Petrol in a Diesel Fiat Punto: Already Driven It?
As soon as it is safe, pull over and turn the motor off, then keep it off. Driving on with petrol in a diesel Fiat Punto only carries the petrol further in. It's very uncommon for lasting damage to follow if it is caught early, while it can still be sorted out wherever you've pulled up.
Where your Fiat Punto has ended up, Petrol in Diesel comes out to drain your fuel tank there and clean the petrol out of the fuel system. It's on clean diesel and running by the time we go.
When petrol in a diesel Punto reveals itself
To begin with, petrol inside the fuel tank often changes very little to how a diesel Punto feels, and the signs appear a couple of miles further on. These are the signs usually noticed when your tank has AdBlue or petrol in it:
- power drops away, particularly when you ask the motor to accelerate
- it runs rough, or the idle turns uneven
- there's more smoke than normal from the tailpipe
- a warning lamp appears
- it stalls, and then may fail to restart
The receipt shows what was put in, so check it if one of these began after you filled up.
How far wrong fuel in your Fiat Punto goes once you drive
The fuel tank holds wrong fuel in your Fiat Punto where it is until it's pulled out by the engine. Once you drive, it is drawn through the injectors, your filter and the injection pump. The mixture gets into more of the fuel system the further the Punto is driven, because petrol weakens the diesel fuel that protects your pump and the fuel injectors on its way through them.
So completing the trip is a poorer option than stopping the moment you can. Damage, where it happens, comes from a long journey on tainted fuel, and draining and cleaning are usually all a vehicle requires if it is stopped early.
Yours being the Punto TD 60 S rather than another version of the Punto makes no difference.
Just where you stopped
Moving the Punto anywhere isn't necessary. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your home, and so there's no need to restart the car or book a tow.
On a busy road, switch on the hazards, then find somewhere safe to wait clear of the traffic.
Call 0333 366 0103 and say where you are, what Punto it is and roughly how far you have driven. If the badge shows the version, such as the Punto Evo 1.3 Multijet 16V, it helps too.
Fuel drain on your Fiat Punto when you have driven on it
Compared with a drain at the forecourt, a fuel drain on your Fiat Punto goes one step further after a drive. We empty the tank first, then open up your fuel lines and flush them through with the fuel filter, so that no petrol is left between your fuel tank and the engine. With fresh diesel in and your system primed, we fire up the motor and check it runs smoothly.
If your engine has run with AdBlue in a diesel Fiat Punto
Travelling with AdBlue in a diesel Fiat Punto normally shows up as warning lights, smoke and rough running, and the vehicle might stall. The fuel pump draws fuel at the base of the tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, and so it reaches your fuel line fast. It also doesn't burn or lubricate. The urea forms crystals in the filter and the fuel lines as its water evaporates.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Fiat Punto is done
Emptying your fuel tank comes first in AdBlue removal from a diesel Fiat Punto that has been run, and then the crystals are flushed from your fuel lines and your fuel filter, with the fuel filter changed if it needs it.
A separate AdBlue tank, if your Punto has one, is left alone. The job is about fluid in the diesel tank, and doesn't involve taking out or switching off an AdBlue system.
Tank sizes and engines: Fiat Punto fuel tank capacity
Over the versions of the Fiat Punto, diesel tanks go from 45 litres on the Punto Evo 1.6 16V Multijet to 49 litres on the Punto 1.3 JTD.
One example is the Punto TD S, which takes 47 litres.
You'll see Multijet, JTD and TD badging on diesel Punto versions.
The smallest engine is 1.3 litres, on the Punto 1.3 Multijet 16V, and the biggest is 1.9 litres, on the Punto 1.9 JTD.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Fiat Punto 1.3 JTD | 49 litres |
| Fiat Punto 1.3 Multijet 16V | 49 litres |
| Fiat Punto 1.9 JTD | 47 litres |
| Fiat Punto Evo 1.3 Multijet 16V | 45 litres |
| Fiat Punto Evo 1.6 16V Multijet | 45 litres |
| Fiat Punto TD 60 S | 47 litres |
| Fiat Punto TD S | 47 litres |
Fuel drain on the Fiat Punto after a drive: the cost
How far it went and where it has ended up are what mainly settle the price of a fuel drain on the Fiat Punto after a drive, and petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. Tell us those details on a call and then we can say what's involved in the work.
Driven with petrol in a diesel Fiat Punto: your queries
Is the Punto ruined now?
It is very unlikely. Permanent harm is rare when the car is stopped soon and the fuel system is drained and flushed, and that is what we do wherever you've pulled up.
Can I drive it home first?
We'd prefer you not to. We can empty the Punto just where it sits, so it doesn't need shifting, and each mile driven on tainted fuel would push it further through your system.
It has stalled and won't restart. What should I do?
Trying again draws more of the blend through on every try. Please leave it alone. We prime your fuel system and get it started for you once it's been emptied and flushed and clean diesel is in.
Does it matter which Punto I own?
There are 7 diesel versions of the Punto, and the badge on the boot says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you call.
Does my policy cover wrong fuel in my Fiat Punto?
Some policies include misfuelling cover, and so it is worth checking yours once the car is dealt with. We still come out either way.