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What to do if you put petrol in your diesel car
IF you put the wrong fuel in your car by mistake, the first thing you should do is leave the car switched off.
Turning on the engine or even putting the keys in the ignition could cause fuel to flow into the car’s engine, damaging it and making an already costly problem much worse.
The second thing you should do is remember that you’re not alone.
Somebody in the UK makes this easy mistake every few minutes, according to the AA, and that number is rising thanks to the current chaos at fuel stations.
Experts call this misfuelling, and it’s on the rise as desperate Brits panic at the pumps.
It can be particularly confusing for drivers who use fleets with multiple vehicles - even the police.
It’s easier to put petrol into a diesel car due to the size of the nozzles - a diesel car has a wider opening on its fuel tank than a petrol car.
But putting petrol into a diesel car can cause expensive damage or even write off the whole car.
Diesel fuel lubricates the engine as it flows through it, whereas petrol does almost the opposite.
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This means that even small amounts of petrol can damage or completely destroy a diesel engine.
You will need to ensure that there is no petrol in the tank before you put your keys into the ignition.
Putting your keys into the car may cause the car’s fuel pump to begin moving any liquid in the tank towards the engine - and at that point, it could be too late.
Instead, call your breakdown company or a specialist misfuelling service, and prepare to pay around £200 out of your own pocket.
Most insurance companies will refuse to cover this sort of mistake.
This is still cheaper than trying to run a car on the wrong fuel, a mistake that can cost many thousands to rectify.
The breakdown company will drain the car's tank and fill it with enough of the right fuel to get you moving again.
The mechanic should also be approved to work on a petrol station forecourt safely, so you don't need to attempt to move your car unless you can push it in neutral without the keys in the ignition.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “If a driver does find themselves in the unfortunate position where they’ve added the wrong fuel to their tank, it is vital that the vehicle is not started.
“Do not attempt to add the correct type of fuel to dilute as this will only add to the cost of the error and may lead to damage if the engine is started with diluted fuel in the tank.
“Contact your breakdown provider or garage for assistance in the first instance”.
Putting E10 in an incompatible car
The damage caused by E10 petrol in an older petrol car is less catastrophic than putting diesel in a petrol car, or petrol in a diesel car.
It can still damage parts of the engine, but this will normally be corrosion over time rather than immediate mechanical failure.
Instead of getting the fuel drained, simply run the car as usual and fill up with compatible petrol next time.
You may notice your car sounding different if it's running on E10, especially if you're starting it for the first time in a while, but it will go back to normal once you fill it with compatible fuel.
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