ADBLUE WARNING

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10814
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 984

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by RichardW »

So do I, but so far it's 100% correlation for sudden and unexpected Ad Blue level warning leading to new tank....

How many miles does it say are left before engine starting inhibited, and is it counting down?
Richard W
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

RichardW wrote: 02 Jan 2022, 21:40 So do I, but so far it's 100% correlation for sudden and unexpected Ad Blue level warning leading to new tank....

How many miles does it say are left before engine starting inhibited, and is it counting down?
Yes its weird that its saying it needs a refill even though I filled it, almost certainly more than an issue then a simple overfill. At the moment its showing 1500 Miles, not counting down yet as only done about 30 miles since the refill.
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37015
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5648

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by GiveMeABreak »

It won’t start counting down from 1500 until it reaches a certain level (check your handbook as the exact amounts and capacities vary). So you’ll see 1500 all the time until that is your remaining mileage. Then it will start dropping

I have to agree with Richard, if the Adblue light is on then there may well be a fault in the system. What the exact fault is won’t be known without a diagnostic unfortunately. For the year though it could well be a faulty pump which can’t be replaced. There are no serviceable parts as the tank is sealed. If it’s a fault internal to the tank it’s a new one unfortunately.

But again, could be a faulty Adblue injector (located at the catalytic converter) or NOx sensor. So we are guessing without any codes.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

GiveMeABreak wrote: 02 Jan 2022, 22:00 It won’t start counting down from 1500 until it reaches a certain level (check your handbook as the exact amounts and capacities vary). So you’ll see 1500 all the time until that is your remaining mileage. Then it will start dropping

I have to agree with Richard, if the Adblue light is on then there may well be a fault in the system. What the exact fault is won’t be known without a diagnostic unfortunately. For the year though it could well be a faulty pump which can’t be replaced. There are no serviceable parts as the tank is sealed. If it’s a fault internal to the tank it’s a new one unfortunately.

But again, could be a faulty Adblue injector (located at the catalytic converter) or NOx sensor. So we are guessing without any codes.
Thanks for your help, I have just checked the handbook and nothing at all is mentioned about this fault or Urea / AdBlue. This car is slowly pissing me off as still not sorted the problem out with no heat through the drivers side vents as my local garage could not find a fault and with 2 discs gone in my back I am in no fit state to be sorting it out. Will drain some AdBlue out of the tank tomorrow as it is overfilled but I am now convinced that will not help so it looks ever so likely I will have to get the codes read at a garage as you have kindly suggested.
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
Hell Razor5543
Donor 2023
Posts: 13727
Joined: 01 Apr 2012, 09:47
Location: Reading
My Cars: C5 Mk2 VTX+ estate.
x 2993

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I believe that the AdBlue tank would be close to the fuel tank. My previous company van was a Vauxhall Combo (and was the Vauxhall/Fiat version), and had a fuel tank capacity of 65l. My current company van is a PSA version Vauxhall Combo, and has a fuel capacity of around 50l. As the AdBlue and Diesel share the same filling cap area it makes sense for the tanks to share the same "fuel storage" area as well.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37015
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5648

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by GiveMeABreak »

WELSHVIKING wrote: 02 Jan 2022, 22:26 Thanks for your help, I have just checked the handbook and nothing at all is mentioned about this fault or Urea / AdBlue. This car is slowly pissing me off as still not sorted the problem out with no heat through the drivers side vents as my local garage could not find a fault and with 2 discs gone in my back I am in no fit state to be sorting it out. Will drain some AdBlue out of the tank tomorrow as it is overfilled but I am now convinced that will not help so it looks ever so likely I will have to get the codes read at a garage as you have kindly suggested.
I wouldn't worry too much about draining it as it likely has an over-fill drain. Mine does and if I overfill it I can see it trickling out under the rear bumper. I make a note of topping mine up each month. I buy the adblue in 10-15 litre containers and keep it in the garage. My reasoning is that air and Urea = crystallisation and I don't want too much air in the tank to start causing this. So I'm hoping that keeping it topped up will stop any remaining metal component parts in the tank rusting (that's what the early tanks did). Although I have a newer tank where they converted more of the metallic parts to plastic, I'm still hoping to reduce problems by keeping it topped up.

