Compensation for motorists following the AdBlue scandal: what will be the conditions for being compensated by Stellantis ?

AdBlue, a urea-based product, helps eliminate a large proportion of harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel car exhausts. But many drivers have had to make expensive repairs, with the average out-of-pocket cost being €1,000. Stellantis has just committed to covering some of its customers' costs, under certain conditions.

Stellantis has agreed to cover its customers’ costs related to anti-pollution system failures on Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Opel diesel vehicles produced from 2014 to 2020, according to the automotive group and UFC Que Choisir.

This consumer protection association announced in July 2023 that it would refer the matter to the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), for which it has received “more than 7,000 complaints” so far.

What is AdBlue ?

Used in cars for around ten years, AdBlue is produced from urea. It eliminates a large part of the harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel car exhausts.

“Due to the crystallization of AdBlue, many motorists have had to make expensive repairs, with the average remaining cost being €1,000, but some have had to pay more than €3,000”, the association recalled in a press release on Friday.

UFC stated that Stellantis had made a commitment to the European Commission “to compensate victims, with compensation of up to 100%, but varying depending on the age of the vehicle, the kilometres travelled and also the date of replacement of the tank” of the liquid.

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Without going into details of its commitments, Stellantis confirmed that it would “extend to 29 European countries a special and voluntary support for certain Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles and Opel diesel vehicles, manufactured between January 2014 and August 2020”.

Who will be compensated ?

These are models equipped with engines that comply with the European Euro 6 standard and use the SCR pollution control system operating with AdBlue, according to a statement from the manufacturer sent to AFP.

“This extended compensation policy is the subject of an agreement with the European Commission and follows the same principles that governed an initiative previously applied in Italy”, Stellantis also confirmed. From the same source, “a compensation platform will be put online in mid-January to receive consumer files”.

“In view of the commitments made in Italy, this means in concrete terms that for vehicles out of warranty for less than five years from delivery (i.e. less than three years from the expiry of the warranty) and less than 150,000 km traveled, the cost of repairs is reimbursed at 100%”, detailed the UFC.

“Policy of the ostrich”

“For vehicles out of warranty for more than five years from delivery (i.e. more than three years from the expiration of the warranty) and up to eight years from delivery (i.e. up to six years from the expiration of the warranty), coverage decreases based on mileage up to 210,000 kilometers”, according to the same source.

The president of UFC-Que Choisir, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, welcomed this result in a case where her organization “did not give up” vis-à-vis from “the ostrich policy of the manufacturers”, according to the press release published on its website.