VW SPECIALIST AD BLUE

[mk2driver]

So - what potentially is wrong with my car is either...
Ad blue injector,
Ad blue heater (less likely),
NOx injector,
Tank sensor,
Ad blue catalyst...

All of these are about £20 using the code MID60 on eurocarparts right?

Its unlikely to be the heater or tank level sensor given the code you have

So the system doesn’t work properly when it’s being used for short journeys, or longer stop/start journeys, it’ll only work on say a motorway or dual carriageway at constant speed for a prolonged period? And it definitely doesn’t work if it’s been horsed on?

It’s not that it doesn’t work on short journeys, it’s that it isn’t designed to operate until certain temps are reached

It will operate on all other journey types however I advised the best drive cycle to allow the efficiency monitor to run - steady state cruising is best for this

 

[trev 1515]

Its unlikely to be the heater or tank level sensor given the code you have


It’s not that it doesn’t work on short journeys, it’s that it isn’t designed to operate until certain temps are reached

It will operate on all other journey types however I advised the best drive cycle to allow the efficiency monitor to run - steady state cruising is best for this

So if it’s a short journey and it doesn’t get up to temperature it won’t operate? Lol that’s what I’ve just said.
If it runs on all journeys it should work when your tramping on like I suggested, changing over 3k revs for example.
I never disagreed with anything you said you just seemed to get very technical on a simple answer I gave.
Anyway That’s enough science for today for me...

 

[mk2driver]

So if it’s a short journey and it doesn’t get up to temperature it won’t operate? Lol that’s what I’ve just said.
If it runs on all journeys it should work when your tramping on like I suggested, changing over 3k revs for example.
I never disagreed with anything you said you just seemed to get very technical on a simple answer I gave.
Anyway That’s enough science for today for me...

Not working which is the wording you used implies it’s broken when in fact that’s how it’s designed.
The system does operate when load is higher but it’s not a point where you run the diagnostic for SCR efficiency which is what is needed for the OP
Also you suggested “tramping on” would cure the problem when in fact it wouldn’t help at all

 

[Jrooney06]

Not working which is the wording you used implies it’s broken when in fact that’s how it’s designed.
The system does operate when load is higher but it’s not a point where you run the diagnostic for SCR efficiency which is what is needed for the OP
Also you suggested “tramping on” would cure the problem when in fact it wouldn’t help at all

I was once told by a professor at Queens years ago who specialises in exhaust and catylitic converters that the components can cost in many cases more then the engine and all the ancillary components to manufacturer. You’d well believe it.

 

[mk2driver]

I was once told by a professor at Queens years ago who specialises in exhaust and catylitic converters that the components can cost in many cases more then the engine and all the ancillary components to manufacturer. You’d well believe it.

Geoff McCullough or Roy Douglas? I remember Geoff mentioning it in IC Engines lectures but Roy is the after treatment specialist
I really enjoyed my time at QUB

 

[Jrooney06]

Geoff McCullough or Roy Douglas? I remember Geoff mentioning it in IC Engines lectures but Roy is the after treatment specialist
I really enjoyed my time at QUB

Geoff McCullogh, I know he was doing research at the time in conjunction with Roy around that time. I did also, it has a good reputation in the Engineering field also!

 

[Paddy_R]

I have a Passat cc, never had to put ad blue in it, so assume it’s mapped out. Zero issues.

Not all Passat CCs came with this apparently. I've a mate with one and he's mentioned his was one if the last before they started to fit this system to them.

 

['96dc2]

Not all Passat CCs came with this apparently. I've a mate with one and he's mentioned his was one if the last before they started to fit this system to them.

Mines a 2014. Well it’s the wife’s car, so I’ve never really looked that close.

 

[althebass]

I was once told by a professor at Queens years ago who specialises in exhaust and catylitic converters that the components can cost in many cases more then the engine and all the ancillary components to manufacturer. You’d well believe it.

It’s nuts.
Ford were developing a lean burn system in the late 80s/early 90s which could do mega mpg by running the engine really lean when it wasn’t under load.
It doesn’t work with cats as they need a fairly consistent air/fuel ratio to work.

 

[rupertfinch]

Well this turd of an issue remains.
Car has been through Snap on diagnostics and VCDS by my mechanic - the gist seems to be that all systems are reporting as working.
Tank sensor fine, ad blue levels fine, pump for the system is working, the NOx sensor is even giving out data that suggests it’s working fine.
VCDS can’t seem to tell the car that it’s ok.

Stumped?

 

[mk2driver]

Well this turd of an issue remains.
Car has been through Snap on diagnostics and VCDS by my mechanic - the gist seems to be that all systems are reporting as working.
Tank sensor fine, ad blue levels fine, pump for the system is working, the NOx sensor is even giving out data that suggests it’s working fine.
VCDS can’t seem to tell the car that it’s ok.

