The problem started quite suddenly and was fairly bad when it started, although with the progression of time the problem seems to be compounding. The dealer said it was just some small problem that would clear itself up, but it never has. The dealer made the diagnosis about 2 years ago. They also assured me that the car will not be damaged if run in its present condition. I would think that the dealer is incorrect, and since I have been driving for some time I am hoping that I have not created more problems, or protracted the life of the engine in any way. I am a fairly good mechanic, however I have never worked on a diesel engine before. How do I go about fixing the problem? Thank you for your response.