealer is partly correct. Your car’s exhaust is fitted with a particulate filter that gets clogged, mainly with carbon particles, from time to time.
When this happens the central processing unit causes the fuel injectors to squirt extra fuel into the space above the pistons at a time when the exhaust valves are partially open.
This will cause the vapourised fuel to enter the exhaust system and filter where it will ignite and burn the carbon away. This process will not harm the engine.
