The increase in the yield stress of dual phase (DP) steels, resulting from the static strain ageing phenomenon, commonly referred to as bake hardening (BH), gives an important contribution to the additional in-service strength of outer auto body parts, e.g. with respect to the dent resistance of the components made with DP steel. In order to understand this large BH effect, the role of the different constituents of the DP steel during this process needs to be considered. The various stages of tempering phenomena taking place in the martensite phase were investigated in detail by means of precision dilatometry and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The succession of the various tempering reactions that are characterised by typical volume changes was determined using both constant heating rate and isothermal dilatometric tests. The measurements made it possible to distinguish five distinct stages of structural changes during tempering: (I) the redistribution of carbon atoms, (II) the precipitation of η- or ε-carbide, (III) the formation of Häg-carbide, (IV) the decomposition of retained austenite, and (V) the transformation of transition carbides to cementite.