Ad-Blue - 650 mile countdown comes and then goes off

[roadtripper]

Interesting, I have not used VAG-DPF just check the suit levels on Carista. Is VAG_DPF a similar thing?

It's designed for continuous monitoring of the DPF state when you're driving and tries to surface all the counters. That's for Android there's a similar app for iOS DPF Monitor for VAG

Both just need an OBD dongle to work - the Carista one will be fine. You then need to do a bit of fiddling sometimes to set the correct engine family (or closest one) to get the best results as the various counters have changed over the years. In my case (DXAA) the time since last regen doesn't scale correctly but it's an easy divide by 10 in your head so no biggie.

If on Android try VAG-DPF lite first - it's the free version with limited data so you can check you are happy it can read things. The full version is a few quid but absolutely worth it.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

It's designed for continuous monitoring of the DPF state when you're driving and tries to surface all the counters. That's for Android there's a similar app for iOS DPF Monitor for VAG

Both just need an OBD dongle to work - the Carista one will be fine. You then need to do a bit of fiddling sometimes to set the correct engine family (or closest one) to get the best results as the various counters have changed over the years. In my case (DXAA) the time since last regen doesn't scale correctly but it's an easy divide by 10 in your head so no biggie.

If on Android try VAG-DPF lite first - it's the free version with limited data so you can check you are happy it can read things. The full version is a few quid but absolutely worth it.

Nice one, im IOs so will have a look, be good to see if this is related to DPF regen and temps!!

 

[Ayjay]

When the van was serviced back in July, I mentioned that I was getting false AdBlue alerts on the MFD telling me that I needed a refill when I knew that was wrong as the tank was near full - typically, it bleeped and gave a 650 mile warning but then corrected itself within 40Km. At the time I was told that it needed a software update to sort it out but they couldn't do it there and then so I booked this new appointment. In the meantime, I also had an amber check engine light appear and when I plugged Carista in, it came back two faults both of which they reckon would be sorted by the update:

​

P204F (Pending) - Reductant System Performance Bank 1​

P20EE (Pending) (Confirmed) - SCR NOx Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1​

Anyway, it's done now and I can only take their word that things are now back to normal. All I can say is that I did the 50 mile drive back home and nothing unexpected popped up on the display. The display was also telling me that I had 1400 miles left in the AdBlue tank (which I think was pretty accurate) and to put in a minimum 1.75 Gallons / 7.96 Litres to a maximum of 2.,50 / 11.37 Litres so I put in 10.23 Litres from a pump at Chieveley Services on the M4, started up and the MFD showed 6000 miles but we will see what happens next. As an aside, I paid £1.60 per Litre for the pumped AdBlue which was a lot cheaper than the £42 that they wanted for a 10 Litre container or even the £20 that my local garage charges. I know I could have got it for less but I would have to drive to get it and also couldn't be arsed to worry about maybe 6 or 7 quid.

 

[T6_FunBus]

I mapped mine out. No more add blue stress. Least the industry can do if they want consumers to maintain these systems is to make them fit for purpose so people don’t need to get stranded or pay £1000 each year to fix it…

Another pal of mine just sent me the 650 countdown timer last week - EVERY vehicle owner with adblue at some point in their ownership is going to get this problem. And it’s usually a minimum of £1000 part plus diagnostic plus labour every time (pump, injector, heater / replacement tank).

I’m all for the environment, but make a system that actually works…

Speaking to a guy who owns a local haulage company about it also a few weeks ago. He said he always has trucks off of the road due to add blue problems, and it costs his business an absolute fortune, I am sure he said one of the systems is over a 12k bill on a specific truck when it goes tits up. He hates them.

 

[Ayjay]

@T6_FunBus. I will have to see what happens with this newly applied update and just hope that any new problems come up before the All In warranty expires! My daily drive is an Audi Q5 which actually had AdBlue deleted a couple of years ago mainly because it started to give alert messages and the root problem couldn't be dentified by Audi (or an independent) and it was starting to look like a potentially big bill so I had it done. The guy that did the delete told me that the firm next door to his unit had a fairly large fleet of VW Vans and that he had the job of deleting the AdBlue system as and when they developed issues (and that there had been quite a few!). I suspect my T6 will also get the snip if anything else comes up. As an aside, my Audi had had two MOTs since the job was done on it and passed both without issue.

