Surprisingly enough approximately every three and a half seconds someone somewhere puts the wrong type of fuel in their car. When you are tired, busy, distracted or if the car you are driving is new or doesn’t belong to you it is easy to make this mistake.
Having made the error it is important that the situation is managed properly in order to cut the cost of putting things right and ensuring that you are back on the road and on your way as soon as possible.
When you put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle, either petrol into a diesel or diesel into a petrol car the result is the same, the fuel is instantly contaminated.
Acting quickly and not turning the engine over is essential.
If the contaminated fuel is allowed to stay in the tank, or even if the fuel is removed yet not fully emptied the mixture of fuels will start to corrode the tank and connecting parts. If you then start the car the mixed fuel will of course then contaminate the engine and what could have been a quick and affordable road-side fix fast becomes a major and expensive repair job at your main garage.
Remember to act fast to reduce damage so:
Don’t Switch on the Engine.
If having realised at the pump that you’ve put the wrong fuel in don’t be tempted to start the car to move it off to the side of the garage forecourt so others may use the pump. It may be only a few metres however the action of starting the engine causes instant damage. If your car must be moved ask for help to push it to a safe location.
Call for Help
If you haven’t started the engine a roadside fuel tank drain and refill will have you on your way again in no time. Not all breakdown companies offer this service and so your car would be towed to the nearest garage for the repair to be done, extending the time that the contaminated fuel is left in the tank and adding to your repair bill.
Wrong Fuel Expert is fully equipped to drain the contaminated fuel there and then and have you on your way.
If you put the wrong fuel type into your vehicle, which is easily done, don’t panic. Simply remember the two-step approach to putting things right; don’t start the engine for any reason and call for help. You’ll be amazed how quickly what could have been a major incident may be sorted out without having to pay over the odds for expensive engine and tank repairs.