Put Petrol in a Diesel Ford Mondeo by Mistake?
We'd urge you to keep your engine off when you have put petrol in a diesel Ford Mondeo and not started it yet, and that goes for shifting it off the forecourt too. That petrol can't get out of the tank while the engine is off, so the Mondeo can normally be set right with a drain.
Your Ford Mondeo can be left wherever it ended up, forecourt included, as Petrol in Diesel drains wrongly fuelled cars where they are. We will go through it with you over the phone, so ring us before trying anything on your own.
First steps for petrol in a diesel Mondeo
- With petrol in your tank, a diesel Mondeo will usually still start and run, and seem perfectly ordinary for several miles. That's how people frequently drive off without noticing a fault, and the reason the motor should be left off.
- The ignition has to remain off as well, because turning it on starts the fuel pump priming on a lot of diesels, and the pump then draws fuel from the tank.
- Filling up with diesel to dilute it is a mistake, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The fuel tank on the Mondeo holds up to 70 litres, and every litre of diesel put in is more tainted fuel for us to empty.
- If your vehicle is in the way of a pump, pop it in neutral and roll the car clear. Forecourt attendants are usually glad to help with that.
- When the badging gives the precise version, for example the Mondeo 1.8 TDCi, mention it once you ring 0333 366 0103. Tell us too which Mondeo you drive and where it is, roughly how much petrol was put in and whether your engine has run.
Running on wrong fuel in your Ford Mondeo
Wrong fuel in your Ford Mondeo only begins to reach the motor after it is pulled from your tank, which is what starting the motor does. A diesel engine relies on the fuel to oil the high-pressure pump and your injectors whilst it flows through them. Petrol dilutes the diesel and strips that protection away, and that is why it is driving for any distance on the blend that can do damage.
Stop in a safe place then turn off when your Mondeo has already been driven. It can still be sorted out, with the tank drained and the lines and fuel filter flushed until the last of the contaminated fuel has been removed. When it's caught soon and cleaned out properly, lasting harm is very rare.
It's the same whichever variant of the Mondeo you drive, and that includes the Mondeo Turnier 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic.
Your Ford Mondeo fuel tank capacity, by version
Since the risk hinges on what proportion of your fuel is petrol, the capacity of your tank matters, and a few litres in a tank that was almost empty are a bigger problem than the same in a fuller tank.
From 58 litres up to 70, the tank on the Ford Mondeo varies with the variant.
Our figures put the largest tank in the Mondeo Turnier 2.0 TDCi and the smallest in the Mondeo 2.0 16V TDE Turnier.
For the Mondeo 2.0 16V TDCI, the figure is 58 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Ford Mondeo 1.6 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 1.8 TD | 61 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 1.8 TDCi | 60 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 16V TDCI | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 16V TDCI Turnier | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 16V TDDI | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 16V TDE Turnier | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.2 16V TDCI | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.2 16V TDCI Turnier | 58 litres |
| Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 1.6 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 1.8 TD | 61 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 1.8 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 2.0 TDCi | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic | 70 litres |
| Ford Mondeo Turnier 2.2 TDCi | 70 litres |
Checking your diesel Mondeo version
The variant is usually on a badge on the boot lid, and it's useful for us to know when you ring.
On the diesel Mondeo, the badging used is TDCi, TD and TDDi.
More versions in our records wear the TDCi badge than any other, but the Mondeo 1.8 TD is badged TD.
The smallest engine, 1.6 litres, is on the Mondeo 1.6 TDCi, and the largest, 2.2 litres, is in the Mondeo 2.2 16V TDCI.
AdBlue in a diesel Ford Mondeo
Some diesel vehicles hold a mix of water and urea, known as AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a separate filler, and use it to clean up their exhaust. Even to shift your vehicle, do not touch the key when you have AdBlue in a diesel Ford Mondeo after it went into the incorrect filler.
The fuel pump gets no protection whatsoever from AdBlue, which is mainly water and will not burn. It won't blend with diesel either, and drops to the base of your tank, the very spot the pump draws from, so a tank holding up to 70 litres won't dilute it.
Even a little gets sucked into the fuel line. Crystals of urea build up in your filter, the injectors and the rest of the system once the water evaporates, and they corrode the metal they sit against.
The same flap frequently covers both fillers, and if your Mondeo has an AdBlue filler, it might well be alongside the diesel one. A blue lid and a nozzle far smaller than diesel usually pick out the AdBlue filler.
How a fuel drain on your Ford Mondeo is done
Taking your vehicle to a garage isn't necessary, as a fuel drain on your Ford Mondeo is carried out right at your vehicle. On the Mondeo the tank holds up to 70 litres, and we drain all of it once we have checked what was put in and whether your engine has run. Your fuel pipes and the fuel filter are flushed next, then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime the system before firing up your motor.
The tank in the Mondeo 2.0 16V TDCI Turnier carries 58 litres.
Clean diesel is what the Mondeo is running on by the time we've finished, and you can drive it away.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Ford Mondeo involves
AdBlue removal from a diesel Ford Mondeo takes the same steps as draining petrol. We clear deposits out of the pipes as well if the Mondeo has been started, and replace your fuel filter where needed, as AdBlue settles in the base of your tank rather than blending in and may leave them there.
AdBlue removal here means taking AdBlue out of the diesel tank after it has gone into the wrong filler. It doesn't mean taking out or switching off the AdBlue system on your vehicle.
What decides the cost of a fuel drain on the Ford Mondeo
The work differs from one task to the next, so we do not publish a fixed quote. The biggest things that shape it are these:
- whether anyone has started or driven the Mondeo, the thing that counts most
- how much was put in compared to the size of the tank
- whether it was petrol or AdBlue
- whether our van can easily and safely reach the Mondeo where it stands
To give a comparison, the fuel tank on the Mondeo 2.2 TDCi takes 70 litres when full.
We can let you know what this work will probably need once you ring with those details.
Queries on petrol in a diesel Ford Mondeo, with answers
Your Ford Mondeo fuel tank capacity: how many litres?
It depends on the variant, from 58 to 70 litres, and each one is shown in the table above.
Does topping up with diesel help with a little petrol in my Mondeo?
It is not something we'd advise, as adding diesel does nothing to take out that petrol. It only lowers its proportion, and the petrol is still in the fuel system after you drive off. All of it comes out with a fuel drain, which for a small quantity is usually everything the Mondeo needs.
Is a trip to the Ford dealer needed for my Mondeo?
No. We're independent with no link with Ford or its dealers, plus we empty and clean the Mondeo wherever it is parked, so there's no need to take it anywhere.
Does it matter which Mondeo I own?
We hold data for 18 diesel versions of the Mondeo, and knowing which one you have assists us when you phone.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Ford Mondeo?
Some policies have misfuelling cover and some don't, so it is worth checking yours. Either way, we come out to empty your vehicle for you.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my Mondeo. What now?
Here, too, the right thing is to leave your ignition alone. If it's driven like that, a car will generally display a warning and drop into limp mode. The AdBlue system needs draining too. Which tank your diesel was put in is worth mentioning when you phone.
Already driven my Mondeo: what do I do?
Pull over where it is safe and switch the motor off, then leave it off until we arrive. Spotting it this soon means lasting harm is very uncommon, and we drain and clean the fuel system wherever you happen to be.