Put Petrol in a Diesel BMW X6?
We'd ask you to leave the engine off when you've put petrol in a diesel BMW X6 and not run it yet, and that counts for moving it off the forecourt too. With your motor kept off, the petrol remains where it is inside the tank, and in most cases a drain is all the X6 needs.
There is no reason to move your BMW X6 off the forecourt, or from any other spot where it came to a stop, as this drain is done by Petrol in Diesel where your car sits. Wait before trying anything yourself till you have called us, and we will explain what to do.
First steps with petrol in a diesel X6
- Leave the motor off. A diesel X6 will normally fire up and run with petrol in its tank, and it can seem fine for a few miles, which explains why people often drive off without realising something is wrong.
- Fuel can be pulled to your injectors before the motor has started, since on many diesel engines the ignition on its own primes the fuel pump. Keep your ignition off as well.
- Filling up with diesel to thin it is a mistake, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol as well. The tank in your X6 holds up to 85 litres, and each litre of diesel put in is more contaminated fuel for us to drain.
- Ask the forecourt attendants if the car is in the way of a pump. They normally help push the car clear once it is in neutral.
- If the badge shows the precise variant, for instance the X6 xDrive 40d, mention it once you call 0333 366 0103. Tell us as well which X6 you drive and where it is parked, roughly how much petrol was put in and whether the motor has run.
What starting the motor does with wrong fuel in your BMW X6
Starting the engine is what pulls the wrong fuel in your BMW X6 from the tank, and only then does it start to affect your engine. A diesel engine relies on its fuel to lubricate the high-pressure fuel pump and your injectors whilst it passes through them. With petrol diluting your diesel, that protection goes, and driving any distance on it is then what can cause damage.
Stop somewhere safe then switch off when the X6 has already been driven. We can still put it right, by draining your tank and rinsing the lines and your filter until all of the tainted fuel is gone. Lasting harm is very rare if it's caught early and given a proper clean.
It's the same whichever variant of the X6 you have, including the X6 xDrive 30d.
Knowing the BMW X6 fuel tank capacity
If you filled up while the tank was nearly empty, the same few litres make up more of the fuel in it, and the danger depends on that share, so the size of your tank counts.
It doesn't matter which variant you have, since each diesel BMW X6 in our figures has the same tank, holding 85 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| BMW X6 M50d | 85 litres |
| BMW X6 xDrive 30d | 85 litres |
| BMW X6 xDrive 35d | 85 litres |
| BMW X6 xDrive 40d | 85 litres |
Working out which diesel X6 you have
Most of the time the variant is shown on your boot lid, and it's useful for us to know when you call.
Our list covers xDrive versions as well.
AdBlue in a diesel BMW X6
Water and urea go into AdBlue, which certain diesel vehicles rely on to clean up their exhaust. It's kept in a tank of its own, with a separate filler. Even to move the vehicle, don't turn your key if you have AdBlue in a diesel BMW X6 after it went into the incorrect filler.
Even a tank holding up to 85 litres does nothing to dilute AdBlue the way it would dilute petrol. AdBlue doesn't mix with diesel, so it settles to the bottom, right where your pump draws its fuel, and being mostly water it neither burns nor offers the fuel pump any lubrication.
Even a little of it is plenty to end up in your fuel line. Crystals of urea build up in the filter, the fuel injectors and the remainder of the fuel system as the water evaporates, and they eat into the metal they rest against.
Where your X6 has an AdBlue filler, it may well sit alongside the diesel filler under the same cover, as it does on a lot of motors. AdBlue caps are typically blue and fit a far smaller nozzle than diesel.
Fuel drain on your BMW X6: what we do
There's no garage involved, since we do a fuel drain on your BMW X6 at your car itself. First we check what went in and whether the motor has been run. The tank, which holds up to 85 litres on the X6, is then drained, the pipes and filter are cleaned, and the vehicle is filled up with fresh diesel and primed before we start your engine.
You are free to drive the X6 away once we have finished, now running on clean diesel.
AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW X6, step by step
AdBlue removal from a diesel BMW X6 takes the same steps as draining petrol. AdBlue settles at the base of the tank instead of mixing in, and if the X6 has been run it may form deposits in the pipes, so we flush those out as well and change your fuel filter if it needs doing.
Here, AdBlue removal means getting AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the incorrect filler. Disabling or removing the AdBlue system on a car is not what it means.
Pricing a fuel drain on the BMW X6
Because each job is different, we have no set quote to publish, and these are the chief factors that affect it:
- most of all, whether the X6 has been driven or even started
- how much went in relative to the capacity of the tank
- whether it was AdBlue instead of petrol
- the location of the X6 and how easily we can reach it with the van
Call with those details and we will be able to say what's likely to be involved.
Questions on petrol in a diesel BMW X6, answered
What is the fuel tank capacity of the BMW X6?
It holds 85 litres, and our figures show the same tank on each version.
Is it OK to add diesel after just a little petrol in my X6?
Filling up just reduces the share of petrol. None of it is removed, so it's all still there when you drive, which is why we would not recommend it. All of that is removed with a fuel drain, which for a modest amount is generally everything your X6 needs.
Do I need to take my X6 to the BMW dealer?
There's no reason to move it elsewhere. We drain and clean the X6 where it is, and we're independent, with no connection to BMW or any of its dealers.
Does it matter which X6 I drive?
We hold data for 4 diesel versions of the X6, and knowing which one you have assists us when you call.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my BMW X6?
It is worth looking at your insurance, as misfuelling cover is included in some and not others. Whatever it says, we come out and empty the vehicle.
Diesel in the AdBlue tank of my X6: what happens?
Here, too, the right thing is to leave the ignition alone. The AdBlue system will need emptying, and when your car is driven that way, it'll most likely give an alert and go into limp mode. Let us know which tank the fuel was put in when you call.
I drove my X6 before I realised. What should I do?
Look for a safe spot to pull over, then switch the engine off and keep the car that way till we get there. Lasting harm is very uncommon when it is caught soon like this, and we empty the fuel system and clean it where you've pulled over.