What to do When Your AdBlue Warning Light Comes on?

For diesel drivers, the term AdBlue should hopefully be a familiar concept, but if you have just bought your first diesel vehicle you may be wondering what your AdBlue warning light means. The lack of familiarity with AdBlue can lead to problems if not picked up on quickly. The warning light on your dashboard can mean a variety of different things depending on which one you are being shown. Learn what to do when your AdBlue warning light comes on from our ECU-Flash experts. 

What does the AdBlue Warning Light Mean?

Typically there are three warning lights on your vehicle's dashboard depending on make and model, that will illuminate to warn you of issues with your AdBlue system. The first AdBlue warning light you will see is a low-level warning light that turns on ahead of time before your tank is empty. This gives you plenty of time to get your AdBlue filled up. 

The light is often yellow in colour and once you fill up, it should turn off. If you choose not to fill up, the light will turn red, which is the no restart warning light. Once the light turns red, you will be unable to restart your vehicle's engine once you turn it off. The feature was created to stop drivers from going long distances without exhaust fluid.

In the final warning light, you will see if your vehicle's computer system detects any errors. If this occurs your service engine light and fluid level warning light will illuminate on your dashboard. This usually indicates an issue with the system or the fluid level sensor. In this case, you will need a full diagnostic scan to read the error and understand what is going on within your vehicle. 

Is it Safe to Drive with an Adblue Warning Light on?

While the AdBlue warning light does not indicate a safety issue, ignoring the light will eventually result in you being unable to start your vehicle's engine. When you first notice the AdBlue fluid warning, you will still have plenty of time before you need to refill but it is necessary to refill at your earliest convenience. Forgetting about topping up your AdBlue could leave you stranded. 

What Happens if AdBlue is not Refilled? 

Panic can start to set in when your AdBlue warning light comes on. You cannot find a place to fill up. If your warning light comes on and you are unable to fill up your tank within 2,400km. So, your diesel vehicle will not be able to restart. Some vehicles are equipped with SCR technology that stops your engine from starting when AdBlue is not present. If this is to occur you should call a professional like us. 

What Can ECU-Flash do to Help 

At ECU-Flash, our specialist engineers can come to you and carry out a full AdBlue system repair onsite. In the majority of cases, an AdBlue warning light problem can be resolved by implementing a full software update on your vehicle. Our engineer experts can cover a vast range of cars, vans, trucks, tractors and even plant machinery models. Also included in the price of our AdBlue repair service is a full diagnostic report. CLICK HERE to see what Adblue problem Solutions we can offer