AdBlue consumption

tdiclubfan · April 20th, 2012, 20:43

How often do you need to top it up? How much does a bottle of AdBlue cost and how many do you need for each refill when the car is out of warranty? Thanks!

Niner · April 20th, 2012, 21:31

10,000 miles.... 2 to 4.5 gallons, depending on how you drive, how much soot you produce with your driving practices, how often it needs to cycle to clean up, city inefficient versus highway very efficient hot passive regens. About $12 for 2.5 gallons at Walmart.

APT · April 23rd, 2012, 05:20

My owners manual says Adblue is included in each 10k mile complementary service. The 5gallon tank is designed to last about 15k miles. As Niner said, it will vary based on how the vehicle is driven. I have seen 2.5 gallon bottles of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at auto parts stores for $10, and it can be pumped like fuel at some truck stops as well. Budget about 0.15 cents per mile, or negligible.

tdiclubfan · April 23rd, 2012, 05:40

Does AdBlue consumption increase if you drive the car hard or only if you do a lot of stop go city traffic?

r11 · April 23rd, 2012, 05:54

To add the fluid on your own, you'd need to score a 1/2 gallon VW/Audi adblue bottle that you can turn into a funnel. Cannot just pour bulk fluid into the VW ablue tank, it requires a special bottle (neck "unlocks" the tank). Apparently BMW and Mercedes have standardized on the same design too (?).

Most of us don't have much to worry about for a looong while

Wonder what they use at service centers ... must have some kind of spill-proof funnels ... or they just use the 1/2 gallon bottles ...

dweisel · April 23rd, 2012, 06:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by r11

To add the fluid on your own, you'd need to score a 1/2 gallon VW/Audi adblue bottle that you can turn into a funnel. Cannot just pour bulk fluid into the VW ablue tank, it requires a special bottle (neck "unlocks" the tank). Apparently BMW and Mercedes have standardized on the same design too (?).

Most of us don't have much to worry about for a looong while

Wonder what they use at service centers ... must have some kind of spill-proof funnels ... or they just use the 1/2 gallon bottles ...

As far as I know the special bottle does not "unlock the tank". The bottle is designed so you can invert it and not spill the contents.You first screw the bottle into place in the AdBlue filler neck. Then you push down on the bottle which then releases the AdBlue from the bottle. When you quit pushing down on the bottle it shuts off the flow of the AdBlue from the bottle and prevents spillage. At least thats how I understand it to work.

kydsid · April 23rd, 2012, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweisel

As far as I know the special bottle does not "unlock the tank". The bottle is designed so you can invert it and not spill the contents.You first screw the bottle into place in the AdBlue filler neck. Then you push down on the bottle which then releases the AdBlue from the bottle. When you quit pushing down on the bottle it shuts off the flow of the AdBlue from the bottle and prevents spillage. At least thats how I understand it to work.

That was my understanding as well. I know I will ask for the empty bottle at my 30k free maintenance though to make a funnel. I can only imagine the problems if you spill DEF in the trunk.

wolfsburg_de · April 23rd, 2012, 07:41

FYI, with VCDS, I believe you can find the level (expressed as a percentage) in Engine -> Advanced Measuring Values -> 98-0:Sensor for reducing agent fill level. My Passat with about 3600 miles, mostly around town, shows a fill level of 77.03 %.

Ozzmosis86 · April 23rd, 2012, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by kydsid

That was my understanding as well. I know I will ask for the empty bottle at my 30k free maintenance though to make a funnel. I can only imagine the problems if you spill DEF in the trunk.

I asked for an empty jug at my 10k mile service. They gave me a 2.5gal jug, but it didn't have a special neck or anything on it, I ended up just throwing it away. I am not sure how to get one of the correct jugs, maybe my dealership has the tool you can buy and they are using different jugs.

If anyone has gotten the correct jug, please share a picture.

dachman1 · April 23rd, 2012, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis86

I asked for an empty jug at my 10k mile service. They gave me a 2.5gal jug, but it didn't have a special neck or anything on it, I ended up just throwing it away. I am not sure how to get one of the correct jugs, maybe my dealership has the tool you can buy and they are using different jugs.

If anyone has gotten the correct jug, please share a picture.

Interesting, I was planning on doing the exact same thing. I guess I'll have to be more inquisitive about the filler nozzle and not just try to score an empty bottle.

APT · April 23rd, 2012, 09:21

tdiatlast, 0.0013 dollars per mile. Or, 2,000 cents divided by 15,000 miles if you choose.

The 40k mile DSG service costs more, like 1c/mile.

dweisel · April 23rd, 2012, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis86

I asked for an empty jug at my 10k mile service. They gave me a 2.5gal jug, but it didn't have a special neck or anything on it, I ended up just throwing it away. I am not sure how to get one of the correct jugs, maybe my dealership has the tool you can buy and they are using different jugs.

If anyone has gotten the correct jug, please share a picture.

dachman1 · April 23rd, 2012, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis86

If anyone has gotten the correct jug, please share a picture.

Looks like ECS Tuning has them
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Brake_Fluid/ES465415/

I also found this pretty informative FAQ page on DPF systems and AdBlue stuff including a filling video.
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a...di-dpf-faq.htm

Driver_found · April 23rd, 2012, 09:49

5 gallons of liquid is a lot of extra weight to haul around. Hopefully they have positioned the weight so that it has a low center of gravity.

TheGrove · April 23rd, 2012, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Driver_found

5 gallons of liquid is a lot of extra weight to haul around. Hopefully they have positioned the weight so that it has a low center of gravity.

It's in the right rear quarter below the trunk floor. You access the tank thru the trunk and a door on the floor in the little "cubby" between the rear tire and the back of the car.