Kept Driving With Petrol in a Diesel Citroen DS4?
The engine wants switching off then keeping off once you can pull in somewhere safe, if you have travelled on petrol in a diesel Citroen DS4. Spotted soon, it only very rarely causes permanent damage, while putting it right wherever you've stopped is still something we can do.
Once Petrol in Diesel travels out to wherever your Citroen DS4 has stopped, the petrol is cleared out of your fuel system and the fuel tank drained. When we go, it's running again on fresh diesel.
Signs of petrol in a diesel DS4
A diesel DS4 carrying petrol in the tank frequently drives normally at first, and so the symptoms usually show up a few miles later. Whether your fuel tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, people usually spot these:
- power falls away, especially when you ask the motor to pull
- lumpy running, or an erratic idle
- smoke from the tailpipe, more than normal
- the dash shows warning lights
- it cuts out, then might fail to restart
Any of these beginning after you filled up is a reason to check your receipt and see what went in.
Wrong fuel in your Citroen DS4 and the result of driving on it
Wrong fuel in your Citroen DS4 sits in your tank until the motor pulls it out, and driving is what draws it through the filter, your high-pressure pump and your fuel injectors. The mixture reaches more of your system the longer the DS4 is driven, because petrol dilutes the diesel that protects your pump and your injectors as it passes through them.
That's why it's better to stop the moment you can than to finish the journey. Harm, where it happens, comes from a long journey on tainted fuel, and draining and cleaning are normally all a vehicle needs if it's stopped soon.
It makes no difference if yours is the DS4 HDi 110 FAP or another version of the DS4.
Staying where you've stopped
There's no need to get the DS4 anywhere. You can keep it at the side of the road or at home and we come to it, with no restart and no recovery truck to arrange.
Somewhere safe, clear of the traffic, is the place to wait when you're beside a busy road, with your hazard lights on.
Ring 0333 366 0103 and tell us where you are, what DS4 it is and about how far you have driven. It also helps when the badge shows the version, such as the DS4 HDi 163 FAP.
Fuel drain on your Citroen DS4 after it was driven
There is one step more to a fuel drain on your Citroen DS4 after it was driven than to a drain at the forecourt. We empty the fuel tank first, then open the fuel lines and flush them through with your filter, so that no petrol is remaining between the tank and the engine. Fresh diesel goes in, the system is primed, and our technicians fire up the engine to check it runs smoothly.
AdBlue in a diesel Citroen DS4 after it has been run
Rough running, smoke and warning lamps are the normal signs once you have driven on AdBlue in a diesel Citroen DS4, and your car might stall. The pump picks up fuel at the base of the tank, which is where AdBlue settles, and so it gets to your fuel line quickly. It also does not burn or lubricate. As its water dries, the urea forms crystals in your lines and your fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Citroen DS4 after driving
Emptying your tank comes first in AdBlue removal from a diesel Citroen DS4 that has been run, and then the crystals are flushed from the fuel lines and the fuel filter, with the filter changed if it needs it.
A separate AdBlue tank, if your DS4 has one, is not touched. The work is about fluid in your diesel tank, and doesn't mean taking out or disabling an AdBlue system.
The Citroen DS4 fuel tank capacity and the engines
Our records show the diesel tank takes 60 litres on every version of the Citroen DS4.
Diesel DS4 versions have HDi badges.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Citroen DS4 HDi 110 FAP | 60 litres |
| Citroen DS4 HDi 163 FAP | 60 litres |
What a fuel drain on the Citroen DS4 costs after a drive
The cost of a fuel drain on the Citroen DS4 after it's been driven hinges mostly on how far it travelled and where it has ended up, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference too. Tell us those details on a call and we can say what's involved in the job.
Usual queries about petrol in a diesel Citroen DS4 after driving
Is the DS4 done for now?
Very probably not. With the car stopped early and the fuel system drained and cleaned wherever you have stopped, which is what we do, lasting harm is uncommon.
Can I drive it home first?
Our guidance would be not to. Shifting it isn't needed, because we can drain the DS4 where it sits. Driving it on only pushes contaminated fuel further through your system.
It has stalled and will not restart. What should I do?
Please don't try a second time. Leave it as it is, since each attempt pulls more of that blend through. We get it started for you after emptying and flushing it, putting fresh diesel in and priming the fuel system.
Does the version of my DS4 matter?
There are 2 diesel versions of the DS4, and the badge on the boot says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you ring.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Citroen DS4: am I covered?
Some policies include misfuelling cover, and so it's worth looking at yours after the vehicle is sorted. We still come out either way.