I Put Petrol in my Diesel Car, what should I do?

It's a common mistake to make. On average, it happens every three minutes in the UK to roughly 150,000 motorists filling their tank with the wrong fuel.

If you have put petrol in a diesel car, then you need to act quickly. Putting the wrong fuel into your vehicle can cause havoc to your journey and potentially cause extensive damage to your car engine.

It's a common mistake to make. On average, it happens every three minutes in the UK with roughly 150,000 motorists filling their tank with the wrong fuel every year. That includes putting diesel in a petrol car too - but putting petrol in a diesel is more serious. If you put the wrong fuel in your car, the most important thing to remember is not to try to start your car. Starting your engine will circulate the mixed fuel around your engine, which can cause more damage.

What happens if you put Petrol in a Diesel Car

Putting petrol in your diesel car may damage your fuel system if not dealt with properly. When you put petrol fuel in, the mix of petrol acts as a solvent, reducing lubrication and causing damage to the pump as the metal parts come into contact and rub together. Other parts of the fuel system which might not be compatible with petrol, can also be damaged. Switching on your car’s ignition will circulate this mix of petrol through your fuel system, causing further contamination to other components - not good! Ultimately, this could mean that the entire fuel system requires costly repairs, or replacing completely.

What to do if you've put Petrol in a Diesel Car

Firstly, DO NOT SWITCH ON YOUR IGNITION. You need to make sure the fuel is drained before you can drive your car again. You'll need to call a fuel drain service to rectify the situation for you, and completely remove the diesel from your fuel system. You can contact the RAC Fuel Drain Patrol on 0333 2000 999. Never start a car if you have put Petrol in a Diesel. Unlike Diesel in a Petrol, you absolutely cannot get away with even small amounts in the system Your only option is to have the diesel professional drained.