You've Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Audi
The motor has to stay off after you've driven with petrol in a diesel Audi, so pull in as soon as it is safe and turn it off. We can still put it right wherever you have pulled up, and if it is spotted early, permanent damage is very rare.
The petrol is cleaned out of the system after the tank is drained, where the vehicle has ended up, because Petrol in Diesel travels out to it. It is running on clean diesel again before we leave.
Signs that point to petrol in a diesel Audi
You may cover the first few miles with petrol in the tank and notice nothing different, because the symptoms tend to show up later. With petrol or AdBlue in the tank, these are the signs drivers tend to spot:
- the motor struggles for power, especially as it is asked to pull
- it idles unsteadily or runs rough
- there's more smoke than usual from the exhaust
- the dash displays warning lamps
- it may not start again once it cuts out
If these signs began after a fill-up, the fuel that was put in will be on the receipt.
Wrong fuel in your Audi and the distance you go
The tank keeps wrong fuel in your Audi until the motor draws it out. When you drive, it is pulled through the filter, and then your high-pressure fuel pump and your injectors. Diesel lubricates your fuel pump and your injectors as it passes through, and petrol dilutes it, so the farther your car goes, the more of the fuel system that mix hits.
That's why it's better to stop as soon as you can than to complete the journey. Driving a long way on contaminated fuel is what can do harm, and when a motor is stopped early, a drain and a clean are usually all it needs.
All of this applies to the allroad just as it does to any other diesel Audi.
We come to where you have stopped
Your car can remain exactly where it is. No tow needs to be arranged, and there is no need to restart it, because we come to it at the roadside or outside your home.
Somewhere safe away from the traffic is the place to wait when a busy road is just next to you, with your hazards on.
Once you ring 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which model it is and about how far you went. At first, the model name is enough, such as the A6.
Fuel drain on your Audi once you have driven it
A fuel drain on your Audi after it has been driven goes one step further than a drain at the forecourt. After the tank is emptied, your fuel lines are opened, then they and your filter are rinsed through. That way, no petrol remains in your fuel lines leading to the motor. Fresh diesel goes in, the system is primed, and we start the engine to make sure it runs correctly.
We empty the tank first, which on the A7 holds a maximum of 65 litres.
If the motor has been run on AdBlue in a diesel Audi
Look out for smoke, rough running and warning lamps once you have driven on AdBlue in a diesel Audi, as the car may also cut out. AdBlue doesn't ignite or lubricate, and it drops to the base of the fuel tank where your fuel pump draws fuel, so it reaches the fuel line fast. Deposits of urea build up in the lines and your fuel filter once its water evaporates.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Audi is done
Draining your fuel tank comes first with AdBlue removal from a diesel Audi that has been run, and then the crystals are cleared out of the fuel lines and your fuel filter, with your fuel filter changed if it needs it.
If your car has a separate AdBlue tank, that's left as it is. This is about liquid in the diesel tank, not taking out or turning off the AdBlue system.
Diesel Audi fuel tanks across the range
The smallest diesel Audi tank holds 20 litres and the largest 100 litres, across the line-up.
For example, the Q3 takes up to 64 litres.
Every one of the 13 diesel Audi models we list has its separate page further down, with every version and its tank.
Pricing a fuel drain on a diesel Audi that has been driven
What you pay for a fuel drain after driving is down mainly to the distance your car did and where it is now, though petrol or AdBlue counts too. Ring with those details and we can explain what this job will involve.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Audi
Is the harm to my Audi lasting?
Permanent harm is very unlikely. It is rare once the car is stopped soon and the system is emptied and cleaned, which is what we do where you have stopped.
Could I drive the vehicle home first?
We'd rather you didn't. Contaminated fuel gets deeper into the system with every mile, and your car can be drained where it stands, with no need to move it.
Stalled, and it will not restart: what should I do?
Every attempt draws more of the blend through, so please leave it rather than having another go. After we have emptied and flushed it then put fresh diesel in, we prime the fuel system and start it for you.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Audi: am I covered?
Misfuelling cover is included in some insurance policies, and it is worth checking yours after the car has been dealt with. Either way, we come out.