Putting the wrong fuel in your car sounds like the kind of problem that happens to somebody else. But, according to the RAC, it happens every three minutes in the UK – affecting around 150,000 motorists every year.
It’s surprisingly easy to do, especially when it concerns putting petrol in a diesel car, because a petrol pump nozzle will fit into most diesel car filler caps. That’s not to say it’s impossible to put diesel in a petrol car, but the diesel nozzle is larger than the majority of petrol filler necks, making it far less common.
In both cases, do not start the engine. The severity of the problem will depend on how much incorrect fuel you have put in the tank and whether you’ve put petrol in a diesel car or diesel in a petrol car, so we’ll take each scenario in turn.
Putting petrol in a diesel car
Around 95 percent of wrong fuel mistakes occur when petrol is poured into a diesel tank. Sadly, petrol in a diesel car causes more damage, so your wallet is likely to take more of a pounding. Not to mention your pride.
Whatever you do, do not start the engine. Do not even switch on your ignition, as this could kickstart the fuel pump, circulating the mixed fuel around the engine. In a diesel car, the diesel acts as a lubricant, whereas petrol acts as a solvent, causing damage to the fuel system.
Without lubrication, the fuel pump will create internal friction, with the high-pressure injectors also affected. A replacement common rail injector system could set you back thousands of pounds – potentially more than the value of the car.
As soon as you notice your mistake, stop fuelling. If you’ve added a small amount of petrol to a diesel tank, you could get away with filling the rest of the tank with diesel. That’s because a mix of 5 percent petrol and 95 percent diesel is unlikely to damage the fuel system and engine.
Better to be safe than sorry, mind, so inform the staff at the filling station counter, who will either put a cone behind your car to warn other motorists that the pump is closed, or arrange for the car to be pushed away. Remember, do not start it, although turning the key from ‘lock’ to ‘accessory’ might be required to release the steering lock.
Putting diesel in a petrol car
Filling a petrol car with diesel is a less serious mistake – and the damage isn’t as severe – but you should follow the same steps.
If you start the engine, the spark plugs and fuel system will be coated in diesel, leading to a misfire and smoke from the exhaust, before the car grinds to a halt. Alternatively, the engine will fail to start or just stop.
Again, don’t start the engine – simply call for help and follow the instructions outlined above. The good news is that the damage won’t be serious and no lasting damage will be caused.
She warned critics from both sides of the Brexit divide that they risked damaging the economy and trust in democracy by opposing her plan.
May said: “There are some in parliament who, despite voting in favour of holding the referendum, voting in favour of triggering article 50 and standing on manifestos committed to delivering Brexit, now want to stop us leaving by holding another referendum.