<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001513162-14-000616
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20141110
<FILING-DATE>20141112
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20141112
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES INC
<CIK>0000949428
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3564
<IRS-NUMBER>061393453
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1621 FISKE PLACE
<CITY>OXNARD
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>93033
<PHONE>805 639 9458
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1621 FISKE PLACE
<CITY>OXNARD
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>93033
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Lopez-Baldrich Pedro J.
<CIK>0001593859
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-33710
<FILM-NUMBER>141215084
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
<STREET2>1621 FISKE PLACE
<CITY>OXNARD
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>93033
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-11-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000949428</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDTI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001593859</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lopez-Baldrich Pedro J.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1621 FISKE PLACE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OXNARD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93033</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16667</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16667</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-11-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6642</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.47</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10025</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16667</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>16667</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>33333</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of Common Stock acquired upon settlement of Restricted Share Units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) granted February 20, 2014 pursuant to the Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (&quot;CDTI&quot;) Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares were sold to cover the reporting person's tax obligation in connection with the issuance of the RSUs and conversion into shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of CDTI common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">RSUs vest as to 1/3 on each of September 5, 2014, September 5, 2015 and September 5, 2016. Issuance to occur as soon as practicable following the date of vesting and subject to compliance with Issuer's Insider Trading Policy, but in all cases within two and one-half months following the end of the Issuer's tax year that includes the date such RSUs vest. RSUs that have not vested at the time of the reporting person's termination of service, for any or no reason other than death or change in control, will be forfeited.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Kristi Cushing for Pedro J. Lopez-Baldrich</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-11-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
