Filling up with wrong fuel - IMPORTANT ADVICE

ADVICE as originally posted by JTD Monkey:

Sadly, the old days of being able to get away with it in a diesel (so long as there is no more than about 20% of petrol in it) are long-gone. Modern diesels, because of their high-pressure common rail engines and detailed tuning are a much more complex beast than in the old days.

The car will not run, and you will need to call out a recovery service to tow you to a FIAT garage. Once there, the majority of the engine pipework will need replacing, the entire engine will need flushing (and cleaning) and certain parts will need removing and replacing/ cleaning (fuel tank, cylinders...). Also, the fuel in the car will need expensive environmental disposal to a controlled site; this alone is hundreds of pounds. No, the diesel/ petrol mix can't just be poured into the drains...

There was a story in this months Top Gear (or CAR) about a bloke with a 407HDi that had done the same thing (putting about 10 litres of diesel in it, then brimming with diesel). He made the fatal mistake of driving the car, which then broke-down about 10 miles from the garage once the fuel has got through the system. Luckily his company footed the bill for the £2,200 it cost for the work to be done.

It seems modern diesels with common-rail cost a fortune to fix.

I am not trying to scare you on purpose but it seems nobody with a modern diesel gets away with it...

• If you put the incorrect fuel in your car DO NOT try and brim it with the correct fuel and dilute the solution. THIS DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE.
• DO NOT unlock your car for any reason whatsoever; be it to get your phone, coat, bag etc. With most cars unlocking the car can 'prime' the fuel pump which means the damage is already being done. And never, ever start the car; not even to move it to the side of the forecourt, even if asked to do so by somebody at the garage.
• Once you have realised your mistake, lock your car and call your brakedown service. DO NOT do anything to your car until they arrive.

If you follow these simple tips you will end-up with embarrasement and a bill for about £400 to drain and clean the tank and environmental disposal of the fuel. If you try to do anything with the car the bill will almost certainly (note; not possibly) be between £2,000 and £3,000, especially for diesel cars.