The Ultimate Guide to Maintaining Your Aftertreatment System for Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks in Los Angeles, CA

If you run heavy-duty diesel trucks in or around Los Angeles, CA, you already know how rough stop-and-go traffic, port congestion, steep freeway grades, and idle-heavy driving can be on your aftertreatment system. These conditions cause more regens, more soot loading, and more stress on sensors than trucks running long, open highway routes.

That’s why aftertreatment maintenance is especially important for fleets and owner-operators in the Los Angeles region but its just as important for over the road operators because of Diesel quality, DEF quality and Oil/filter change intervals.

Here’s how to stay ahead of the issues and keep your truck running strong in SoCal conditions.

1. Replace Aftertreatment Sensors on a Schedule

Los Angeles traffic is brutal on sensors — constant heat cycles and low-speed operation cause them to drift out of range faster than in long-haul operations.

Replace these sensors every 150k–200k miles:

• NOx sensors

• Differential pressure (DPF DeltaP) sensors

• EGT sensors

• DEF quality/level/temp sensors

In LA’s stop-and-go environment, failing sensors are one of the most common causes of frequent regens and SCR faults.

2. Check for Exhaust Leaks — A Major Problem in Coastal CA

Coastal climate, humidity, and port-area salt exposure can accelerate exhaust component corrosion in Southern California trucks.

Inspect:

• Flex pipes

• V-bands

• DOC/DPF seams

• Turbo outlet clamps

A tiny leak upstream of the sensors throws off your system and can lead to SCR efficiency codes — especially common in trucks operating around Los Angeles ports.

3. Monitor Your DPF Regens — LA Traffic Creates More of Them

In Los Angeles, passive regens simply don’t happen as often. Low-load operation, crawling traffic, and constant stops keep exhaust temps too low.

Signs of trouble:

• Active regens becoming frequent

• Soot level rising quickly

• Parked regens required

• Longer regen durations

If your truck spends a lot of time on the I-710, I-110, I-5, or doing port runs, this section applies to you.

4. Schedule Aftertreatment Cleaning Every 200,000 Miles

With LA trucking conditions, many fleets benefit from cleaning even sooner — 150k–180k miles — especially for port or local haul operations.

A full cleaning includes:

• DPF bake & flow test

• DOC cleaning

• SCR inspection

• Doser test

• Sensor condition review

A clean system means fewer regens, better fuel economy, and less downtime — which is crucial when you’re pulling loads across Southern California.

5. Improve Performance With Diesel Force Cleaning (Great for LA Driving Conditions)

Los Angeles is one of the toughest environments in the country for diesel aftertreatment systems because of:

• Idling

• Low-load driving

• Heavy traffic

• Frequent short trips

• High ambient heat

The Diesel Force Aftertreatment Cleaning System helps trucks in LA by:

• Breaking down soot and carbon in EGR, DPF, DOC & SCR

• Restoring airflow

• Improving regen efficiency

• Lowering soot accumulation

• Reducing derates

For professional EGR and aftertreatment cleaning, visit: www.caltruckservices.com/egrclean

This link helps Google connect your aftertreatment content with your cleaning service — boosting local rankings.

6. Catch Problems Early Before Your Truck Derates in LA Traffic

Breaking down or entering a derate in Los Angeles traffic can cost hours of lost time — especially near the ports.

Watch for:

• Reduced power

• More regens than usual

• Rising fuel consumption

• DEF warnings

• SCR efficiency codes

Fixing these early prevents costly downtime and keeps you moving across the LA freeway network.

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Diesel Truck Reliable in Los Angeles, CA

Operating in Los Angeles puts unique stress on your aftertreatment system. With proactive sensor replacement, leak inspections, regen monitoring, scheduled DPF cleaning, and Diesel Force treatment, you can keep your truck reliable and avoid roadside breakdowns.

For professional EGR and aftertreatment cleaning in Los Angeles, visit: www.caltruckservices.com/egrclean