Adblue - How far are you getting? (1 Viewer)

[Tio64]

Adblue - what a major pain in the backside this stuff is. We took delivery of a brand new moho last November and it's the first vehicle I've had which is equipped with an adblue system.

So far we're only getting @ 1500 miles between the adblue light coming on. Our Fiat Ducato base has no gauge, just a light. The price of adblue seems to have doubled in recent days, I've just paid £20 for 10 litres, I can't find any of those £1 a litre deals.
A local garage has adblue pumps, £1.79 a litre, but the diesel there is not cheap, so do I drive from one fuel station to another?

Another absolute PITA is the addition of an adblue tank to the vehicle has reduced diesel capacity to 60 litres, meaning a fuel range of under 250 miles, a pita on long journeys.

Talking to friends who have cars with adblue, they're saying the never have to top it up. One handbook I've seen says the adblue is topped up at the annual service. Why am I having to top up on journeys?

What's your experience folks, how many miles are you doing between adblue top ups?

Mike

 

[ontheroadagain]

Something is wrong. It should last longer than that.
Are you sure you are completely filling the tank?
Our previous motorhome was a Peugeot and only required filling once per year which was 5000 miles.

 

[Guigsy]

1500 miles is about £400 in diesel at the current prices. So adblue is costing a few percent on top.

I'm pretty sure there are still 90 litre tanks available for the Ducato. The issue is often that motorhome convertors use a 60 litre tank to try to keep the vehicle under 3.5t.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Merc 519 I get about 3000 from a 10 litre fill. When the gauge gets a bit below half, I fill up as 10 litres will take it just above 3/4. I buy online from a major stockist to buy fresh and only buy as needed as delivery is next day. Surprised as to how much the price has gone up. last fill was £10.99 including delivery - now the cheapest is over £16 for 10 litres

 

[activecampers]

MY20 160ps 2.3 ducato. About 3000 miles before first fill @ 13L or so. Only filled once so far, on 6000m now so expect it soon
What concerned me more was it gave a low warning, and I filled up within 50/100 miles of first warning - so well before any countdown.

Display went from "ad blue low"
to, after filling,
"engine won't restart when cranked"
then 20 mins later
"ad blue low"
then 10 mins later, all clear

Very odd.

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[danielf]

Hi Tio64

My 2021 Ducato so far is gettting between 1,600 to 2,000 miles per fill up depending on the type of driving. It is a 140 bhp auto.
I normally get around 11 litres into it when the light comes on.

Fiat say 4 litres per 600 miles is the mixed route average. So mine is about right.

I do hear lthat as part of emission cheating scandal many cars had adblue but it was there to pass a test and basically not used mostly during driving.


Daniel

 

[mikebeaches]

I've got a 2-litre diesel Jag XE which uses adblue.

I've had the car almost 5 years and don't do much mileage.

But I've NEVER put any adblue in.

It has a service interval of two years, and assume Jaguar top it up then?

 

[Reallyretired]

Another advantage of an older motorhome.

 

[Langtoftlad]

After a couple of refills, mine appears to be using none !

After stalling the engine, Ad Blue warning illuminated - fair enough, right sort of miles I thought
Went to pump, couldn't get any in - advised pump might be faulty
Went to another pump, same story
Bought a 5litre container, couldn't get any in, might be useless spout, tried another, no luck.

Went to my mechanic [who has looked after my vehicles for nearly 30 years]...
"AdBlue = Dark Arts, absolutely no consistency of use from one engine to another"
"Sensor probably stuck, horrible stuff AdBlue, and stalling just freed it"
"You can't get any in because the tank is full" [when the alternatives are eliminated, the truth is self evident]

Me: But I must have used some over the past x 1000 miles
Him: Why? The sensor only calls for AdBlue additive when temperature is exceeded.
Me: But what about emissions & passing MOT
Him: NOx not measured - and they weren't.

Him: Don't worry about it, the tank is full. If the light comes on you have 1500 miles to fill it up, if you still can't fill it up, then you'll have 100's of miles to bring it here and we'll fix it.

Having said all that - the light will probably go on tomorrow .

 

[Langtoftlad]

Another advantage of an older motorhome.

Apart from the ever increasing LEZ & ULEZ zone fees [in EU as well]

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[Reallyretired]

Never been in a LEZ or ULEZ, even with my car. These are usually only in cities which I avoid at all costs.

 

[ontheroadagain]

Fiat say 4 litres per 600 miles is the mixed route average. So mine is about right.

It would appear that the Fiat Ducato uses a lot more adblue than a Peugeot/Merc etc.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Wonder if the ad blue level sensor can be knobbled so the ECU always thinks it's full

 

[Langtoftlad]

Wonder if the ad blue level sensor can be knobbled so the ECU always thinks it's full

Yes.
Illegal of course - but could only be detectable by someone who knows what they were looking for.

https://www.ecuware.com/article/adblue-delete.php

 

[MikenPauline]

Our van goes over 4000 miles on one full tank of adblue. I get the garage to top it up when it has annual service and it’s never added more than a few pounds to the bill. Also keep a 5 litre container and a funnel at home “just in case” but it’s a faff filling it at home so avoid it if possible

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[Shaun929]

Places that do remapping of engines can switch the add blue sensor of so it always thinks it is full. I know someone who has had it done to his transit van

 

[Langtoftlad]

Cost of fixing AdBlue system = £500+
Cost of AdBlue Delete = £50+

 

[PDrill]

Talking to friends who have cars with adblue, they're saying the never have to top it up. One handbook I've seen says the adblue is topped up at the annual service.

