Putting petrol in a diesel car, which is a form of misfuelling, is a serious mistake but also common. About 150,000 drivers misfuel every year in the United Kingdom. This usually occurs when they switch from a car using petrol to the one using diesel.
It is very easy to mistakenly put petrol in a diesel car. If you misfuel your car, there’s no cause for alarm. This article will show you what you should do.
What Happens When You Put Petrol in a Diesel Car?
You don’t have anything to worry about provided you don’t turn the ignition key. All you need to do is to inform the garage attendant about the error. A breakdown van will help you drain your tank so that no harm comes upon your car.
Turning the ignition key is the most severe mistake you can make in this situation. Even if you don’t start the engine, switching on the lights on the dashboard implies that your fuel pump has worked. In this case, the fuel will need to be drained while the fuel tank will be flushed. If you start the engine, a lot of things can go wrong.
What Should You Do if You Put Petrol in Your Diesel Car?
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Stop Fueling
The first thing you need to do is to stop fueling immediately. If you have just a splash of petrol, you can still get away with it provided you don’t have more than 5 percent petrol in your diesel. If you want to take the risk of driving, ensure you stop frequently to top up the diesel. This will quickly reduce the quantity of petrol in your tank.
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Inform The Attendants At The Filling Station
The attendants will know what to do in this situation since they know that such things happen to hapless motorists. If they want to move your car, ensure they do not turn the ignition. The best way to move the car in this situation is to push it.
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Call A Car Breakdown Recovery Service
If you have the contact details of your breakdown recovery company, this is the right time to call them. Don’t feel pressured into calling an operator that you don’t trust. White Recovery offers car breakdown recovery that is caused by misfuelling. Call us whenever you misfuel your car and we will be glad to help.
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Wait With Your Car If It Is Parked Safely
As long as your car is safely parked, you can wait with it while you await the arrival of a breakdown van. The tank can be drained and flushed on the spot within 30 to 40 minutes. Afterward, you can fill it again with the right fuel and proceed on your journey.
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If You Can’t-Wait, Lock And Leave Your Car
Locking the doors with the central locking won’t affect the fuel system. So if you can’t wait, feel free to lock the car.
If your car refuses to start, call us at White Recovery to hire our car breakdown recovery service. We will detect what the problem is and will get you back on the road.