EMERGENCY - Adblue low warning

Calldon

Active member
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Location
Texas
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI
My car was low in adblue a while back so I put a gallon in and it lasted to my next Oil Change. When I put the gallon in a few laters to mileage went back up on the warning.

now I am low again. When it got down to the 10-mile warning, I added an extra gallon of adblue. In driving more than 10 miles, now I have the red light that says it will not start again. But I just added a whole gallon of adblue to the adblue tank. Is it not recognizing that it still has at least a gallon left?

I have an appointment and I'm afraid when I come out, my car will not start even though I refilled a gallon of adblue.

Should I just plan to have the car towed home?
 

pbkid6974

Active member
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Location
NJ
TDI
none yet
I just filled mine today, took about 10 min for it to clear the low adblue warning on the dash. Why not just fill the thing and not worry about it for another 20k+ miles instead of only adding a gallon at a time at the last minute?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
When you do what you have done you can expect trouble. When you get the warning the first time fill it up. It takes 5 gallons. Why do you keep putting such a small amount in and driving it down to the limit. It may not start any more without dealer intervention. Have it towed to the dealer. The countdown starts at 1500 miles and you waited till it was empty several times.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Oh boy. This is going to be a expensive mistake
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I doubt it. Just fill up the DEF, maybe disconnect the battery for a few minutes and it should be good to go.
 

Fixmy59bug

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, NV
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE
When the warning started, did it start counting at 1,500 miles or something less than that.

I ask, because ALL Vw's that use adblue are supposed to give you a warning every time you start your vehicle when you have 1,500 miles worth of adblue left.

If your car gave you the first warning and started counting at 250 miles (for example), then there is a problem with your Adblue level sensor and needs to be replaced. If you are still under the Dieselgate warranty, it will be covered.

If your car started counting at 1,500 miles like it was designed to and you waited until you only had 10 miles to go, then this is your own fault and it is time to pay the piper.
 

jjblbi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2000
Location
lbi, nj
TDI
2014 Passat SEL TDI
FYI, when my Passat says 1500 mi to go I stop and pick-up a 2.5 gal jug of DEF and add the whole thing. No worries, no spills, no overfilling threat. Couldn't be easier, now at 200k miles.
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
At Wally World you can buy it in 2.5 gallon containers. That's what I do on my 2015 Golf. Then when it goes in for an oil change - the shop tops it off.
 

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
OP being cheap!
Cost of DEF fluid at truck stops is less than $ 3.00 a gallon. No reason not to fill the tank.
I've never ever had the warning come on since I keep my DEF tank topped up.
 

IXLR8

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Location
Cushing, ME
TDI
12 Passat Platinum Gray, 02 Golf Black, 01 Jetta Black
I had similar issue with my Passat, although the Ad-blue tank was full. Ended up being a bad NOx sensor, which the dealer said was going to cost about $900 to replace. Having said that, running the Ad-blue tank to empty and only adding a gallon at a time is seriously asking for trouble. I found only adding a gallon when the tank got empty often times was not enough to reset the reading. Good luck.
 
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