Yours must be a late 2014 model to have the SCR system with Adblue. So a 17 litre Adblue tank enough for 12.5k miles before the alert is triggered at 1500 miles remaining.

Details are all on Page 319 of the handbook regarding the warning lamp definitions if it's any help.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10814
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 984

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by RichardW »

GiveMeABreak wrote: 02 Jan 2022, 22:00 It won’t start counting down from 1500 until it reaches a certain level (check your handbook as the exact amounts and capacities vary). So you’ll see 1500 all the time until that is your remaining mileage. Then it will start dropping
Whilst that is true in a normally working system, Marc, the low level warning is on here, despite the level being high. Depending on how it works and what the fault is, it may stay at 1500 miles, if it thinks the level is constant and it's programmed off level, or it may drop if it's programmed off mileage. I'd love to be proved wrong, but I can't see this ending anywhere except in a new tank #-o :roll: [-o<
Richard W
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37015
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5648

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Ok, so I just meant that with a normally working system (like mine) the 1500 miles counter remains at that value until there are only that many miles distance remaining to go on the adblue amount remaining before it starts reducing when you start the ignition and it displays the remaining mileage / or when you check it using the button.

Mine is a Euro 6.2 standard vehicle and so has a stricter emissions control than 6.1 and earlier, so I can't verify the exact system used on the Picasso. On my vehicle there is a gauge contained in the actual pump as you can see:
Aircross gauge.PNG
(1) Urea pump - gauge module.
"c" Float.
"d" Float internal magnet.
"e" Level sensor electronic card.
The gauge part of the urea gauge-pump module consists of a float equipped with a magnet which moves according to the level of urea solution in the urea reservoir.
The float’s internal magnet is detected by the level sensor card which communicates the level information to the engine management ECU.

But despite the Adblue being physically measured, (unlike the DPF additive which is calculated and estimated), see below, specifically about the mileage that a warning light can still be present for:
The urea solution consumption varies from 1 to 6 litres depending on the customer’s driving profile and the vehicle type (PSA have not specified over what distance this relates to).

The urea solution reservoir capacity varies from 15 to 22 litres depending on the vehicles.
The warning is triggered at approximately 7.2 litres of urea solution remaining in the urea reservoir, but it is possible to have a warning on the instrument panel at 2000 km (1243 miles) after urea solution filling.
So it may be worth waiting a while yet to see if the light does go off.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

Just an update, the UREA light is still on after nearly 400 miles and the AdBlue counter is now counting down (Just gone down to 1100 miles). Took the C4 to a local garage today and he put his Bosch diagnostic reader on it, after about 20 minutes he came in to the waiting room and said he had 1 fault code showing on the AdBlue system (pump I think) and also the sensor was showing only 1.45L of AdBlue left in the tank despite the tank nearly full, he tried to clear the fault but could not do so. He done further tests but admitted that I need a new tank as we all know the old one is a sealed unit. Priced a tank from Citroen £1040 but managed to order a new genuine / OE one from Neo Bros for £652 delivered. He is going to charge me 2 hours labour £120 (Less if he does it quicker) and obviously new AdBlue for the tank and he is not 100% sure if it will need pairing with the car using his Bosch diagnostic reader. Not what I wanted but I expected it after reading on the net about various Citroens with the same issues (other cars as well may I add). May I thank everyone for there answers on this thread and I will add again when the job is complete which will be later next week. Thanks Colin
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 37015
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5648

