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Kathy and Dave: To try to answer your three questions: This is based on only a single Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper's answer -- the signs about no exhaust brakes applies to all -- however, as I was told by the trooper I spoke with -- on light trucks such as ours (???) they don't even know they are on -- no one will bother us. I have asked a local Riley County police officer the same question and was told the law only applies to large trucks -- I qualified that by saying - you mean semi's and he stated that was correct. So, I continue to use mine all of the time.
As for the programming -- logic says that the car / truck manufacturers should be able to reset the defaults for us. However, logic doesn't seem to apply in this case and, at least for Dodge, there appears to be no change on the horizon. I've not even noticed if any of the 'programming boxes' do this change -- albeit, I can't be without the warranty so even if they did, I'd still stay stock.
Finally, your question on the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) -- it is always on. The exhaust from your engine goes through the turbo and then into a series of devices to clean it up to meet EPA requirements -- going from the turbo the first is the DPF. Here a filter screen captures the soot and lets only the cleaned exhaust proceed on to the catalytic converter where Nitrous Oxides and other gases are converted to water and other non-toxic chemicals and clean air before going to the muffler and out into the open. (I closed the web page I was looking at and I can't remember what all the chemicals are that get converted and to what -- tired -- been a looonnnngggg day!!). Regardless --
Now, the DPF has sensors at the entry and exit points to measure flow back pressure(s) -- these sensors provide the computer constant readings of the differences in pressures from the entry point and the exit of the DPF and when the computer senses too high a drop (too much soot blocking the exhaust flow through the DPF) it will initiate a 'Regeneration' where it actually causes an extra diesel injection cycle to occur during the exhaust stroke -- this raw diesel added to the exhaust then 'heats up the exhaust' to the point where it will burn off the soot collected in the DPF. If you are running hot (pulling a trailer, etc) then it may be hot enough to burn the soot off without this injection cycle running. If you fail to drive far enough for the regeneration cycle to complete (per a CD Dodge Owners get -- 30 minutes of continuous driving at 50 mph or higher is required) you will eventually get a 'Check Engine Light' (CEL) and you'll end up visiting your dealer where they will hook up their computer and cause a regeneration to occur to clean the filter. If the filter can not be cleaned (wrong fuel used, too sooted up, or a lot of miles on it and it is just plain full), then a new DPF will be required. Last time I checked there was no way to open up and clean a used up Dodge DPF (when the soot is burned off, the remaining ash stays in the DPF canister and at some point, it will have to be replaced or cleaned out). Local Dodge dealer didn't have any new information on this last time I asked questions about a month ago -- they know me there too dang well -- I think the mechanic runs when I come in because I'm always asking questions. However, I don't turn wrenches anymore so they know that all the maintenance will be done there so they have been great in answering my questions.
Large trucks (aka semi tractors) and the like have DPFs that are cleanable. During the transition to the DPFs in 07, all 3 manufacturers of our haulers said they were working on cleaning systems. I've not heard if the other two (GM and Ford) have theirs out as yet.
Hope this helps some.
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