You may have heard of Adblue, but what does it do? Adblue is a product name that’s set to become a familiar one to those who drive diesel. It’s a clever chemical that helps the reduction of harmful emissions produced by diesel engines by injecting the clear liquid into the car’s system.
How does it work?
Officially governed by legislative/environmental rules, car manufacturers must work out new ways to reduce the emission consumption. The recent emission regulations also referred to as Euro 6 which came into force in 2016 aims to offer solutions to minimise nitrogen – oxide (NOx) emissions which resulted in the creation of Abblue.
What is Adblue made of?
Adblue is a non – toxic liquid that’s colourless and interestingly enough, made of water and urea. However, in Adblue, the urea is exceptionally pure and is of a higher grade than cosmetics or fertilisers and the water is demineralised, which is far cleaner than the water from your tap.
How do I know if my car uses Adblue?
If you’re driving a new diesel model since 2016, it’s highly likely it’ll use Adblue; if you’ve bought a new diesel car since 2016 which was on sale before that date, it’s possible it won’t require it.
Many people are unaware the Adblue system is installed until a warning message appears on the dashboard announcing the Adblue tank needs replenishing.
The technology employed is called selective catalytic reduction, or SCR, which is a technology that involves injecting precise amounts of a liquid into the vehicle exhaust gases.
If you’re in doubt as to the presence of an SCR system that requires Adblue, refer to the owner’s handbook for your car. You can check it for the location of the Adblue filler cap – if one isn’t listed, it can be assumed that SCR was never fitted to your model of car, although a call to your local dealer is still recommended.
How long does Adblue Last?
As with any vehicle fluid (including antifreeze and brake fluid), Adblue will eventually degrade over time. While it’s more than likely that it’ll be replaced before this happens, you should receive a dashboard warning message if this occurs.
While at first it might seem sensible to keep a few extra litres of Adblue in the boot, this isn’t something we recommend, as any spills or leaks are likely to damage your car’s interior. Do also note that you can’t keep a half-empty container of Adblue in your garage if you have some left over after topping up, as airborne contaminants can affect the chemical composition of Adblue.
What happens if you run out of Adblue?
While you’ll be reminded in plenty of time to do this by messages on the dashboard, be warned that your car won’t start if you fail to refill the Adblue tank before it runs completely dry.
Is Adblue included as part of my package?
If your company has taken out a maintenance package with Sandicliffe Motor Contracts, then we will cover the cost of replenishing the Adblue tank, as required during the vehicles scheduled maintenance service. Any additional topping up before or between services is the responsibility of the vehicle user.
Please note, if your company hasn’t taken out a maintenance package with us, then it is the responsibility of the user to top up the Adblue.
If you still have any more questions in regarding to Adblue feel free to get in touch with your dedicated strategic account manager or a member of the SMC customer services and support team.
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