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Best of luck with it Colin. The tank shouldn't need 'pairing', but there may be a priming operation - hopefully your chap may be able to tell.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
thetapeworm
Donor 2024
Posts: 31
Joined: 09 Sep 2021, 10:45
Location: Yorkshire
My Cars: '16 Citroen Cactus BlueHDi 100
x 6

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by thetapeworm »

WELSHVIKING wrote: 10 Jan 2022, 19:00 Just an update, the UREA light is still on after nearly 400 miles and the AdBlue counter is now counting down (Just gone down to 1100 miles). Took the C4 to a local garage today and he put his Bosch diagnostic reader on it, after about 20 minutes he came in to the waiting room and said he had 1 fault code showing on the AdBlue system (pump I think) and also the sensor was showing only 1.45L of AdBlue left in the tank despite the tank nearly full, he tried to clear the fault but could not do so. He done further tests but admitted that I need a new tank as we all know the old one is a sealed unit. Priced a tank from Citroen £1040 but managed to order a new genuine / OE one from Neo Bros for £652 delivered. He is going to charge me 2 hours labour £120 (Less if he does it quicker) and obviously new AdBlue for the tank and he is not 100% sure if it will need pairing with the car using his Bosch diagnostic reader. Not what I wanted but I expected it after reading on the net about various Citroens with the same issues (other cars as well may I add). May I thank everyone for there answers on this thread and I will add again when the job is complete which will be later next week. Thanks Colin
Following with interest as I'm currently sitting on a £2000 quote from Citroen to replace the tank (and the diagnostics carried out to come to this conclusion) - I'd seen Neo Bros were selling them much cheaper (presumably the newer version with less chance of failure?) and was pondering a similar route to you. I'll still owe £288 for diagnostics but that's a lesson learnt the hard way :)

Presumably you don't have the "Emissions fault: Starting prevented in XXX mi" and "Engine fault: Have the vehicle repaired" messages coming up too? Is your UREA light solid or flashing? Is the engine warning light and "SERVICE" on too?

Good luck, please keep us posted.
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

thetapeworm wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 11:13 Presumably you don't have the "Emissions fault: Starting prevented in XXX mi" and "Engine fault: Have the vehicle repaired" messages coming up too? Is your UREA light solid or flashing? Is the engine warning light and "SERVICE" on too?
Good luck, please keep us posted.
I have is a solid orange UREA light and the countdown REFIL EMISSIONS ADDITIVE, STARTING PREVENTED IN 1100 miles today, no service light or stop light. I know I overfilled the tank as I put in 14.81L. I have just syphoned 6L out of my tank so I now know it is no longer overfilled but I am still getting the UREA light and the countdown to HELL. The tank is due here tomorrow and I will book the car in for repair probably next Wednesday.
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
Gibbo2286
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 7172
Joined: 08 Jun 2011, 18:04
Location: GL15***
My Cars: 2006 C5 2.0 Litre HDI VTR Automatic Estate.(now sold on)
Currently Renault Zoe 2014 ZE
x 2500

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by Gibbo2286 »

There's page on the net specifically about Adblue and Citroen here, not sure if it might help.

https://changeforblue.com/en/my-vehicl ... N/?brand=4
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

New tank arrived from NEO BROS, car booked in next Tuesday to have the old tank replaced. Will update you all with the results next week.
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
User avatar
WELSHVIKING
Posts: 145
Joined: 28 Nov 2005, 14:38
Location: NORTH WALES COAST
My Cars:
x 4

Re: ADBLUE WARNING

Post by WELSHVIKING »

Just an update, My wife's C4 Picasso is back at home with no more Urea faults and no dreaded countdown to hell. New tank cost £652, Adblue for 15L was £19 and Labour 2 hours was £120 so total cost was £791 not really what we wanted straight after Christmas. Thanks for everyone's help it was much appreciated.
CURRENT CARS:-
2019 CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 110BHP MANUAL (WIFES CAR)
2020 CITROEN AIRCROSS 1.2 FLAIR PURETECH 130BHP AUTO (MY CAR)
Post Reply