Put Petrol in a Diesel Dodge Caliber by Mistake?
We'd ask you to leave your motor off when you've put petrol in a diesel Dodge Caliber and not run it yet, and that goes for moving it off the forecourt as well. The petrol cannot leave the tank whilst the motor is off, so your Caliber can normally be set right with a drain.
Petrol in Diesel empties misfuelled cars where they are, and the Dodge Caliber can be left on the forecourt or wherever it ended up. Ring us first then let us talk you through it, instead of attempting anything on your own.
Your first moves after petrol in a diesel Caliber
- Keep your engine off. Any diesel Caliber will normally fire up and run with petrol inside its tank, and it can feel normal for a couple of miles, which is why motorists commonly drive off without realising something is amiss.
- Keep the ignition off as well. On a lot of diesels switching it on is enough to start the fuel pump priming, which pulls fuel from the tank to the fuel injectors.
- Filling up with diesel to dilute it is a mistake, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The tank in your Caliber holds up to 51 litres, and each litre of diesel added is more tainted fuel for us to empty.
- Speak to the forecourt staff when your car is in the way of a pump. They normally help push the vehicle out of the way after it is in neutral.
- If the badge shows the precise version, for example the Caliber 2.0 CRD, mention it when you ring 0333 366 0103. Let us know too which Caliber you have and where it is parked, about how much petrol was put in and whether your engine has run.
Started your car with wrong fuel in your Dodge Caliber?
Starting the motor is what pulls the wrong fuel in your Dodge Caliber from the tank, and only then does it start to reach the engine. While it runs through, diesel fuel keeps your high-pressure pump and the fuel injectors lubricated, and the engine relies on that. That protection is taken away when petrol thins the diesel, so the damage, where there's any, is down to driving on the mix.
If you've already been driving your Caliber, stop in a safe place then switch off. We empty your tank, then rinse the lines and filter through until no tainted fuel is left, so it can still be put right. When it's caught early and cleaned out properly, permanent damage is very rare.
Checking the Dodge Caliber fuel tank capacity
Because the danger hinges on what share of the fuel is petrol, the size of your tank counts, and a few litres in a tank that was almost empty are a bigger problem than the same in a fuller tank.
In our data, all the diesel variants of the Dodge Caliber share one tank of 51 litres, so the sum comes out the same for each.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Dodge Caliber 2.0 CRD | 51 litres |
| Dodge Caliber 2.2 CRD | 51 litres |
Finding your diesel Caliber variant
The version is usually on a badge on the boot lid, and knowing it helps us when you phone.
At 2.0 litres, the Caliber 2.0 CRD has the smallest motor, whilst the Caliber 2.2 CRD goes up to 2.2 litres.
When there's AdBlue in a diesel Dodge Caliber
AdBlue is a blend of water and urea that some diesel cars rely on to clean up their exhaust, and it has a separate tank and filler. The key needs to remain out of your ignition if you have AdBlue in a diesel Dodge Caliber through the incorrect filler, and that covers shifting the vehicle.
The fuel pump gets no lubrication whatsoever from AdBlue, which is mainly water and will not ignite. It won't mix with diesel either, and sinks to the bottom of the tank, the same spot the pump pulls from, so a tank of up to 51 litres does nothing to dilute it.
No matter how small the volume, some of that gets sucked into the line. Deposits of urea form in the fuel filter, the injectors and the remainder of the fuel system as the water dries off, and they corrode the metalwork they touch.
The same fuel flap frequently covers both fillers, and where your Caliber has an AdBlue filler, it might well be alongside the diesel one. You can generally tell the AdBlue lid by its blue shade and the far narrower nozzle it takes.
Fuel drain on your Dodge Caliber: how we do it
Every fuel drain on your Dodge Caliber is carried out beside your vehicle, so it never has to be taken to a garage. On the Caliber your tank holds up to 51 litres, and we drain all of it after we have found out what went in and whether your motor has run. Your fuel lines and your filter are flushed after that, then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime the system before starting your motor.
Fresh diesel is what the Caliber is running on by the time we've finished, and you are free to drive it away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Dodge Caliber, step by step
Just like clearing petrol, AdBlue removal from a diesel Dodge Caliber goes through the same stages. If the Caliber has been run, AdBlue may leave crystals in the pipes, since it collects under the diesel instead of mixing in. We rinse those through too, and swap the filter where needed.
AdBlue removal, as we use it on this page, covers AdBlue that was put in the wrong filler and has to come out of the diesel tank. It doesn't cover taking out or switching off the AdBlue system on the vehicle.
Pricing a fuel drain on the Dodge Caliber
A fixed quote isn't something we publish, as no two jobs involve the same work. It mainly comes down to the following:
- most of all, whether the Caliber has been driven or even started
- how much was put in relative to the capacity of your tank
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- whether our van can easily and safely reach the Caliber where it is
We can tell you what the work will probably involve once you call with those answers.
Your questions on petrol in a diesel Dodge Caliber
Do you know the fuel tank capacity of the Dodge Caliber?
All the versions we have figures for hold 51 litres.
Can I fill up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my Caliber?
We would recommend against it. The petrol remains in the fuel system when you drive, as putting in diesel just reduces its share and takes out none of that. Your Caliber generally needs no more than a drain if just a modest quantity went in, and that gets the petrol out entirely.
Is a trip to the Dodge dealer necessary for my Caliber?
There is no need to move it anywhere. We empty and clean the Caliber where it is parked, and we're independent, with no connection to Dodge or its dealers.
Does the variant of my Caliber make a difference?
We hold data for 2 diesel versions of the Caliber, and knowing which one you have helps us when you call.
Am I insured for wrong fuel in my Dodge Caliber?
We will still come out and empty it for you, either way. Check your policy all the same, because not every policy includes misfuelling cover.
What should I do if my Caliber got diesel in its AdBlue tank?
In that case, too, leave your key out of the ignition. Limp mode and an alert are what the majority of motors give you if they are driven like that, and their AdBlue system will need emptying. When you ring, let us know which tank the diesel was put in.
Already driven my Caliber: what now?
Pull over where it is safe and turn the engine off, then leave it off till we reach you. Where you have stopped, your fuel system is drained and cleaned there, and caught soon like this, it very seldom leaves long-term damage.