We seem to be seeing a lot of Ford Transit Connects lately at Kernowsport, most fitted with the 1.5D engine — and most suffering from the same two culprits: AdBlue and DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) issues.
This particular van was a local tradesman’s workhorse from Redruth, brought in after ongoing warning lights made it difficult to keep on the road. In fact, we’ve had so many of these recently that even a main dealer sent one our way (we’ll be polite and not name names!).
🚐 Common Problems with the Ford Transit Connect 1.5D
It’s no secret that 2018–2020 Ford vans — especially the Transit Connect, Transit Custom, and Transit Courier — are prone to AdBlue system faults and DPF blockages. These issues can lead to:
- 🔧 “No-start in X miles” AdBlue countdown warnings
- 💡 Engine management lights that won’t clear
- 🧯 Limp mode and loss of power
- 🚫 DPF regeneration failures
When combined, they can quickly take a reliable work van off the road — which is never ideal when it’s your livelihood.
At Kernowsport, we offer DPF cleaning, AdBlue delete, and ECU remapping to fix these problems at the source.
👉 Learn more about how we do this on our AdBlue Delete page and DPF Delete & Cleaning service.
⚙️ The Redruth Van Fix – ECU Access Challenges
Ford didn’t make life easy for us on this one! The ECU in the Transit Connect is tucked neatly away under the passenger-side wheel arch inside a sealed container.
To access it, we had to remove the wheel and arch liner completely before even getting to the unit. It’s one of those designs that makes you wonder if engineers ever think about mechanics!
At Kernowsport, we use industry-leading tuning tools including Alientech KESS 3 and Magic Motorsport Flex. Alientech has been developing an experimental protocol for this exact ECU model — one we’re helping to test — but so far, none have successfully connected via the OBD port.
That means this job (like every other Transit Connect so far) required a bench connection, where the ECU is carefully removed, safely read and written directly.
Despite the challenge, it’s a process we’re now very familiar with — and the results speak for themselves. The van was back up and running perfectly, with the AdBlue and DPF problems permanently resolved.
🧠 Helping Alientech Develop Future ECU Solutions
We’re proud to work directly with Alientech to develop and test new ECU access protocols. By collaborating on experimental systems like this, we’re helping to make future remaps and repairs faster and easier for everyone — including other tuners across the UK.
It’s one of the things we love most about what we do — constantly learning, improving, and pushing the boundaries of vehicle tuning in Cornwall and beyond.
If you’ve got a Ford Transit Connect, Custom, or Ranger suffering from similar issues, check out our pages on:
- ⚙️ ECU Remapping
- 💧 AdBlue Delete
- 🧯 DPF Delete
- 🔧 EGR Delete
🔗 Related Kernowsport Services
At Kernowsport, we provide full-service vehicle tuning and diagnostics across Cornwall, from Redruth and Hayle to Truro, Newquay, and beyond.
Explore our most popular services:
- 💧 AdBlue Delete & Repairs
- 🧯 DPF Delete & Cleaning
- 🔧 EGR Delete
- ⚙️ ECU Remapping Cornwall
- 💪 Performance Tuning
- 🔍 Vehicle Diagnostics
- 🚐 We Come to You – Mobile Tuning Service
If your Ford Transit Connect or work van is suffering from AdBlue, DPF, or performance issues,
📞 Contact Kernowsport — your local ECU tuning and diagnostics experts in Cornwall.














