If you have made the mistake of putting diesel in a petrol car, you run the risk of causing serious damage to your vehicle. It's important to act quickly when you have put the wrong type of fuel into your car, so you can limit that potential damage.
It's actually a surprisingly common and easy mistake to make. There are approximately 150,000 motorists in the UK who put diesel in a petrol car or the opposite - petrol in a diesel car - and that works out as an average of a fuel-based mistake every three minutes. So, you're definitely not alone in refuelling incorrectly - but you still need to act quickly.
If you have put diesel in a petrol car, it's vitally important that you don't start the engine if possible. Once the car's engine is running, it will start to circulate the newly added diesel around your petrol engine.
What to do if you put Diesel in a Petrol Car
The most important thing to do if you have put diesel in a petrol car is nothing. Don't start the engine - hopefully you will have realised your mistake before attempting to drive off - and make sure the keys are well away from the ignition.
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Call RAC Fuel Drain Patrol on: 0330 332 8456
RAC members receive a £50 discount off the full price.
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Unless you have put only a very small amount of diesel in your petrol car, you will need the fuel draining from your vehicle before driving it again. Call our Wrong Fuel Recovery Service on 0330 332 8456 so that we can flush your engine, dispose of the incorrect fuel, and get you moving again.
What happens if you put Diesel in a Petrol Car?
Putting diesel in a petrol car is the less serious mistake to make, and the damage is usually not so severe. What damage can it cause? If the engine is started the diesel will coat the spark plugs and the fuel system - typical diesel in a petrol car symptoms include the vehicle misfiring. Other signs of diesel in a petrol car include the engine smoking and of course, the vehicle stopping. The engine may cut out or fail to start at all.
Call the RAC Fuel Patrol on 0330 332 8456.