European Commission proposes OBD, in-use durability limits for diesel exhaust aftertreatment systems

Diesel Fuel News, Sept 15, 2003

European Commission Proposes OBD, In-Use Durability Limits For Diesel Exhaust Aftertreatment Systems: Since Euro-4/5 limits are expected to result in widespread introduction of urea-selective catalytic reduction (SCR), diesel particulate filters (DPFs), oxidation catalysts and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), it's necessary to require certain minimum "useful life" limits and on-board diagnostics (OBD) to ensure aftertreatment systems are working.

So, European Commission has drafted a proposal (see: http://europa.eu.int/prelex/detail_dossier_real.cf m?CL=en&DosId=185270) requiring "useful life" of up to 500,000 kilometers or seven years, whichever comes first, depending upon vehicle type. The years limit will account for low-mileage city-fleet vehicles while the kilometer limits account for long-distance trucking. As for OBD, this would take effect in two stages: Starting October 2005, "any emission aftertreatment system downstream of the engine should be monitored for major functional failure." In the next stage, starting October 2008, OBD would have to monitor aftertreatment performance "against fixed threshold limits," the EC proposal says.