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Adblue Top Up Question

19K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  chillyman50 
#1 ·
evening guys, just a quick question.

apologies if this has been covered before, i'm betting it has but a search hasn't found what I'm after

Can the Adblue be topped up at anytime or do I have to wait for the warning light?

I was thinking of buying some and topping it up but wanted to make sure.

I've only had the car a week so unsure

Thanks
 
#2 ·
You should get about 6k miles from a full Adblue tank. Mine was full on delivery, others have said theirs wasn't. You can check the Adblue range and min/max top up volume in the AID.

I'd wait until it needs a refil. I'm going to use an Adblue pump at a local garage next time I need a refill.
 
#3 ·
Bulla43 said:
You should get about 6k miles from a full Adblue tank. Mine was full on delivery, others have said theirs wasn't. You can check the Adblue range and min/max top up volume in the AID.

I'd wait until it needs a refil. I'm going to use an Adblue pump at a local garage next time I need a refill.
thanks mate, didn't realise the info was in the AID, i'll check in the morning, and thanks again for the reply
 
#4 ·
There is no problem topping up the adblue except that there are some warnings about not overfilling the tank.
My car was delivered with some adblue in the new large tank (my2019) but it certainly wasn't full. I have topped it up just to see what difference it made to how many miles were left in the tank with no problem.
 
#5 ·
If you have a 2019 MY the Adblue tank was increased to 18 litres so you could get 9000 miles to a tank. I have a 12 litre tank on my 2018 MY. Mine came up with a warning today letting me know I am down to a 1500 mile range - you get plenty of warning so don't worry.
You can see my Adblue refills here if you are interested https://www.tiguanforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2747&start=20
 
#7 ·
I have a mk1 but it's the same EA288 engine etc. As the AdBlue filler is under the boot floor in ours, I drop 5 litres in now and again when the boot happens to be empty and it's a nice day.

I've seen some suggestion that it doesn't register unless it's asking to be topped up, but I haven't had that issue and I have sometimes let it run down to the warning.
 
#9 ·
using a pump is the add blue tank like the fuel tank and will shut off? or do you need to know how many litres to add and then to put in?
 
#12 ·
CNC said:
If you have a 2019 MY the Adblue tank was increased to 18 litres so you could get 9000 miles to a tank. I have a 12 litre tank on my 2018 MY. Mine came up with a warning today letting me know I am down to a 1500 mile range - you get plenty of warning so don't worry.
You can see my Adblue refills here if you are interested https://www.tiguanforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2747&start=20
guessing mine wasnt full on delivery, 20019 model 68 plate and im down to 800 miles, for refill, trip is at 5k and its saying 16l to fill
 
#13 ·
Hi
I am really puzzled now. My Tiguan has just had its Adblue topped up at my main dealers. It was showing 300 miles until 'it would not start'. It is a 2017 model.
I paid for 21 litres, yet I've just read on the forum my tank's capacity is 12litres.
Have I been diddled.
Kind regards
David
 
#14 ·
DaveL62 said:
Hi
I am really puzzled now. My Tiguan has just had its Adblue topped up at my main dealers. It was showing 300 miles until 'it would not start'. It is a 2017 model.
I paid for 21 litres, yet I've just read on the forum my tank's capacity is 12litres.
Have I been diddled.
Kind regards
David
Hopefully the dealer just got the numbers the wrong way around and they meant 12, not 21. There is an online VW price promise which says £1.50/litre so 12 litres means you should pay no more than £18 https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/service-promise
Bear in mind this is still up to twice the price than had you refilled it yourself, I usually do it myself for around 75p/litre.
 
#15 ·
Hi CNC,
Thank you for your confirmation. They did charge me £1.50 per litre (£1.25 +VAT), £31.50 in total plus I did'nt realise to 'DIY' it was that price.
After VW ruined my Mk1 Tiguan 2.0TDI with the emissions upgrade, cough cough, I think I'll let them carry on doing it for the bit that I use, but once again thank you.
Kind regards
David
 
#16 ·
DaveL62 said:
Hi CNC,
Thank you for your confirmation. They did charge me £1.50 per litre (£1.25 +VAT), £31.50 in total plus I did'nt realise to 'DIY' it was that price.
After VW ruined my Mk1 Tiguan 2.0TDI with the emissions upgrade, cough cough, I think I'll let them carry on doing it for the bit that I use, but once again thank you.
Kind regards
David
I would definitely go back to them because they've over-charged you. There is no way you can fit 21 litres of adblue into a 12 litre tank :!: I would also request a heavy discounted price for your next service by way of compensation...
 
