2020 1.5 Ecoblue DPF issue

[Foamcutter]

Yes, I have a 2020 Connect from new with a 120Hp 1.5 diesel with less than 60,000km's on the clock. It had a 5 year warranty and was serviced with the dealer I bought it from, till the warranty ran out last year.
The engine light was nearly on permanent display and was kinda brushed off by the dealer as ' the emissions sensor are finickity and sensitive'. I didn't pass any remarks (regrettably) as the van was running well and is reliable.
The engine light was still on and I got a message saying 'Exhaust filter overloaded. Drive to clean'. I took the van for a few journey's around 30-40 min's with the engine at 2500-3500 revs, to no avail.

The van is due for test in a couple of weeks, so I went and got it serviced, to get it checked out and to eliminate the engine light and message, only to find out that the dpf is cracked and the Nox sensor may need replacing. Yes the mechanic did a DPF clean, camera down the sensor hole, smoke test (pipe leaks), pressure test and diagnostic test virtually identical to Jimmy O'Rielly youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSAabIhilzM.

It seems that I now have 4 options and I'm very fortunate that have access to another vehicle so I'm not totally dependant on the van.
1. Replace the DPF from Ford at €1475.00 + possibly a Nox sensor €375.00 + labour. With no assurance that the DPF won't f*uk up in the future. In the you-tube video Jimmy expresses very little confidence in Ford's DPF and he seems to have a lot of experience working on this issue. His statement 'not fit for purpose' wouldn't encourage someone to buy a genuine Ford part.

2. Buy a new DPF from a different manufacturer, the advantage being they're virtually half the price but again there's no guarantee that it will do it's job.

3. Buy second hand off a crashed/scrapped van. The usual conditions apply buying second hand part, it might be just as bad as the one I have or fail in a short time, if I'm unlucky. Finding one might be an issue too.

4. Drill out the DPF, delete and re-map. Possibly the worst option dependant on who does the work. I've heard of horror stories of re-maps going badly wrong not, these are more performance related rather than related to DPF's.

It would seem that I'm not in a unique situation as the DPF seem to be a real issue with some Ford engines. The path travelled is well worn.
I just wondered what other owners/mechanics have done or would suggest. TIA

Cheers

[metalworker0]

All of what you are saying would have been in my reply to you, if you had not have said it .
You are very observant and correct.

Maybe someone with experience of different DPFs will come along and recommend one

Faced with those £££££ figures, i would look for the cleanest one off the shelf in a car breakers yard. although this must be an REAL FORD OEM ONE , inspect it with your own borscope -£22 off temu, .. maybe do the block one end and pour cleaner into it, stand up against wall for 24 hours routine and flush before you dare to use it .

all the best.mark

[Foamcutter]

Thanks Mark (@metalworker) for the reply.

Using this site, other 'Ford' forums, You-Tube and AI, I was able to do some research. It wasn't that difficult to find the info, as the DPF's seem to be an issue on these Fords.
I did find that some 1.5 Ecoblue engined car/vans have been recalled, however, after checking the Ford Recall site my VIN wasn't on the recall list.

I've emailed a few breakers that have Connect Vans in stock, it'll be interesting to see what they have and the cost of the part.

Cheers