Stumped?

NOx sensor reading values doesn’t mean they are logical - does its output at ignition on but engine off make sense? Also did you try running resets routines for the SCR? Is the Adblue definitely up to scratch and the right spec?

 

[rupertfinch]

Sadly @mk2driver I don’t have answers to all of these. Our family mechanic is old school and picked up the car and took away (also for nothing) he works with a well regarded chap in Bangor used by a number of forum members and it was put through his diagnostics- snap on, when that wasn’t showing much he took it to a chap in Bangor, name mentioned but I forget who specialises in VWs and apparently knows his way around VCDS but to no avail.
No idea when outputs were tested etc.

I suppose it won’t hurt to try and remove ad blue and refill with VW specific stuff had functioned with no issues on previous fill by myself of generic stuff and this fill was Halfords branded stuff.

I’d love it to be as simple as that.
I’m going to pull the ad blue injector tonight and clean with deionised water.

The NOx sensor treatment I mentioned on our pm involves oven cleaner and a blow torch, not keen on that at the moment.

off to look up how to drain tank. And how to beg VW to look at it tomorrow and not Friday!

 

[rupertfinch]

Outside Agnews now. I have lubed up and am in the brace position. Wish me luck.

 

[mk2driver]

Outside Agnews now. I have lubed up and am in the brace position. Wish me luck.

Any joy?

 

[rupertfinch]

Any joy?

Aside from the blatant incompetence of a main VW dealer - no.
I phoned them during the week to advise that two forms of diagnostics suggested the NOx sensor was the most likely culprit. I explained that I had rebooked a ferry for Sunday morning and would like to ensure the part was in stock and therefore could be fitted that day. Assured over the phone that this had been noted on my file etc.

fast forward to yesterday. Left in at 9, called at 2pm - they’d call me back. Nope. again at 3pm ‘Oh it needs a NOx sensor, that’ll be £490 though we’ve none in stock...!



So Monday...

Still I managed 31k steps walking around Belfast, oh and no courtesy car, so public transport for me.

 

[mk2driver]

Aside from the blatant incompetence of a main VW dealer - no.
I phoned them during the week to advise that two forms of diagnostics suggested the NOx sensor was the most likely culprit. I explained that I had rebooked a ferry for Sunday morning and would like to ensure the part was in stock and therefore could be fitted that day. Assured over the phone that this had been noted on my file etc.

fast forward to yesterday. Left in at 9, called at 2pm - they’d call me back. Nope. again at 3pm ‘Oh it needs a NOx sensor, that’ll be £490 though we’ve none in stock...!



So Monday...

Still I managed 31k steps walking around Belfast, oh and no courtesy car, so public transport for me.

FFS - at least diagnosis is there but that’s incredibly poor service

 

[rupertfinch]

Totally - and what’s worse they’ll get the guts of £700 too.
Though I will pen a few stinking letters to their MD etc...

 

[mikey]

Though I will pen a few stinking letters to their MD etc...

Ask why the sensor wasn’t speculatively ordered against a DISS number to ensure a first time fix. This means the parts can be returned to VW if they aren’t used and ensures customer satisfaction as the customer doesn’t have to wait overnight/ re book at a later date for parts fitting.

 

[rupertfinch]

Ask why the sensor wasn’t speculatively ordered against a DISS number to ensure a first time fix. This means the parts can be returned to VW if they aren’t used and ensures customer satisfaction as the customer doesn’t have to wait overnight/ re book at a later date for parts fitting.

thank you for this - excellent wording.

 

[rupertfinch]

And a ‘sorry about that’ was all that I got in return.

 

[mk2driver]

Did the sensor sort it?

 

[mcauleyj]

We have a 2011 Alhambra (owned for 6 years) and had a similar experience.

• About maybe 3 years ago, the Adblue topup countdown warning came on, refilled as usual but it didn't reset the counter the way it normally would.
• I linked up VCDS and looked at the NOx values on a drive, removed the sensor and cleaned it then monitored the values on a drive again.
• From memory the values it was reading after clean were lower than the readings before, but who knows if they were in the expected range.
• After a desperate hoke around the net for similar experiences, there was mention of DPF regen helping - so tried that to no avail, all that did was bring the adblue countdown counter down a good bit.
• So like yourself, into Seat dealer fro a new NOx sensor. That replaced and they still couldn't reset the countdown counter.
• They had the car a week and after supposedly consulting Seat technical, got it reset. About £670 IIRC
• All fine - then about a 1 - 2 years later we had the Adblue Tank Heater codes show up, so had to replace that too (around £280 or £300), the dealer price for replacement was about £80 more than I could buy the kit for at the time so let them do it.

Touch wood all fine since.
I've kept the old NOx sensor just incase.


John