What to do if you use the wrong fuel
Filling your car with the wrong fuel occurs more often than you may think, in fact in the UK alone it is said to occur every 3 minutes!
Putting petrol into a diesel car is more common than putting diesel into a petrol car as most modern petrol cars have a filler neck that is smaller than the diesel nozzle, preventing you from making this mistake.
If you have the misfortune of filling your diesel car with petrol, you should leave the ignition off.
Failing to do this could cause a lot of damage to the components within your vehicle such as the fuel pump.
This is because the diesel works as a lubricant for the fuel pump as oppose to petrol, which would have the opposite effect and can lead to a chain of problems.
Without the lubrication of the diesel, the metal components can begin to rub together damaging the pump and causing metal particles to mix in with the fuel.
With the ignition on, this now contaminated fuel will be circulating around the different parts of your vehicle causing more and more damage the further it goes.
In contrast to this, putting diesel into a petrol car is said to be less damaging than vice versa but this doesn’t mean it won’t cause any problems.
Again, you should avoid turning on the ignition as this will put your car at risk of further damage.
If you mistakenly use diesel in place of petrol, the fuel filter in your car will become clogged due to how oily the fuel is and the diesel will be injected into the cylinders in your engine.
Normally, the next step would be for the spark plugs to ignite the petrol.
However, the diesel wouldn’t ignite in the same way petrol does and so the car would not be able to run properly and consequently wouldn’t be able to start.
So, the ultimate solution to using the wrong fuel is to ensure you do not switch on the ignition and to have the contaminated fuel drained from your car as soon as possible.
Once the fuel has been drained, the tank can then be refilled with the correct, clean fuel and you can now start the car.
If you make this mistake please don’t hesitate to call Prestige Vehicle Repairs on 01708 868864 for further assistance.
We can help to prevent further damage to vital parts within your vehicle and get you back on the road safe and sound.
