AdBlue is causing operational problems and significant costs for Finnish trucking companies during the winter. The problem is more pronounced in newer trucks.
A survey by IRU member Finnish Transport and Logistics SKAL has revealed extensive problems with AdBlue, the diesel exhaust fluid used in selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, during winter conditions.
The survey gathered responses from 755 SKAL member companies. Four in five respondents reported experiencing unusual problems with their vehicles’ emission-control systems, either occasionally or repeatedly.
“Problems with the winter operation of emission-control systems are a real concern for Finnish transport companies,” said SKAL Director of Expert Services Petri Murto. “The technology has to work reliably in the conditions where operators actually use their vehicles.”
Cold weather emerged as a central issue. Among companies reporting problems, faults were widely associated with the colder months.
Operators reported failures despite following maintenance schedules. Respondents highlighted downtime, difficulties obtaining repairs and spare parts, and disruption to deliveries.
Older trucks reported less problems with AdBlue.
Severe financial costs
SKAL estimates that direct repair costs linked to emission-control system problems reached around EUR 36 million in 2025, with a further EUR 15 million in indirect costs, such as overtime and lost business. Overall, the survey points to costs of more than EUR 50 million for around 9,200 Finnish transport companies.
“These are not marginal technical issues. Operators work on very narrow margins,” said Petri Murto. “Failures can mean repair bills, towing, lost working time and undelivered loads. In the worst cases, they directly undermine the profitability of the business,” he added.
Frost resistance
The survey’s qualitative responses repeatedly pointed to frost resistance.
Respondents said existing systems were not sufficiently adapted to northern operating conditions, with vehicles performing better in continuous operation and warm storage but less reliably during short work cycles or when stationary.
Not just in Finland
SKAL highlighted similar findings from Norway, where around 60% of respondents to an IRU member NLF survey reported problems associated with exhaust-gas cleaning systems.
SKAL is calling for northern operating conditions to be better reflected in European rules. Its proposals include allowing vehicles to use reagents that better withstand freezing temperatures and ensuring that extremely cold conditions are better taken into account under Euro 7.
“The objective is not to weaken environmental requirements,” said Petri Murto. “It is to make sure that the technologies used to meet them remain reliable in real operating conditions.”
“Regulation has to recognise that a truck working through a Finnish winter faces very different conditions from one operating in a milder climate,” he concluded.