Petrol in a Diesel Citroen C2: Already Driven It?
Once it's safe, pull over and turn the motor off, and keep it off. Running on with petrol in a diesel Citroen C2 just carries the petrol further in. It is very uncommon for lasting harm to follow when it is caught soon, while it can still be dealt with where you've stopped.
Your Citroen C2 can remain wherever it has ended up, because Petrol in Diesel comes out to it, drains its fuel tank there then cleans its fuel system of petrol. By the time we go, it's running on fresh diesel.
How petrol in a diesel C2 shows itself
You might drive a few miles without spotting anything wrong, because petrol inside the tank often keeps a diesel C2 running normally to begin with. With petrol or AdBlue in the tank, these are the signs drivers normally spot:
- power drops away, especially when you ask the engine to pull
- lumpy running, or an erratic idle
- there is more smoke than normal from the tailpipe
- the dashboard shows warning lights
- it cuts out and may not restart
Look at your receipt if any of these started after filling up, as it shows which fuel went in.
How far wrong fuel in your Citroen C2 gets when you drive
Wrong fuel in your Citroen C2 sits in the tank until the engine draws it out, and driving is what pulls it through the filter, your high-pressure fuel pump then the injectors. The mix gets into more of the fuel system the further the C2 is taken, because petrol thins the diesel that protects your fuel pump and the injectors on its way through them.
So finishing the trip is a worse option than stopping as soon as you can. Usually, a drain and a clean are all a car requires if it is stopped soon, because what can do harm is driving far on fuel that's contaminated.
Yours being the C2 HDi 70 and not another version of the C2 makes no difference.
Staying where you have pulled up
You don't need to get the C2 anywhere. The roadside and outside your house are both spots we come to, and so it doesn't need starting or towing.
If you're next to a main road, turn the hazard lights on then wait somewhere out of harm's way, clear of the traffic.
When you phone 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which C2 it is and roughly how far you went. The version shown on the badge, like the C2 HDi 110, is useful too.
Fuel drain on your Citroen C2 when you've driven it
A fuel drain on your Citroen C2 after it has been driven goes a step further than a drain on the forecourt. Draining your fuel tank comes first. Then we open up the fuel lines and flush them through with your fuel filter, until there is no petrol remaining between your fuel tank and the motor. Fresh diesel goes in, your system is primed, and we start the engine to check it runs smoothly.
After it has run: AdBlue in a diesel Citroen C2
Travelling with AdBlue in a diesel Citroen C2 usually brings warning lights, smoke and uneven running, and the vehicle may stall. AdBlue doesn't burn or lubricate, and it drops to the base of the fuel tank where your pump draws fuel, and so it gets to the fuel line fast. The urea crystallises in the fuel filter and the lines as its water dries.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Citroen C2
We replace the fuel filter if it needs it during AdBlue removal from a diesel Citroen C2 after it's run, when your fuel tank is drained and the crystals are flushed out of the fuel filter and the fuel lines.
Nothing here means turning off or taking out the AdBlue system. It covers fluid in the diesel tank, and a separate AdBlue tank your C2 has is left alone.
Tanks and engines: Citroen C2 fuel tank capacity
Our records show the diesel tank holds 41 litres on every version of the Citroen C2.
You will see HDi badges on diesel C2 versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Citroen C2 HDi 110 | 41 litres |
| Citroen C2 HDi 70 | 41 litres |
Fuel drain on the Citroen C2 after a drive: the cost
The price of a fuel drain on the Citroen C2 after it has been driven depends mostly on how far it went and where it has ended up, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference too. Give us those details on a call and we can tell you what is involved in the job.
Petrol in a diesel Citroen C2: questions after driving
Is the C2 done for now?
Very probably not. With the vehicle stopped early and the fuel system drained and cleaned wherever you have stopped, which is what we do, permanent damage is uncommon.
Should I drive it home first?
We'd ask you not to. Every mile on contaminated fuel carries it further through the fuel system, and we can drain the C2 where it is, which means there is no need to shift the vehicle.
Stalled, and it will not restart: what should I do next?
Another go pulls more of that mixture through on every try. Please leave the vehicle alone. With it emptied and rinsed and clean diesel in, we prime your system and get it started for you.
Do you need to know which C2 I have?
There are 2 diesel versions of the C2, and the badge on the boot says which one you have. Knowing that assists us when you ring.
Does my policy cover wrong fuel in my Citroen C2?
Some policies offer misfuelling cover, and so it is worth looking at yours once your car is sorted out. We still come out either way.