Diesel in a Petrol Car

Putting diesel in a petrol car is a common mistake and in 99.9% of situations is able to be fixed.

The result of putting diesel in a petrol car can be due to a mix up from the mislabeling of jerry cans that have diesel in them or being tired and distracted at a fuel station.

What to do ?

DO NOT START YOUR ENGINE or put your key into the ignition as this can prime the electric pump in the tank and circulate the wrong fuel. It is essential to carry out a full fuel drain. Once the contaminated fuel has been removed and the tank filled with the correct diesel there should be no damage to the engine.

Already driven the car before realising?

If you have already started your vehicle, STOP driving as soon as it is safe to do so.

With this situation, it is recommended to take every precaution to remove all of the wrong fuel. A full tank drain, and complete fuel system flush is essential to stop or minimise any potential damage from to your vehicle’s fuel system.

If the vehicle has broken down as the result of putting diesel in a petrol car, once the system has been completely flushed through with the correct fuel and the tank has been filled with petrol, the spark plugs will need to be cleaned or replaced to remove any carbon deposits.
In many cases petrol vehicles will log cylinder misfire faults on the engine management system. Our mechanics are provided with the latest scan tools and software to clear and review any fault codes and to check your engine is running as normal following our repairs.

Reduce the risk

Always double check the fuel grade indicator on the pump before filling.

Our biggest word of advice is to always double check the fuel grade indicator on the pump before filling up.

Below are some indicators to be wary of that can increase the risk of mis-fueling:

You use an unfamiliar filling station – don’t assume hose colours are the same as your ‘local’ site
You switch between brands using different hose/nozzle colours
You swap cars (using different fuel) at home or work – it’s easy to ‘forget’ which car you’re filling
You hire a car using different fuel to your normal car
You buy a new car using different fuel to your old car
You continue a conversation with passengers while filling
You are in a hurry/running late

DON'T PANIC, WE CAN HELP!

Call Us Now

Wrong Fuel Rescue Pty Ltd

4.9

Shannon Smith

05:32 22 Sep 19

From the moment We rang to book in the job, Nathan arrived at my door step 25min later. This Was my 1st experience with “Wrong fuel rescue” and Nathan ensured that it was effortless... he was beyond helpful, full of knowledge, fast and efficient & incredibly kind. I would recommend this company as there services are fantastic and ther staff are an absolute delight to work with. Thank you so much Nathan

Phil Connew

04:42 22 Sep 19

Thanks, Steven for the great rescue mission you performed this morning. Great communication from the outset. I highly recommended this company. He explained everything well. The car's running perfectly. Cheers.

Ataahua Hapeta-Taereau

05:44 15 Sep 19

Had the worse day ever! Started that by putting over $70 of petrol in my diesel car! Only to realise this ONCE we have driven off and the car stopped working! I googled frantically, with heavy breath and stressed fingers! Thank god I found these guys! Who came within 30minutes and Simon was fantastic! Very calming, informative, & polite. It made the situation a lot more comforting. Such an easy mistake that’s costly, but wrong fuel rescue understood the financial stress and delivered a fixed price. I am beyond impressed and cannot praise enough. It was done within a hour. Don’t go anywhere else. These are your go-to guys.

Paul Ryan

08:56 14 Sep 19

Excellent service and very timely. Was able to relieve any stress and reassure no damage even though driven for 2km. Would highly recommend. Simon was excellent and was very efficient and reassuring. Also John was great on call centre. All my stress has gone. Cant thank you enough Simon.

Jacqui Pasquale

10:52 09 Aug 19

I couldn’t believe I put the wrong fuel in my car, a quick call to Wrong Fuel Rescue and all my worries were alleviated. Zane made his way to me and worked his magic and my car was as good as new. The service from my first call to when Zane saw me safely to a fuel station to refuel correctly was impeccable. I have no hesitation in recommending this professional and friendly business. I’m very grateful. Zane’s attention to safely should also be addressed. What a great service a big thumbs up from me. Thank you Zane for your efforts in getting me up and running again.

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Diesel in a Petrol Car

What to do ?

Already driven the car before realising?

Reduce the risk

PUT THE WRONG FUEL IN YOUR CAR?