 

[T6_FunBus]

Hopefully you get some more miles hastle free, I had software update and it resolved, then a while later the error again, it was the pump, pump replaced then a while later the injector, injector replaced then a while later another error, which eventually went away, but then another error which was the heater, to which the reply was a whole more tank and ancillaries, after already replacing a few grands worth of bits! It seemed there was no end to it, and unlike the crafter and sprinters where you can replace the heater, vw only sell you a whole new tank for the transporter!!!

I won’t touch any adblue equipped vehicle ever again. Come to think of it, with all of the emissions rubbish on them I probably won’t ever buy a diesel again!

I’m still running the DPF though as I don’t want to run a totally dirty van, but if an ethical thing there for me that it’s a step too far. DPF’s also actually seem to have a decent life, so when mine goes I will just get it removed refurbed and refitted.

 

[ShooglyStu]

I had this same 650 mile warning come on yesterday in the middle of a 150 mile journey. After 20-30 miles the warning went away and the MFD said I had 5000 miles remaining (I refilled the adblue 800 miles ago). Later on the 650 mile warning came back and has remained on. Today I checked for fault codes and there were six altho it looks like there are 3 duplicates. What to do? The jist of this thread seems to be ignore it, but I worry that it will come back and bite me

 

[ShooglyStu]

I had this same 650 mile warning come on yesterday in the middle of a 150 mile journey. After 20-30 miles the warning went away and the MFD said I had 5000 miles remaining (I refilled the adblue 800 miles ago). Later on the 650 mile warning came back and has remained on. Today I checked for fault codes and there were six altho it looks like there are 3 duplicates. What to do? The jist of this thread seems to be ignore it, but I worry that it will come back and bite me

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Help! Has anyone got any advice on how to diagnose this further please please pretty please?

 

[Stay Frosty]

It happened to us on holiday in France last year and made me want to set fire to the camper and cut our losses.
The fact that only 8 days into the trip we had reversed everything and started returning to Cherbourg only for normal service to be returned after driving back 80 kms and 5,000 mile range again, if it hadn't have been for a duff cam position sensor suicide too we would probably have tried resuming the holiday.
Either way although scarred we're currently booking a rematch in June and going to leave a box of matches bouncing around on the dashboard as an inducement to not start playing up.

 

[Ayjay]

As I reported on here at the time, we had a similar experience to yours just after setting out on a month long road trip to Spain last year. I had filled the Adblue tank not long before departure and it had registered full range immediately but on two occasions we had the 650 mile warning flash up only for it to correct itself not many miles afterwards. Not long after we got home, the van went in for a service and I told them (VW Swindon) about it. When we picked up the van they advised that it needed a software update but that they had no time to do it during the service - that peed me off a bit as I then needed to rebook it and make another 100 mile round trip. I've had no issues since but I certainly won't be surprised if it happens again. I don't know whether other car makers have problematic Adblue systems but with my van, it's another one of those little things that add up to make me think maybe VWs just ain't what they're cracked up to be nowadays. As an aside, I also had Adblue issues with my now aging Audi Q5 after which I had the Adblue system coded out but at least the car had the good grace to wait 12 years before it happened. I suspect that's where I'll be going if Adblue plays up ion the van again after my my All In warranty runs out. I've posted on this issue a few times with the whole story (inc. fault code taken from Carista) - search 'AdBlue' in my posts.

 

[CAB]

Help! Has anyone got any advice on how to diagnose this further please please pretty please?

I have only had one, it was freezing cold and the van had only just been started.

Two years ago, so hopefully just weather related?

 

[n10n]

made me want to set fire to the camper and cut our losses

Spare the camperfire for the occasion when you need to go bigger than campfire in the next pitch