tdiclubfan
Well-known member
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!
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.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.
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.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.
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.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.
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.
Looks like ECS Tuning has themIf anyone has gotten the correct jug, please share a picture.
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.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.
...too early in the morning...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.
This keeps the center of gravity low, and also explains the design of the bottle/nozzle used for filling. As is obvious from previous comments, checking the tank level can't be done visually, and this "VCDS" software is obviously a PITA to use for anything simple like this. Therefore, a bottle design that allows a fill but will cut off when removed to prevent overflow / spillage.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.
I just checked mine 2999 miles on the car, 99.85% for the value 524 and 100.02 for value 605. I did not find a 98-0 value on the advanced measuring values under engine.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 %.
I hope you didn't buy your car from this dealer.I went in for my 10k checkup and had to argue with the service dept. they didn't even know the Passat took ad blue. I hate dealers that know less about the car than the customer.
Be careful if you go to Waldorf vw
I would agree, so I don't worry about it. If it gets low a warning comes on with about 1,000 miles left to go so you have time to get some AdBlue and put it into the tank. Remember if you are still in the 36,000 mile free service then you just need to stop by the dealer and have them add some.This keeps the center of gravity low, and also explains the design of the bottle/nozzle used for filling. As is obvious from previous comments, checking the tank level can't be done visually, and this "VCDS" software is obviously a PITA to use for anything simple like this. Therefore, a bottle design that allows a fill but will cut off when removed to prevent overflow / spillage.
Yep, I believe when I had my 1st service done at 10K the dealer didn't realize this either and didn't fill it up because at 15K miles the warning came on. I took it back and had them add some. I also made sure at the 20K service to specifically make sure they filled the tank so I haven't had the warning come on since and I'm within 2K of the 30K service.I went in for my 10k checkup and had to argue with the service dept. they didn't even know the Passat took ad blue. I hate dealers that know less about the car than the customer.
Be careful if you go to Waldorf vw
While that's probably a perfectly fine place for a non-essential fluid container, the legal requirement to STOP NOW if the tank is empty because no DEF means you might pollute in a day as much as a big truck in 5 seconds will statistically cause quite a few rear-ended TDIs with relatively minor damage to become instantly undrivable. Not good.It's in the right rear quarter below the trunk floor.
While that's probably a perfectly fine place for a non-essential fluid container, the legal requirement to STOP NOW if the tank is empty because no DEF means you might pollute in a day as much as a big truck in 5 seconds will statistically cause quite a few rear-ended TDIs with relatively minor damage to become instantly undrivable. Not good.
From what I have read, if tank goes empty it does not 'STOP NOW', but you can't restart after you shut it off.While that's probably a perfectly fine place for a non-essential fluid container, the legal requirement to STOP NOW if the tank is empty because no DEF means you might pollute in a day as much as a big truck in 5 seconds will statistically cause quite a few rear-ended TDIs with relatively minor damage to become instantly undrivable. Not good.
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.