Toyota Avensis Diesel 2.2 D-Cat 2010 white smoke

[Edvvard]

Hello,

I bought a 2010 Avensis 2.2 D-Cat Automatic back in February. After about 2 months, we noticed a lot of white smoke after accelerating. It was giving out a big puff, blinding the car behind us. It would do this for about 20 minutes, and only when in motion and accelerating and i would not notice any difference when driving. It would not give out the smoke when stopped and accelerating. After about 2 months, the same white smoke started coming out from the engine and from the exaust the car stopped responding. At the mechanic, it had all injectors and fuel pump changed and an ECU reset. The mechanic said the injectors gave out because of contaminated diesel. He showed me a sample that had some black sediment on the bottom. After the work was done, the car startrd giving the white smoke again for 15-20 minutes every 1 or 2 weeks. I took it a Toyota dealership where, after some tests, they said the care does not seem to have any issues.

Has anyone experienced this before? There are no warning lights or loss of power when its smoking. The car also has a full service history and only 51k miles done.

Thanks

[Auris James]

5th injector trouble? Any stored fault codes?

James.

[Edvvard]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The dealership said there were no fault codes at all and also did an emissions tests which came back fine.

I didn't know there was a 5th injector so did some googling and it does sound plausible that could be the cause. The car has been to 2 garages in the past 3 months and no one mentioned the 5th injector.

If it is faulty, should there be a fault code?

I'll call the garage where it had the injectors and fuel pump changed ro check if they had a look at the fifth injector as well.

Thanks

[mikejbry]

5th injector sits with the DPF, delivering fuel to aid the burning of soot build up, it would surely be responsible for black smoke not white, white smoke is usually moisture?  So suspected head gasket?

Are you using coolant at all?

[Edvvard]

I am using coolant, but haven't noticed a dip in the quantity.

I've measured the coolant now and will recheck after a see the white smoke again.

The weird thing is, the white smoke does not appear every time I use the car. It usually happens every 1-2 weeks.

[SB1500]

On 10/5/2023 at 8:40 PM, Edvvard said:

Hello,

I bought a 2010 Avensis 2.2 D-Cat Automatic back in February. After about 2 months, we noticed a lot of white smoke after accelerating. It was giving out a big puff, blinding the car behind us. It would do this for about 20 minutes, and only when in motion and accelerating and i would not notice any difference when driving. It would not give out the smoke when stopped and accelerating. After about 2 months, the same white smoke started coming out from the engine and from the exaust the car stopped responding. At the mechanic, it had all injectors and fuel pump changed and an ECU reset. The mechanic said the injectors gave out because of contaminated diesel. He showed me a sample that had some black sediment on the bottom. After the work was done, the car startrd giving the white smoke again for 15-20 minutes every 1 or 2 weeks. I took it a Toyota dealership where, after some tests, they said the care does not seem to have any issues.

Has anyone experienced this before? There are no warning lights or loss of power when its smoking. The car also has a full service history and only 51k miles done.

Thanks

Here are the most likely engine components to check, in the following order:

Problem: poor initial idling. 
 

Fuel Injectors 

Fuel Filter

ECM 

Suction Control Valve 

Fuel Pressure Sensor 

Mass Air Flow Meter 

Bad quality / low cetane fuel used (unlikely in UK) 

A/C signal circuit to ECM open and generator signal circuit open 

 

If you plan to investigate any of these I’ll see what I can find in terms of expected values and procedures 🙂 

[Edvvard]

Thanks for your reply.

The injectors have been recently changed together with the fuel pump.

I was driving today and it started amoking again. Hasn't done it since last week.

I managed to record it this time:

I am pressing the acceleration to the floor and keeping it there. It only gives out a puff and not a continuous trail.

Thanks for your help

[mikejbry]

Might be my phone screen, but is there a tint of blue to that smoke? 

[Edvvard]

Nah don't think so. It looks like diesel smoke to me.

