Passenger cars and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV)
Following on from the introduction of AdBlue® into the Commercial fleet sector, the same tecnology was also introduced into the diesel cars, vans, and light duty vehicles in 2016.
Referred to Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Technology, your vehicle will also have a tank for AdBlue® which you will need to fill regularly. So, how does the system work? AdBlue® is a synthetic urea-based solution, which is stored in a separate tank and injected directly into a specially modified part of the vehicle’s exhaust system. This begins a chemical reaction which removes the polluting nitrogen oxides (NOx), converting them into harmless steam and nitrogen in a process known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). SCR is only applicable to diesel engines.
The frequency of tops up may vary due to the size of the AdBlue® tank fitted to your car, journey mileage, journey type and your driving style. A passenger car will consume approximately 1 litre of AdBlue® every 500 miles but this will vary depending on your cars manufacturer. How do you know your vehicle needs a top up? There will be a series of warnings that will be given usually on your vehicles instrument cluster, accompanied by further advice/messages via the driver information system. If these warnings are not acted upon the car will not restart once the ignition is turned off. The system will need a full top-up before the car can be restarted. This is not a fault, but a required feature of the system.
Further information is avaiable in our section About AdBlue® and why AdBlue® quality matters. You will also find more information in your vehicle owner’s manual.