AdBlue

Manufacturers are going to great lengths to reduce their cars' impact on the environment. AdBlue is the answer to a particular area of concern - nitrogen oxide emissions. Euro 6 emissions regulations have clamped down on harmful gases being emitted by vehicles across Europe, with nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel cars hitting the headlines in particular. AdBlue is now being used in a growing number of diesel cars to reduce the amount of these gases coming out of the exhaust pipe.

AdBlue is a solution made up of urea and water injected into the car's exhaust system before harmful nitrogen oxide comes out of the tail pipe.

The AdBlue is fed into the exhaust and reacts with the nitrogen oxide gas produced by the combustion process, breaking it down into harmless nitrogen and oxygen. At high temperatures the AdBlue turns into ammonia, breaking down nitrogen oxide in the process, which means the volume of particles being emitted is significantly reduced.

If you're driving a newer diesel car, chances are it comes with AdBlue technology. We'd suggest looking in the car's handbook to see if it comes with AdBlue.

If you're not explicitly told by your dealer that your car comes with AdBlue and that it'll need topping up, your first sign will be when it's running low and you get a AdBlue warning flash up on your dashboard. Only very small amounts of AdBlue are used at a time, so you won't need to top up like you do with fuel, but it's important that you don't let supplies run out. However, different driving styles, journey types and driving conditions will have an impact on how much AdBlue is used.

Put simply, your car won't start. You won't be able to just stick a tiny amount of Adblue back in the tank for it to work, either. So we'd suggest you top the Adblue up as soon as the warning appears – it'll save you hassle further down the line.

Opie Oils supply top-up bottles of AdBlue, so you won't have to take your car to a main dealer for someone to do it for you – it's like topping up with screenwash.The location of the AdBlue filler cap varies between cars. In some it's located next to the fuel filler cap, while others are at the side of the boot or under the boot floor.

Some sources claim AdBlue is corrosive and should be handled with care, while others claim it’s harmless and that all you need to do if you get it on your hands is wash them thoroughly or give the car’s bodywork a wipe if you spill a little. Because of these contradictions, we'd suggest you take as much care using AdBlue as you would any other fuel or liquid. Storage is probably the most important consideration. AdBlue needs to be stored between -11 and 30 degrees C and has a shelf life of around 12 months in these conditions. Above 30 degrees C it starts to decompose, and freezes below -11, but retains its qualities when it thaws again.