 

[Cyker]

That is screaming blocked DPF injector to me - When DPF-equipped cars try to burn off accumulated soot in the filter, they spray a fine mist of diesel into the exhaust with an additional injector, like they do in the cylinders, but if it gets blocked up the diesel comes out in a stream instead of an atomized mist and you get 'air-show smoke' instead because it's too thick to burn.

You could try running a few tanks of V-Power diesel or Redex fuel system cleaner through it and getting it good and hot on a run to try and unblock the injector,  but as it doesn't spray all the time it might be tricky to get enough through it to do anything if it's that blocked. A garage should be able to remove the injector and clean it, but dodgier ones'll probably try and charge you for a new one. 

[Edvvard]

Thanks. You're the second person to point out that posibility so... hopefully we have a winner.

As it happens, I've switched to shell's vpower from tesco's cheap diesel. Me and the previous owner must have continuously plagued the car it.

I'll continue using vpower. Might also try additional additives but, ultimately, I'll need someone to have a look at that injector.

Thanks for your help with this. I'll post back when I get it sorted just in case someone comes across the same issue.

[Cyker]

Good luck!

[Iitommoii]

On 10/15/2023 at 11:40 PM, Edvvard said:

Thanks. You're the second person to point out that posibility so... hopefully we have a winner.

As it happens, I've switched to shell's vpower from tesco's cheap diesel. Me and the previous owner must have continuously plagued the car it.

I'll continue using vpower. Might also try additional additives but, ultimately, I'll need someone to have a look at that injector.

Thanks for your help with this. I'll post back when I get it sorted just in case someone comes across the same issue.

Hi did you get it sorted? Mine is the same 

[Edvvard]

24 minutes ago, Iitommoii said:

Hi did you get it sorted? Mine is the same 

Hello.

I used redex diesel system cleaner and also the dpf cleaner. For a few weeks I thought that sorted it but it started smoking again.

I took it to another mechanic and showed him the video when the car was smoking.

Just like another user on this forum, he mentioned the smoke having a tint of blue.

Apparently even the smallest amount of oil will make the dpf cleaning system kick in and produce that smoke.

He said the issue might be fixed by checking where the oil might be coming from by presurising the chamber and checking for leaks and then maybe also replacing the 5th injector.

The car is due an mot and service next month so I'll ask them to check then.

 

The car has been working fine and had no issuess with it apart from the smoke.

Good luck with yours and let us know what you find

[alexsystemf]

Hi,
Check all 4 Injectors. I have the exact same issue but it's not smoking that often.
My mechanic told me that these Denso Injectors are notoriously bad (failing prematurely)
Although i have a Verso 2.0L engine.
Find an DIESEL INJECTOR expert and clean them, measure them and repair/replace them.
Cheers,
Alex

*If it would be the DPF Regen. Process then the smoke would be consistent and if you plug the Techstream OBDII diagnostic it would say Regen process and the exhast temp would be VERY  high.

[Kelvincoll]

Hi I have the same problem of white smoke with my Avensis please did anyone had it done and stopped finally ??

 

Thanks 

[Edvvard]

8 hours ago, Kelvincoll said:

Hi I have the same problem of white smoke with my Avensis please did anyone had it done and stopped finally ??

 

Thanks 

Hello,

I've talked to a mechanic who said it might be a number of things and sorting out all of them wouldn't be worth it financially.

Last month, I took the car for a service and they asked me if I'd like a diesel system clean. After that, the car still gives the same white smoke, but the quantity is lower.

I think I'll just leave it as it is untill either someone else finds the issue or something breaks and gives me a better idea of what the issue is.

So far I haven't heard of anyone saying this caused their car to break.

[Rutty]

Following

I have the same problem with 2010 2l diesel avensis with 120 000 miles only brought it a month ago. 

there's no smoke when I start the car up and rev the engine.

the smoke doesn't start until the car warms up and only smokes when accelerating hard between 1500-2000 rpm and only a puff of smoke comes out for a few seconds like your video after 20 mins of repeating this mines the same it stops smoking. 

I had a injector seal go last week had that changed and the car drives great now but still have the annoying smoke. 

Did your pass the mot with this problem?