AdBlue warning won't go away.

AdBlue warning won't go away.

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netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
Tiguan 184 Diesel, problem first surfaced 15 months ago, get a warning to fill , the warning didn't go away and got down to 50 miles before engine will not start, still in warranty at the time but it took two days for them to sort it out.

Subsequent messages for more have always been successful, until now, and I've got the warning again, filled up, but now it won't go away again.
Strangely the sticker in the boot says a minimum of 5 Litres must be used when filling, it only took about 2 before it stopped going in.

It was booked in at the dealers for early next month for test and to sort this problem, two days after booking this the garage has shutdown for the foreseeable future.

Of course the MOT has been extended for now so that's Ok.

Second problem is the DPF filter warning will come on when the vehicle isn't doing enough to be able to regenerate, usually take it for a 10 mile blast to sort that out, but now the police are stopping these kind of journeys, so now we've a double whammy, the cars going to give up one way or another, which causes a problem for being able to sort out the Mother in law, who's dependent on Mrs N being able to reach her.

I've an indy VW man have a look, his hook up does not even show a fault through the port, and of course if it's a software fault only the dealer can update it.

We'd planned on replacing this car, it's possibly either on a ship between Germany and Grimsby, or stuck in a compound in Grimsby or in the dealers compound. But chances of getting it look pretty slim at the moment.

sparks_190e

12,738 posts

226 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
The adblue has probably been overfilled which sends the system haywire. Unfortunately there's nothing to stop you overfilling it.

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
sparks_190e said:
The adblue has probably been overfilled which sends the system haywire. Unfortunately there's nothing to stop you overfilling it.
Well it shouldn't do it's a proper bottle which is supposed to stop when it's full, I can see a gap at the top of the tank, so it's not full to overflowing.

I rang the local chip tuner, who sponsors the VWaudi forum he has heard of this before and says it needs 25/30 miles in a single journey to clear the fault, can't see the police allowing this at the moment.

I did try to think of a way to get 5 Litres or more out and then try refilling again.




kiethton

14,186 posts

193 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
Well it shouldn't do it's a proper bottle which is supposed to stop when it's full, I can see a gap at the top of the tank, so it's not full to overflowing.

I rang the local chip tuner, who sponsors the VWaudi forum he has heard of this before and says it needs 25/30 miles in a single journey to clear the fault, can't see the police allowing this at the moment.

I did try to think of a way to get 5 Litres or more out and then try refilling again.
Put some bags in the boot of the car and drive the 35 miles, in a safe, easy consistent way. You are very unlikely to be stopped, and if you do, say that you’re going shopping in the supermarket a few miles further down the roads in the direction you’re heading.

Use a bit of common sense and take a pragmatic view.

sparks_190e

12,738 posts

226 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
sparks_190e said:
The adblue has probably been overfilled which sends the system haywire. Unfortunately there's nothing to stop you overfilling it.
Well it shouldn't do it's a proper bottle which is supposed to stop when it's full, I can see a gap at the top of the tank, so it's not full to overflowing.

I rang the local chip tuner, who sponsors the VWaudi forum he has heard of this before and says it needs 25/30 miles in a single journey to clear the fault, can't see the police allowing this at the moment.

I did try to think of a way to get 5 Litres or more out and then try refilling again.
It happened a lot when I worked at VW. The level sensor is more of a sonar, if it's drowned so to speak it messes up the calibration, so if you haven't physically overfilled it, you may have drowned the sensor, if that makes sense.

This was the case on commercial vehicles, probably the same on the cars too. Whatever system VW uses sucks, I now work for another German manufacturer and we never have adblue issues.

See how you get on, I can try and contact my old master tech if you're still stuck.

StevenB

783 posts

210 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
From your description maybe the level sensor is faulty ? it thinks the adblue level is low ?

sparks_190e

12,738 posts

226 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
StevenB said:
From your description maybe the level sensor is faulty ? it thinks the adblue level is low ?
Possibly, although we fixed the problem dozens of times by performing a recalibration and software update, plus draining the tank on occasion. It was a few years back, but I don't recall faulty sensors being a culprit. It's just a really stupidly designed system, but VW got away with it by putting in the user manual small print about not overfilling it.

You may not have overfilled it this time, but if it ever has been the issue can rear it's ugly head anytime.

