Petrol in a Diesel BMW X5, and You've Driven It
If you have travelled with petrol in a diesel BMW X5, pull in as soon as it is safe, turn the engine off then leave it off. We can still deal with it wherever you have pulled up, and if it's spotted soon, permanent damage is very rare.
Your BMW X5 can remain where it has ended up, as Petrol in Diesel travels out to it, empties its fuel tank on the spot and clears its fuel system of petrol. When we go, it's running on clean diesel.
When petrol in a diesel X5 reveals itself
To begin with, petrol inside the tank often makes little difference to how a diesel X5 feels, so the symptoms appear a few miles later on. The following are the signs most often noticed when your tank has AdBlue or petrol in it:
- the motor is short of power, particularly when it has to pull
- it runs rough, or the idle becomes uneven
- smoke from the exhaust, more of it than usual
- a warning lamp lights up
- the motor stalls then may not restart
If any of these began after you filled up, check the receipt to see what went in.
What driving does with wrong fuel in your BMW X5
Wrong fuel in your BMW X5 sits in your tank till the motor draws it out, and driving is what takes it through your fuel filter, your injection pump then your injectors. Petrol dilutes the diesel that lubricates the pump and your fuel injectors while it runs through them, and running the X5 on carries the blend into more of your system.
Stopping as soon as you can is better than finishing the trip for that reason. A vehicle that's stopped soon usually needs nothing more than a drain and a clean. What can cause damage is covering a long way on contaminated fuel.
It makes no difference if you have the X5 M50d or another version of the X5.
Waiting where you've pulled up
There is no reason to get the X5 anywhere. The side of the road and outside your house are both places we come to, so it does not need restarting or a tow.
Somewhere safe, clear of the traffic, is where to wait when you are beside a busy road, with your hazards on.
Phone 0333 366 0103 and tell us where you are, what X5 it is and about how far you have driven. It helps too if the badge shows the version, like the X5 35d.
After it has been driven: fuel drain on your BMW X5
Compared with a drain on the forecourt, a fuel drain on your BMW X5 goes one step further after a drive. Draining the tank comes first. After that we open up the fuel lines and flush them through with your fuel filter, so there is no petrol left between your tank and the engine. With fresh diesel in and your system primed, our technicians fire up the motor and make sure it runs properly.
First comes emptying your tank, which takes 85 litres on the X5 40d.
Once it has run: AdBlue in a diesel BMW X5
Look out for smoke, rough running and warning lamps when AdBlue in a diesel BMW X5 has been driven on, as your car may also cut out. The fuel pump picks up fuel from the bottom of your tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, and so it reaches your fuel line quickly. It also does not burn or lubricate. As its water dries, the urea crystallises in the fuel lines and your filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW X5
We replace the fuel filter if it needs it as part of AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW X5 after it has run, once the tank is emptied and the crystals are cleared from the fuel filter and your fuel lines.
A separate AdBlue tank, if your X5 has one, is left as it is. The work is about liquid in your diesel tank, and does not involve taking out or switching off an AdBlue system.
BMW X5 fuel tank capacity and engine sizes
Of the BMW X5 versions, the X5 3.0d has the largest diesel tank, at 93 litres, and the X5 xDrive 25d the smallest, at 85 litres.
The X5 30d, for instance, holds 85 litres.
Some of them are xDrive versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| BMW X5 3.0d | 93 litres |
| BMW X5 30d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 35d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 40d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 M50d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 sDrive 25d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 xDrive 25d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 xDrive 30d | 85 litres |
| BMW X5 xDrive 40d | 85 litres |
Costing a fuel drain on the BMW X5 after a drive
Whether it was petrol or AdBlue affects what a fuel drain on the BMW X5 costs after driving on it, though it depends mostly on how far it travelled and where it has ended up. Give us those details on a call and then we can tell you what is involved in the job.
Petrol in a diesel BMW X5: questions after a drive
Has the petrol ruined my X5?
Almost certainly not. With your car stopped soon and the fuel system drained and cleaned where you have stopped, which is what we do, lasting harm is rare.
Is it all right to drive it home first?
It is wiser not to. Contaminated fuel reaches further into your system with each mile, which means you can keep the X5 where it stands while we drain it there, with no need to move the vehicle.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Another go draws more of the mixture through with each attempt. Please leave it alone. We prime your system and get it started for you after it has been emptied and flushed and fresh diesel is in.
Do you need to know which X5 I have?
Knowing which of the 9 diesel versions of the X5 you have assists us when you call, and it's on the badge on the boot.
Is wrong fuel in my BMW X5 covered by insurance?
We come out whatever your policy says, and some do include misfuelling cover, which means checking yours once your car is sorted is worthwhile.