Petrol in a Diesel Car

Putting petrol in a diesel car is a common mistake and in 99.9% of situations is able to be fixed. It appears to be the more common mistake than diesel in petrol cars. We would assume that this is because unfortunately the petrol nozzle is able to fit into the fuel filler neck.

Whilst putting petrol in a diesel car may be the result of being new to the vehicle or simply being distracted while filling up, knowing what to do in this situation is vital for your safety and can also save you thousands in repair bills.

Although the mistake is fixable, it should be known that there are some serious issues that can arise out of putting petrol into diesel vehicles.

First and foremost is your safety and the people around you. Petrol is extremely flammable, so we would encourage you to avoid handling. Secondly, the petrol has the potential to cause serious damage to the fuel injection system and the engine, the resultant damage is not covered under warranty and insurance policies may not provide cover for the mistake.

What happens if you put petrol in a diesel car?
Putting petrol in a diesel car can result in severe engine damage and should be rectified by a professional service as soon as possible. Adding petrol to diesel fuel creates a solvent that reduces lubrication and can cause critical damage to the fuel pump and associated fuel system.

What to do if you put petrol in a diesel car.
Do not start your engine if you accidentally put petrol in your diesel vehicle. It is important to not even place your key in the ignition as this can prime the fuel pump. You should contact a wrong fuel recovery service who will conduct a fuel drain and flush.

What happens?
Diesel fuel pumps operate on very fine tolerance at high pressures and are lubricated by the diesel fuel. When petrol is added to diesel fuel, the mix acts as a solvent, reducing lubrication.

This can also cause damage to the fuel pump through metal-to-metal contact creating metal particles, which can cause significant damage to the rest of the fuel system. Serious engine damage may also occur due to detonation (knocking) caused by uncontrolled petrol ignition under a much higher compression pressure consistent with the diesel engine.

The further the petrol moves along your fuel system, the increased potential for a more expensive the repair bill. So, if you have already started driving, as soon as you realise you have contaminated your diesel with petrol STOP DRIVING and SWITCH OFF!

Reduce the risk
Our biggest word of advice is to always double check the fuel grade indicator on the pump before filling up.

Below are some indicators to be wary of that can increase the risk of mis-fueling;

You use an unfamiliar filling station – don’t assume hose colours are the same as your ‘local’ site
You switch between brands using different hose/nozzle colours
You swap cars (using different fuel) at home or work – it’s easy to ‘forget’ which car you’re filling
You hire a car using different fuel to your normal car
You buy a new car using different fuel to your old car
You continue a conversation with passengers while filling up
You are in a hurry/running late