Are you sure it's AdBlue that's been topped up at the annual service? Don't know if it's valid for the last few years, but at least earlier PSA used Eolys fluid for pollution control on some engines. That is completely different fluid and system, and it's also often (always?) under the car or some other difficult location as it's not meant to be filled so often. If my memory serves me right, some cars had it in the service schedule as seldom as 120 000 kilometers, but in any case it's a few 10 000 kilometers anyway.

And back to the subject. The 2.3 Ducato is well known for it's appetite of AdBlue, but is there anyone who can report about the situation on the latest 2.2 engine?

 

[Spriddler]

New vehicles don't always come with a full AdBlue tank (penny pinching). See how far it goes once you've filled it.

 

[NicandJay]

Mine, 140 bhp auto about 2500 miles between fill ups but I try to fill as soon as warning appears and it is convenient. Brother, Toyota technician of 40 years, said never, ever let it run out but also believe I have somewhere around 1500 miles after warning first comes on but not going to find out exactly how far. No pointing pushing it to the limit just to prove a point

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[Mountain man]

Manual 140 never had the light come on yet 7300 miles I just top up regular .

 

[mapman]

MY20 160ps 2.3 ducato. About 3000 miles before first fill @ 13L or so. Only filled once so far, on 6000m now so expect it soon
What concerned me more was it gave a low warning, and I filled up within 50/100 miles of first warning - so well before any countdown.

Display went from "ad blue low"
to, after filling,
"engine won't restart when cranked"
then 20 mins later
"ad blue low"
then 10 mins later, all clear

Very odd.

I have 20 plate 2.3 FD also. Had exactly the same happen but took much longer than 10 mins for the light to go out and let me start. Only drove 50 miles after first warning but drove on to home knowing I had Adblue. Took 11 litres to fill but then message to fill remained and vehicle would not start. Green flag called and they said would have to be recovered to Fiat. Luckily nearest Fiat Professional had no slots for 3 weeks and in frustration I went online and found several suggestions on procedures following low Adblue. Messed around with various key positions. Holding key in prestart position for 2 minutes seemed to do it. Suddenly warning message and light went off and engine started. Very odd as you say. I will not be letting it get low in future intend to top up at 1500 miles.

 

[BikerGraham]

Adue real pain in the proverbial.

I have a Mercedes GLC and regularly comes up with faults. Mercedes know about it but deny it if coarse.

The software is programmed to count down if there is a problem with the system and if it reaches zero miles it will not allow the car to be driven until repaired.

System not fit for purpose so many are having the software linked out.

Mercedes often quote replacement of Nox sensor at about £500 a pop or replacement of the adblue tank at £2k plus.

I won’t have another vehicle with an adblue system now.

 

[Mountain man]

I have 20 plate 2.3 FD also. Had exactly the same happen but took much longer than 10 mins for the light to go out and let me start. Only drove 50 miles after first warning but drove on to home knowing I had Adblue. Took 11 litres to fill but then message to fill remained and vehicle would not start. Green flag called and they said would have to be recovered to Fiat. Luckily nearest Fiat Professional had no slots for 3 weeks and in frustration I went online and found several suggestions on procedures following low Adblue. Messed around with various key positions. Holding key in prestart position for 2 minutes seemed to do it. Suddenly warning message and light went off and engine started. Very odd as you say. I will not be letting it get low in future intend to top up at 1500 miles.

The back of the tank filler lid it explains how to reset the adblue warning light holding the key in the prestart position for a set time ,can’t remember exactly how long but your 2 mins could be right.

 

[gus-lopez]

Wonder if the ad blue level sensor can be knobbled so the ECU always thinks it's full

as said not a problem.

but at least earlier PSA used Eolys fluid for pollution control on some engines.

yes what they didn't say was there was also at least 3 different types of fluid depending on which car you had.
My mates c5 he had 5 years before the light came on . took days to find the tank, underneath. Then we struggled to find out which fluid so he gave up & let the garage sort it.Even they commented on how difficult it was pinning down the right fluid.

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[TOT]

Glad someone has raised this. Had the same 1500 mile issue when fist had the Van. Serious concern as already have 2 vehicles with Ad Blue.

Initially went back to dealer as suspected there was the preverbal leak in the Ad Blue tank - none to be found... Then tried driving with different Mode setting on gears set to Eco Drive - suddenly found massive saving on Fuel consumption but Ad Blue jumped to 3600 miles (ish) range - beats the RR.

 

[Fdhadi]

Add Poo
The wife of a friend of mine had a problem with her car. She took it to a local garage and the mechanic diagnosed “shit in the carb”.
To this she replied, how often should I do that.

 

[Spriddler]

Add Poo
The wife of a friend of mine had a problem with her car. She took it to a local garage and the mechanic diagnosed “shit in the carb”.
To this she replied, how often should I do that.

I used that in a cartoon ten years ago!

 

[Fdhadi]

old ones are the best

 

[Old Gibber]

Are you sure it's AdBlue that's been topped up at the annual service? Don't know if it's valid for the last few years, but at least earlier PSA used Eolys fluid for pollution control on some engines. That is completely different fluid and system, and it's also often (always?) under the car or some other difficult location as it's not meant to be filled so often. If my memory serves me right, some cars had it in the service schedule as seldom as 120 000 kilometers, but in any case it's a few 10 000 kilometers anyway.

And back to the subject. The 2.3 Ducato is well known for it's appetite of AdBlue, but is there anyone who can report about the situation on the latest 2.2 engine?

I've a new Ducato, its still 2.3, (2287cc actually), 160bhp, with a 75 litre fuel tank. Its the 160Multijet2. There isn't a 2.2 version. It does 3200miles on a full tank of Adblue before the warning light comes on, and it would seem that when that happens there is about 3-4 litres left in the tank.