Petrol in a Diesel Fiat Panda, and You've Driven It
As soon as it's safe, pull in and switch the motor off, then leave it off. Running on with petrol in a diesel Fiat Panda only carries the petrol further in. We can still deal with it wherever you've stopped, and when it's spotted early, permanent damage is very rare.
Petrol in Diesel comes to wherever your Fiat Panda has ended up, empties your fuel tank and flushes the petrol from the fuel system. By the time we go, it's running on fresh diesel.
Warning signs of petrol in a diesel Panda
A diesel Panda with petrol in the tank commonly drives normally at first, and so the symptoms usually appear a few miles further on. People normally notice these signs when there's petrol or AdBlue inside the tank:
- the engine loses power, particularly when you ask it to accelerate
- lumpy running, or an uneven idle
- the exhaust puts out more smoke than usual
- warning lamps on the dashboard light up
- it cuts out and might not start again
If one of these began after you fuelled up, look at the receipt to confirm what was put in.
How far wrong fuel in your Fiat Panda gets once you drive
Wrong fuel in your Fiat Panda stays in the fuel tank till the motor pulls it out, and driving is what draws it through your filter, your high-pressure fuel pump then your fuel injectors. Diesel lubricates your fuel pump and your fuel injectors as it runs through them while petrol dilutes it, and so the farther the Panda is taken, the more of your fuel system the mix reaches.
Stopping the moment you can is wiser than finishing the trip because of that. Normally, a drain and a clean are all a vehicle needs when it is stopped soon, because what can do harm is travelling far on fuel that is contaminated.
If yours is the Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4 Cross or a different version of the Panda, nothing is different.
Right where you pulled over
Taking the Panda anywhere isn't needed. We come to it at the roadside or outside your house, and so there's no need to start the vehicle or arrange a recovery truck.
On a main road, put on your hazard lights, then choose somewhere safe to wait clear of the traffic.
When you phone 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which Panda it is and roughly how far you travelled. It helps too if the badge gives the version, like the Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V.
After it has been driven: fuel drain on your Fiat Panda
There is one step more to a fuel drain on your Fiat Panda after it was driven than to a drain on the forecourt. After the tank is emptied, your lines are opened up and flushed through along with your filter, which leaves no petrol anywhere from your tank to the motor. Fresh diesel goes in, your fuel system is primed, and we fire up the engine to confirm it runs properly.
AdBlue in a diesel Fiat Panda after it has been run
Rough running, smoke and warning lamps are the usual symptoms once you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Fiat Panda, and the vehicle may then stall. AdBlue does not burn or lubricate, and it sinks to the bottom of the tank where your pump draws fuel, and so it gets into your fuel line quickly. Crystals form in the fuel lines and the filter once its water dries.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Fiat Panda after it has run
We change the filter if it needs it during AdBlue removal from a diesel Fiat Panda after it's run, when your fuel tank is emptied and the crystals are cleared out of the filter and the lines.
If your Panda has a separate AdBlue tank, that's left as it is. This is about fluid in the diesel tank, not removing or turning off the AdBlue system.
The Fiat Panda fuel tank capacity and the engines
Diesel tanks on the Fiat Panda run from 30 to 35 litres over its versions, with the Panda 1.3 JTD 16V at the top and the Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4 at the bottom.
One example is the Panda Classic 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4, which takes 35 litres.
The badges on diesel Panda versions are Multijet and JTD.
Engine size is 1.3 litres throughout the versions listed.
There are 4x4 versions among them.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Fiat Panda 1.3 JTD 16V | 35 litres |
| Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V | 35 litres |
| Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4 | 30 litres |
| Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4 Cross | 30 litres |
| Fiat Panda Classic 1.3 Multijet 16V 4x4 | 35 litres |
Costing a fuel drain on the Fiat Panda after driving
How far it went and where it has ended up are what largely decide the cost of a fuel drain on the Fiat Panda after driving, and petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. Give us those details in a call and then we can tell you what's involved in the work.
Usual questions about petrol in a diesel Fiat Panda after a drive
Is my Panda ruined?
Almost certainly not. With the vehicle stopped early and the fuel system emptied and cleaned where you have pulled up, which is what we do, lasting damage is uncommon.
Can I drive it home first?
We would ask you not to. Shifting it is not needed, because we can empty the Panda where it is. Driving it on only pushes tainted fuel further through the system.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Leaving it alone is wiser than trying again, since every try pulls that blend further through. We start it for you after draining and rinsing it, putting clean diesel in and priming your fuel system.
Which Panda I have: does it matter?
The badge on the tailgate shows the version you have, out of the 5 diesel versions of the Panda, and knowing it helps us when you ring.
Wrong fuel in my Fiat Panda: does insurance cover it?
We still come out whatever your policy says, and some do include misfuelling cover, which means looking at yours once your car is dealt with is worthwhile.