The AA has praised fleet managers across the country for increasing the awareness of the use of AdBlue in diesel fleets, but has warned that continued education over the importance of next-generation diesel exhaust fluid is necessary to minimise the number of AdBlue-related fleet call-outs.
In the first half of 2019, the AA confirmed a 5% year-on-year decline in the number of AdBlue-related call-outs.
With the continued push for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology and Euro6 emissions regulations, AdBlue is very much here to stay and AA officials are pleased to see that fewer fleet drivers are allowing their vehicles to run out of the fluid which can severely affect a car’s power and performance.
Stuart Thomas, director of fleet and SME, AA, said: “Last year, a lack of driver education was leading to significant AdBlue breakdowns, but we are pleased to see that knowledge levels seem to be on the increase.
“Fleet managers are obviously doing a good job updating drivers on what they need to do. And, if you’ve run out once, you are unlikely to make the same mistake again.”
Thomas insists that while the fleet industry has made encouraging strides on AdBlue education in the last 12 months, more can be done to emphasise the importance of fleet drivers periodically topping up their AdBlue in between services.
Typically, high-mileage fleet vehicles will require at least one AdBlue top-up in between annual services and Thomas warns of the importance of adhering to any dashboard warning lights as soon as possible.
“We’ve all done it, jumped into an unfamiliar car and decided to take a chance on leaving the warning lights for the next poor person to get behind the wheel,” added Thomas.
“However, when AdBlue runs out, the engine’s power and performance will be severely limited, and you won’t be able to restart the engine when you stop.
“The good news is that the warning will come up with plenty of time to get your car topped up. The onus is on drivers to keep their fleet managers informed if they don’t get it sorted themselves.”
Thomas concluded by warning fleets that AdBlue could become an even bigger talking point for their drivers in the impending colder months.
“Changes in the driving conditions, whether that is heavy payloads or extreme weather, can significantly impact how quickly you get through your tank of AdBlue,” added Thomas.
“The size of the tank also makes a massive difference. While you might top up anywhere between every 3,000 and 12,000 miles in the spring and summer, this could drop dramatically in the cold weather.”