#18 ·
DaveL62,

I had the same problem, went back and they said wasn't there a part used 10l drum in the boot?
Had all sorts of problems when I confirmed there wasn't and I wanted my money back.
Big row with the service manager who tried to had me a third full drum in lieu.
After a complaint to VW about dealer practice of keeping the remaining fluid, I got my money back but will never use VW for adblue ever again.

Seems to be a dealer perk!!!
 
#19 ·
page999 said:
DaveL62,

I had the same problem, went back and they said wasn't there a part used 10l drum in the boot?
Had all sorts of problems when I confirmed there wasn't and I wanted my money back.
Big row with the service manager who tried to had me a third full drum in lieu.
After a complaint to VW about dealer practice of keeping the remaining fluid, I got my money back but will never use VW for adblue ever again.

Seems to be a dealer perk!!!
I guess the dealers are pretty miffed at VW forcing them to do it for £1.50 /litre, especially on models where everything, including the spare wheel, has to be pulled out of the boot. They introduced the charge because some dealers were charging people £60-70 for AdBlue refills.
 
#20 ·
Hi everyone
Thank you for all of your helpful comments.
I rang the dealer up and explained the situation.
The service department had to confirm that what I was saying was the truth, i.e. the tank was 12 litres, and then told me that whoever had used the Adblu machine before him mustn't have zero'd it when they'd done the job!!!!!!!
They then offered to carry the overpayment to when I next went in to fill up with Adblu which I declined as in 12 months they'd have forgotten what they said they'd do.
Dealer then offered to fully refund the overcharge, and did this over the phone.
Result, but if it had not been for this forum, I would have been none the wiser.
Thank you everyone.
 
#21 ·
have put in the ad blue on first warning. Despite claiming 8.5 L to fill it takes all of the 10L bottle , however this must go up the filler neck as the range doesn`t drop for almost a thousand miles. Just had VW do a part top up as part of first service . Must look at range.
 
#22 ·
F2paul said:
have put in the ad blue on first warning. Despite claiming 8.5 L to fill it takes all of the 10L bottle , however this must go up the filler neck as the range doesn`t drop for almost a thousand miles. Just had VW do a part top up as part of first service . Must look at range.
Be careful not to over fill it. The amount left in the tank is measured by an ultrasonic sensor which sends a signal to the surface of the Adblue and when the signal bounces back is how it determines the current level. If you put too much in it can cover the sensor as it rises above it and the system then becomes confused which can under some circumstances result in having to drain some out then recalibrate the system.

 
#23 ·
filled mine yesterday wanted 16.25l chucked in just under 16l and managed not to spill a drop :)
 
#24 ·
CNC said:
F2paul said:
have put in the ad blue on first warning. Despite claiming 8.5 L to fill it takes all of the 10L bottle , however this must go up the filler neck as the range doesn`t drop for almost a thousand miles. Just had VW do a part top up as part of first service . Must look at range.
Be careful not to over fill it. The amount left in the tank is measured by an ultrasonic sensor which sends a signal to the surface of the Adblue and when the signal bounces back is how it determines the current level. If you put too much in it can cover the sensor as it rises above it and the system then becomes confused which can under some circumstances result in having to drain some out then recalibrate the system.

If i was using a adblue pump and the nozzle clicks off when it reaches near the neck , I guess then this is a similar amount to what goes in using the flexible nozzle from the bottles. Interesting note though.
 
#25 ·
you can refill anytime you like.

I usually wait until a couple of 1,000 miles then check in the AID. I have left it until it got down to 1500 miles, It normally need about 5 ltrs. 6,000 miles is about right on a 18 plate.

I would be careful of petrol station ones, they can be a bit fierce and spill out. AdBlue needs to be wiped down off your paint work.
 
#26 ·
chillyman50 said:
you can refill anytime you like.

I usually wait until a couple of 1,000 miles then check in the AID. I have left it until it got down to 1500 miles, It normally need about 5 ltrs. 6,000 miles is about right on a 18 plate.

I would be careful of petrol station ones, they can be a bit fierce and spill out. AdBlue needs to be wiped down off your paint work.
The HGV Adblue pumps can be pretty quick so I don't pull the lever all the way so as to restrict the flow, on the other hand the car specific pumps I have found to be a little too slow. I usually wait until mine says it can take 10 litres or more.
 
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