2013 Passat AdBlue explosion in my trunk

lskylar

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Location
Canada
TDI
Passat
Anyone else ever have this happen? :confused: Can’t find much info online. It exploded up behind the back seat, onto the rear window, and some even got onto my kids car seats, as well as a couple spots on my daughter’s jacket. It came up right in front of her rear-facing car seat. It even got so far as the centre console.

Not sure how to post any photos but it’s a friggen mess and I’m super pissed that it coulda harmed my kids. :mad:
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
https://www.discoverdef.com/def-equipment/handling-guide/

"Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is a colorless, non-hazardous, and non-flammable chemical. If DEF comes into contact with skin it can simply be washed off with water. DEF is sensitive to chemical impurities and it is essential that it is handled carefully to prevent contamination. DEF is much more likely to be damaged by the materials it touches than to cause damage to equipment."

https://www.peakhd.com/lifeblood/fluid-thinking/diesel-exhaust-fluid-faqs/

"DEF is non-hazardous, non-toxic, non-flammable and non-explosive. It is classified as minimum risk for transportation and is safe if it touches skin.

I don't know what happened with yours but it didn't explode. Maybe you hit something on the tank causing it to be sprayed out or ruptured. Regardless I would be seeing VW and see what they say. There should be no issue with your kids other than they may have gotten wet from it.
 

lskylar

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Location
Canada
TDI
Passat
Good to know. I definitely didn’t hit anything but it seems like something ruptured. I’ll call VW and see what they say.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
I don't know about the OPs Passat, but how could DEF fluid get into the cabin from the trunk! Stored on the back windowsill perhaps and the sun caused the container to expand?
I'm guessing there is more to this tale which is not being told?
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Only way I can speculate about is something hit the plastic holding tank very hard causing the cap to come off or rupture spewing def throughout the trunk and coming out of the cracks and crevices around the seats and back deck. This would simply have to be noticeable just by inspecting the tank and or hearing it happen.
 

lskylar

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Location
Canada
TDI
Passat
Hahahah, there was nothing in the trunk and no DEF bottles in the car. It somehow came from the trunk and up through the back seat. No clue how or why. Seems to be a mystery. Called VW and they’ve never heard of it happening either. Just my luck. :eek: We are cleaning it up and will see if anything else happens again...
 

Miss_Athanatos

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2015
Location
Kansas
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen 6-speed manual; 2016 3500 Ram Tradesman 4X4 6.7L Cummins 6-Speed manual
I am guessing there was no explosion. Based on the location of the AdBlue/DEF holding tank, my guess is that your tank cracked, possibly due to the cold ambient temperature causing expansion of the DEF. Possibly, as a result of this, the DEF began wicking by means of whatever cloth was in contact with the tank on the hypothetical crack, through your car's seats, onto the child seats and whatever else was stored in the back seat.

...and by the way folks, just because someone experiences some odd occurrence doesn't automatically make him a crank or a troll to post about it. How about we exercise some welcoming decency?

For your reference, OP:

 

lskylar

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Location
Canada
TDI
Passat
What I’ve figured out is that there was a DEF spill and the car when driving seems to create some sort of weird vacuum that sucked the spilled fluid up the back seat and onto the back window.

FYI I have much better things to do with my time than troll a VW forum. Thanks for the help and useful post Miss_Athanatos! That graphic is good to have on hand. :D
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
If it is like other previous cars there are exhaust ducts in the rear of the trunk to take fumes out the rear of the car. In from the front dash area through the cabin into the trunk and out the vents. It is a safety thing to remove any engine fumes if they should exist. This would go against your weird vacuum theory. Did you actually hear a boom or just saw the crystals from the def everywhere and assumed an explosion?
 

Miss_Athanatos

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2015
Location
Kansas
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen 6-speed manual; 2016 3500 Ram Tradesman 4X4 6.7L Cummins 6-Speed manual
What I’ve figured out is that there was a DEF spill and the car when driving seems to create some sort of weird vacuum that sucked the spilled fluid up the back seat and onto the back window.

FYI I have much better things to do with my time than troll a VW forum. Thanks for the help and useful post Miss_Athanatos! That graphic is good to have on hand. :D
Glad to be of service. Good luck.
 

Miss_Athanatos

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2015
Location
Kansas
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen 6-speed manual; 2016 3500 Ram Tradesman 4X4 6.7L Cummins 6-Speed manual
If it is like other previous cars there are exhaust ducts in the rear of the trunk to take fumes out the rear of the car. In from the front dash area through the cabin into the trunk and out the vents. It is a safety thing to remove any engine fumes if they should exist. This would go against your weird vacuum theory. Did you actually hear a boom or just saw the crystals from the def everywhere and assumed an explosion?
I'm definitely guessing he observed the latter: no boom, just a crystall-y mess.
 

Smashed Ixnay

Veteran Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Location
Auburndale, FL
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SEL
I had my adblue tank go bad also. Replaced first week of september at my VW dealer under warranty. Mine didnt' "explode," but it was throwing codes.
 

NAZ TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Location
now Kuna, Idaho
TDI
2015 Jetta TDI DSG
Anyone else ever have this happen? :confused: Can’t find much info online. It exploded up behind the back seat, onto the rear window, and some even got onto my kids car seats, as well as a couple spots on my daughter’s jacket. It came up right in front of her rear-facing car seat. It even got so far as the centre console.

Not sure how to post any photos but it’s a friggen mess and I’m super pissed that it coulda harmed my kids. :mad:



This system is warrantied for 11 years of 100,000 miles if that helps.
 
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