Ford P242F

DPF ash accumulation limit reached on Ford diesel — DPF at end of life, not a regen issue.

Ford P242F — DPF ash accumulation limit reached on Ford diesel — DPF at end of life, not a regen issue. Typical UK independent garage cost: £650–£1900.

What actually causes P242F on a Ford

P242F is fundamentally different from P2002/P2463 — this is ASH, not soot. Regens don't remove ash. On 1.6 TDCi we see this around 120–150k miles. Transit 2.2 TDCi it's usually earlier because of urban use and short trips.

Ford engines that log P242F

• 1.6 TDCi DV6 (Focus, C-Max, Mondeo)
• 2.0 TDCi (Mondeo, S-Max, Galaxy)
• 2.2 TDCi Transit

How we diagnose P242F on a Ford

1. Read DPF ash mass and mileage (IDS/Forscan)
2. Confirm ash mass > 100g — regen won't fix
3. Consider off-vehicle ultrasonic DPF clean (£250–£400)
4. Replace DPF only if clean fails or cell damage present

The common misdiagnosis to avoid

Attempting a forced regen — won't help, ash doesn't burn out. Also, DPF cleaning services (ultrasonic/baking) genuinely work here where forced regen doesn't. Try clean before replacement.

Ford P242F repair cost in the UK

Expect £650–£1900 including parts and labour at an independent garage. Main-dealer quotes on Ford are usually higher for the same job, and the spread exists because the cheap cause and the expensive cause throw the same code — pay for the diagnosis before you pay for parts.

Bob's workshop tip

1.6 TDCi Focus — try a professional off-vehicle DPF clean first. £300 saves £1,500.

Codes usually seen alongside P242F on Ford

• P2002
• P2463
• P244A

Symptoms drivers report with P242F

• DPF warning light on the dash steady (not flashing) — often accompanied by 'Engine System Fault, Service Now'
• Reduced Engine Power warning / limp mode after another attempted regen
• Car has done multiple 'passive regens' recently (higher revs at motorway cruise, warm smell like burning) that ended incomplete
• MPG dropped 5–12 mpg over recent months as the DPF partially blocked
• Slight loss of turbo response and top-end power, engine feels 'flat'
• Exhaust smells 'hot' or 'sulphurous' after a long drive — sign of forced-regen attempts

Repairs that clear P242F

• Replace or professionally clean DPF

For the generic, all-makes explanation of this code — meaning, every known cause and UK cost bands — see our P242F guide.

Reading P242F on a Ford properly

A generic reader will show P242F and nothing else. What matters is the freeze-frame data stored with it — engine speed, load, coolant temperature and fuel trims at the moment the fault was logged — plus whether any other module on the Ford has logged something at the same time. Codes rarely arrive alone, and the order they were stored in usually points at which one is the cause and which are the consequences.

Clearing P242F without fixing it

Erasing the code resets the Ford's readiness monitors as well as the light. The fault returns on the next drive cycle if the cause is still there, and in the meantime the incomplete monitors can stop the car passing an emissions check. After a genuine repair, the car is driven until the relevant monitor completes before it is handed back.

Bob's Mechanical Repairs is an independent garage in Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire, with 32 years of Bob's experience on the tools. If P242F is showing on your Ford, bring any scan results with you — we will read the live data ourselves, confirm which cause it actually is, and price the repair before any work starts.