Used Mercedes-Benz CLA DPF

The first-generation CLA (C117) ran from 2013 to 2019, with a facelift in 2016 that brought updates to trim and styling but kept broadly the same engine family. The second-generation CLA (C118) launched in 2019. The DPF you need is tied to your engine code and emissions standard rather than the generation alone, but the generation boundary is a useful starting point when talking to a breaker, as the two generations share very little in common mechanically.

Both years fall within the first-generation CLA (C117), but 2016 was the facelift year, so a 2015 unit is pre-facelift and a 2017 unit is post-facelift — and whether the DPF crosses that boundary cleanly depends on your exact engine code and any emissions spec changes made at that point. Give your registration and engine code to the breaker and ask them to confirm fitment against the donor vehicle's details rather than the year alone. Never assume a same-generation part fits without that check.

Trim level does not determine DPF fitment on the CLA; what matters is your engine code, fuel type (diesel in this case), and the emissions standard the car was built to. A Sport and an AMG Line CLA sharing the same engine and build year should use the same DPF, so don't let a breaker charge a premium purely because a donor car carries a different trim badge. You may notice cosmetic differences between the trim lines in the exhaust area, but the DPF itself is an engine and emissions match, not a trim match.

Yes, this matters considerably — a DPF from the wrong emissions era may not integrate correctly with your car's engine management system and could cause an MOT failure. The Euro 6 boundary for passenger cars in the UK broadly falls around September 2015 for new type approvals, though individual build dates vary, so check your V5C or ask the DVLA. Always confirm the emissions standard of the donor vehicle with the breaker against your own registration before buying.

It is possible that some Mercedes diesels across the compact model range share engine families, which might make certain parts interchangeable, but DPF and catalytic converter interchange across different models is strong confirm-with-breaker territory and should not be assumed. Give the breaker both registrations — yours and the donor vehicle — and ask them to cross-reference the engine code, emissions standard, and part numbers before agreeing a sale. Do not rely on visual similarity alone.

The engine code is the most important piece of information for matching a DPF, as Mercedes used several diesel units in the CLA C117 generation — including variants of the OM651 family in different states of tune. You can find your engine code on your V5C, on a sticker under the bonnet, or by asking a dealer or fast-fit centre to read it from the car. Pass this code directly to the breaker alongside your registration so they can match it to the donor car accurately.