StevenB

783 posts

210 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
sparks_190e said:
StevenB said:
From your description maybe the level sensor is faulty ? it thinks the adblue level is low ?
Possibly, although we fixed the problem dozens of times by performing a recalibration and software update, plus draining the tank on occasion. It was a few years back, but I don't recall faulty sensors being a culprit. It's just a really stupidly designed system, but VW got away with it by putting in the user manual small print about not overfilling it.

You may not have overfilled it this time, but if it ever has been the issue can rear it's ugly head anytime.
I don't get this top up with 5 litres at a time thing we have operated coaches with adblue for over 10 years and you can top up at any time, even if it's just a couple of litres. if it gets overfilled it comes out of an overflow. most problems are caused by the injector and pipework blocking which is solved by flushing the lines with etc with warm water. We have recently had a couple of level sensors fail which does upset the system. of course being on a car it will be 10 times more complicated ......... :-)

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
sparks_190e said:
It happened a lot when I worked at VW. The level sensor is more of a sonar, if it's drowned so to speak it messes up the calibration, so if you haven't physically overfilled it, you may have drowned the sensor, if that makes sense.

This was the case on commercial vehicles, probably the same on the cars too. Whatever system VW uses sucks, I now work for another German manufacturer and we never have adblue issues.

See how you get on, I can try and contact my old master tech if you're still stuck.
Thank you, it would be nice to know if taking some out and refilling would work or not, I'm not tempting fate by doing the 35 mile run just yet, because the next problem will be the DPF filter no regenerating because the car isn't getting hot enough, that we've cured previously by doing a 10 mile or so run at 50 mph, so if needs must I'll try to combine the two jobs.

sparks_190e

12,738 posts

226 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
DPFs, EGRs, adblue problems. It was all part of a standard working day!

Give me a shout if you don't get it resolved, I'll see if my old master tech has any ideas rotate

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
sparks_190e said:
DPFs, EGRs, adblue problems. It was all part of a standard working day!

Give me a shout if you don't get it resolved, I'll see if my old master tech has any ideas rotate
Thanks

Sheepshanks

36,488 posts

132 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
Subsequent messages for more have always been successful, until now, and I've got the warning again, filled up, but now it won't go away again.
Have you got the VW version (not sure who the Operator is - AA?) of breakdown cover? If it gets to the point where it won't start then call them.

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Sunday 29th March 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Have you got the VW version (not sure who the Operator is - AA?) of breakdown cover? If it gets to the point where it won't start then call them.
No although warranty was 3 years, breakdown as only for one, insurance may do it, I'll have to read the policy some more.

okenemem

1,396 posts

207 months

Thursday 2nd April 2020
quotequote all
just drive your car for the 10 miles like you usually do

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
Did a 30 mile run yesterday, to clear the DPF warning, but the adblue remains.

Lastest from the dealer is they will pick the car up on 6th may if allowed.

Replacement is sat in a compound in Newcastle, just needs transport to be allowed by Government.

sparks_190e

12,738 posts

226 months

Tuesday 14th April 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
Did a 30 mile run yesterday, to clear the DPF warning, but the adblue remains.

Lastest from the dealer is they will pick the car up on 6th may if allowed.

Replacement is sat in a compound in Newcastle, just needs transport to be allowed by Government.
95% sure the tank needs to be drained and recalibrated. It's an impossibly rubbish set up unfortunately.

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Wednesday 29th April 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
Did a 30 mile run yesterday, to clear the DPF warning, but the adblue remains.

Lastest from the dealer is they will pick the car up on 6th may if allowed.

Replacement is sat in a compound in Newcastle, just needs transport to be allowed by Government.
Now put back to 8th June

netherfield

Original Poster:

2,871 posts

197 months

Thursday 21st May 2020
quotequote all
Given the car a good thrashing today, seems to have cured the DPF filter warning and the AdBlue problem in one go, first opportunity I've had without other traffic baulking the run.
Also had a call from VW dealer and any cars already in this country can be released pretty soon, hopefully by the beginning of June.

fatboy b

9,629 posts

229 months

Thursday 21st May 2020
quotequote all
netherfield said:
No although warranty was 3 years, breakdown as only for one, insurance may do it, I'll have to read the policy some more.
This is why VW is off our list for the foreseeable. Shabby customer service.

Sheepshanks

36,488 posts

132 months

Thursday 21st May 2020
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
This is why VW is off our list for the foreseeable. Shabby customer service.
The 1yr roadside assistance threw me when we replaced a SEAT with a VW as the SEAT had come with 5 years cover.

Sadly, I think only offering 1 yr cover is quite common now - it's a year with Ford and Vauxhall, for example.