Have You Put Petrol in a Diesel BMW 1 Series?
We'd urge you to leave your motor off when you have put petrol in a diesel BMW 1 Series and not run it yet, and that counts for moving it off the forecourt as well. A fuel drain is generally enough to put your 1 Series right, as long as that petrol remains in the tank, which it does while your engine is off.
Your BMW 1 Series can stay put wherever it has stopped, forecourt or not, since Petrol in Diesel empties misfuelled cars where they are. Call us first then let us talk you through it, rather than attempting anything on your own.
The first moves with petrol in a diesel 1 Series
- With petrol inside the tank, a diesel 1 Series will generally still start and run, and seem completely normal for some miles. That is why drivers often drive off without noticing a problem, and why the motor should be left off.
- Switching the ignition on is all it takes, on a lot of diesels, to set the fuel pump priming and pull fuel from the tank towards the fuel injectors, so keep that off too.
- Thinning the petrol by filling up with diesel does not help. It only adds to the contaminated fuel to be drained from a tank that holds up to 52 litres in your 1 Series, and super unleaded is petrol here as well.
- If your car is in the way of a pump, put it in neutral then roll it clear. Forecourt staff are usually happy to lend a hand.
- When you ring 0333 366 0103, we want to know which 1 Series you drive, where it is, how much petrol you think was put in and whether your engine has been run. The exact variant helps as well if it's on the badge, for instance the 123d Coupe.
Driving on wrong fuel in your BMW 1 Series
The motor isn't affected by wrong fuel in your BMW 1 Series till it's pulled from the tank, and starting the motor is what pulls it out. A diesel motor relies on the fuel to lubricate the high-pressure pump and the injectors as it flows through them. That lubrication is stripped away as soon as petrol dilutes your diesel, so the harm, where there is any, is down to driving on the mix.
Stop somewhere safe then turn off when your 1 Series has already been on the road. We empty your tank, then rinse the lines and filter through until no tainted fuel is left, so it can still be sorted out. When it's caught soon and cleaned out thoroughly, long-term harm is very rare.
That goes for the 123d just as much as any other version of the 1 Series.
The fuel tank capacity of the BMW 1 Series
If you filled up while the tank was nearly empty, the same couple of litres make up more of your fuel in it, and the danger depends on that proportion, so the capacity of the tank matters.
According to the version, the BMW 1 Series has a tank of 50 to 52 litres.
According to our data the 114d has the largest tank and the 120d the smallest.
The fuel tank on the 116d takes 51 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| BMW 114d | 52 litres |
| BMW 116d | 51 litres |
| BMW 118d | 50 litres |
| BMW 118d Cabrio | 51 litres |
| BMW 118d Coupe | 51 litres |
| BMW 118d xDrive | 52 litres |
| BMW 120d | 50 litres |
| BMW 120d Cabrio | 51 litres |
| BMW 120d Coupe | 51 litres |
| BMW 120d xDrive | 52 litres |
| BMW 123d | 51 litres |
| BMW 123d Cabrio | 51 litres |
| BMW 123d Coupe | 51 litres |
| BMW 125d | 52 litres |
Checking your diesel 1 Series variant
Look for the badging on the boot lid, which usually gives the variant, and let us know what it says when you call.
Our list also includes Coupe and xDrive versions.
If there's AdBlue in a diesel BMW 1 Series
Certain diesel cars carry a mixture of water and urea, known as AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a separate filler, and rely on it to treat their exhaust. Even to shift your vehicle, do not touch the key when you've got AdBlue in a diesel BMW 1 Series after it went into the incorrect filler.
Even a tank of up to 52 litres won't dilute AdBlue the way it would dilute petrol. AdBlue doesn't blend with diesel, so it settles to the bottom, right where your pump takes its fuel, and being largely water it neither burns nor offers the fuel pump any lubrication.
However small the quantity, some of it gets pulled into the line. Once the water has evaporated, what is left is urea, which forms crystals in the fuel system, filter and injectors among them, and attacks any metal it touches.
The same filler flap often covers both fillers, and where the 1 Series has an AdBlue filler, it could well be alongside the diesel one. You can generally spot the AdBlue cap by its blue colour and the much slimmer nozzle it takes.
The fuel drain on your BMW 1 Series, in order
We do a fuel drain on your BMW 1 Series where your car sits, and it never has to be taken to a garage. To begin with we confirm what was put in and whether your motor has run. The tank, which holds up to 52 litres on the 1 Series, is then drained, the lines and fuel filter are flushed, and the car is filled up with fresh diesel and primed before we start the engine.
The tank in the 118d Coupe takes 51 litres.
By the time we leave, your 1 Series is running on clean diesel once more and ready for you to take away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW 1 Series, explained
The steps are the same as draining petrol in AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW 1 Series. When the 1 Series has been run, AdBlue can leave deposits inside the lines, as it gathers under your diesel rather than blending in. We clear those through as well, and change your fuel filter if it needs it.
What we call AdBlue removal is draining AdBlue from your diesel tank after a mistake at the filler, not taking out or disabling the AdBlue system on a vehicle.
Pricing a fuel drain on the BMW 1 Series
A set price is not something we publish, as no two jobs need the same work. It mostly comes down to the following:
- starting or driving the 1 Series, which makes more difference than anything else
- how much went in against the capacity of your tank
- what was put in, petrol or AdBlue
- where the 1 Series is parked, and whether we can bring our van to it safely
By comparison, a full tank on the 125d is 52 litres.
With those details on the phone, we can tell you what the job is going to involve.
Queries about petrol in a diesel BMW 1 Series
How many litres is the BMW 1 Series fuel tank capacity?
The table further up shows every variant, with tanks of between 50 and 52 litres.
Can I fill up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my 1 Series?
We would recommend against it. That petrol remains in your system when you drive, as putting in diesel only cuts its share and takes out none of it. All of it comes out with a fuel drain, which for a modest amount is generally everything the 1 Series needs.
Will my 1 Series need to go to the BMW dealer?
No. We are an independent business and have no link with BMW or its dealers, plus we empty and clean your 1 Series wherever it has stopped, so there is no need to take it anywhere.
Does the version of my 1 Series matter?
Knowing your version helps when you phone, because there are 14 diesel versions of the 1 Series in our data.
Will my insurance policy pay for wrong fuel in my BMW 1 Series?
It is worth looking at your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some but not all. Whatever it says, we come out to empty the vehicle.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my 1 Series. What now?
In that case, too, leave the key out of the ignition. If it's driven that way, a car will usually give an alert and enter limp mode. The AdBlue system needs emptying too. Which tank the fuel was put in is worth telling us when you ring.
I have already driven my 1 Series. What now?
Switch your engine off once you have pulled over somewhere safe, and leave it off till we get to you. Spotting it this soon means permanent damage is very rare, and we drain and clean your fuel system wherever you are.