What is Diesel Exhaust Fluid?

Choosing a diesel edition of one of our new Jaguar vehicles means taking advantage of improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. However, it also means benefitting from innovative Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) which contributes to its cleaner performance.

Also known as AdBlue, AUS 32 and ARLA 32, Diesel Exhaust Fluid has been developed to help break down nitrogen oxide emissions produced in your vehicle’s engine. This non-toxic, odourless, colourless and non-flammable fluid is stored in a dedicated tank within the vehicle and helps transform the nitrogen oxide emissions into harmless water vapour and nitrogen gas. As such, you’re able to benefit from cleaner motoring.

How will I know if my DEF levels are low?

Ensuring that your DEF levels are at a suitable volume is essential to the effectiveness of the fluid. Fortunately, your new Jaguar will display a number of messages to ensure you’re alerted to a reduction in levels and when top-ups are required.

1. The first message clearly details that DEF top-ups are needed.
2. An amber warning icon will accompany a message to refill the DEF tank.
3. A countdown detailing the distance remaining until the DEF tank is empty is the third warning.
4. The final message comes with a red warning icon and details that the vehicle will not start until the DEF is added to the tank.

Maintaining DEF

It’s vital that you maintain the level of DEF in your tank, with the vehicle unable to start with insufficient fluid available. Not only that, but EU legislation prohibits use of the vehicle without suitable DEF. Thankfully, with the series of warnings detailing the level of DEF in your tank, you will have plenty of notice for when top-ups are required. And, if you’ve invested in a Jaguar Service Plan, you will be able to benefit from free refills.

When to top up

The consumption of DEF can vary greatly. An average consumption rate can be 500 miles (800km) / 1 Litre, but this consumption rate can be more than doubled, depending on the driving style, road and weather conditions. The distance until your next DEF refill can be viewed at any time in the message centre on the dashboard or by contacting our team in Spirit Jaguar.

HOW TO REFILL YOUR ADBLUE TANK

DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER (DPF)

Meeting or exceeding stringent EU6 emissions regulations, all new-diesel Jaguar vehicles are fitted with an exhaust filter, also known as a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). This is used to efficiently capture and remove 99% of all particulates from the exhaust, helping to lower tailpipe emissions.​​

During normal driving conditions, the DPF collects particulates in the exhaust to be burned off when it reaches a high temperature. As the filter becomes full, a cleaning process occurs automatically. This is known as regeneration. Shorter journeys, such as those often taken in a city, can make this process more difficult to achieve as the system does not get hot enough.​

Our team in Spirit Jaguar are on hand to answer any questions you have about your DPF. 

HOW DOES DPF AFFECT MY JOURNEYS?​

GREEN LIGHT

Once you’ve taken the appropriate steps to address the amber or red alerts, the DPF symbol will turn green to indicate that regeneration is complete.​

AMBER LIGHT

An amber light indicates that your exhaust filter is filling up and a process of manual cleaning is required. We recommend driving above 37mph for 20 minutes to clean the filter. Failure to regenerate the filter will eventually lead to a red light being displayed and has the potential to affect vehicle performance.

RED LIGHT

A red light indicates that your exhaust filter is now full and the performance of your vehicle is likely to be reduced. In this scenario, we recommend contacting Jaguar Assistance as soon as possible to resolve the issue.