Put the wrong fuel in your car? If you haven’t already, do not turn on the ignition. If you’re still at the gas station, let the staff know.
Here’s what you need to do next:
- Put the car into neutral
- Push the car over to a safe spot
- Call your mechanic or have the vehicle towed to flush and drain your fuel system
- Get in touch with your insurance provider
Don’t panic – these things happen, and your local mechanic will help you get it sorted. Keep reading for more guidance about misfuelling issues.
Unfortunately, your Marshall Batteries’ roadside service can’t help with your misfuelling issue. Call the nearest mechanic instead – if you’re still at the gas station, the staff may be able to help.
Table of Contents
How to fix your car after misfuelling
Arrange to tow your vehicle to the nearest mechanical repairer and ensure they do ‘drain and flush’.
This flushes away the contaminated fuel in your car.
If you had turned on the ignition before realising you put the wrong fuel in, the car is likely to have suffered serious damage. Your mechanic will explain the extent of the damage and what’s required to get it fixed.
Signs you’ve put the wrong fuel in your car
If you have put diesel in a petrol car, you will see:
- Excessive smoke coming out from the car exhaust
- The engine misfiring
- Failure to restart
- Your car engine will stall or cut out.
If you have put petrol in a diesel car, you will see:
- Excessive smoke coming out from the car exhaust
- Your car will struggle to restart
- Slow acceleration
- The engine warning light will shine
- The engine could stop altogether
- You will hear a knocking sound when accelerating
Cost of repair after misfuelling your car
It depends on the make and model of your vehicle, the extent of the damage, and the call-out fee, this service can range from $1000-$1500+ and should include proper fuel disposal, systems checks, filter change and other diagnostics.
Ask your mechanic if they use a scan tool (like we often use during a car battery breakdown service), to reset the computer in modern vehicles.
How misfuelling damages the car
This is what happens when you put the wrong fuel in your car.
What happens when you put petrol in a diesel car?
This situation is far more serious than putting diesel in a petrol car.
Diesel cars use the fuel as a lubricant preventing any wear and tear and ensuring the engine runs smoothly. When petrol is mixed with diesel, it acts as a solvent by dissolving the lubricant.
If the engine is turned on when the wrong fuel is used, the ignition distributes this mixture, increasing friction between the different parts and damaging them.
Some of the parts that are at risk of being damaged include the fuel lines and pump.
So, repairs can become very expensive as you would then need to replace the entire fuel system.
What happens when you put diesel in a petrol car?
This situation is far less serious than putting petrol in a diesel car.
After the engine is turned on, the diesel in the petrol car will coat and clot the fuel pump and spark plugs which would result in an engine misfire.
You’ll notice excessive smoke coming out from the exhaust and the engine will cut out and fail to start.