Petrol in a Diesel Kia Rio: Already Driven It?
The motor wants turning off then keeping off as soon as you can pull in somewhere safe, if you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Kia Rio. Wherever you've stopped, we can still sort it out, and damage that lasts is very uncommon when it is caught early.
Petrol in Diesel comes out to wherever your Kia Rio has stopped, drains the tank then flushes the petrol out of the system. Once we head off, the vehicle is back on fresh diesel.
Signs of petrol in a diesel Rio
A diesel Rio carrying petrol in the fuel tank commonly drives normally at first, and so the signs usually appear a couple of miles later. Drivers usually spot the following if there is petrol or AdBlue inside the fuel tank:
- a loss of power, particularly whenever the engine is asked to pull
- the idle turns uneven, or it runs rough
- more smoke than usual appears from the tailpipe
- warning lights on the dashboard come on
- it cuts out and might not restart
If one of these started after you fuelled up, check your receipt to find out what went in.
How far wrong fuel in your Kia Rio gets when you drive
The fuel tank holds wrong fuel in your Kia Rio where it is until it is pulled out by the motor. After the car is driven, it goes through the injectors, your fuel filter and the high-pressure pump. Diesel protects the pump and your injectors as it runs through them while petrol thins it, so the further the Rio is taken, the more of your fuel system the mix gets to.
Stopping the moment you can is better than completing the trip for that reason. Damage, where it occurs, comes from a long journey on tainted fuel, and draining and cleaning are normally all a motor requires when it is stopped soon.
Just where you pulled over
You do not need to move the Rio anywhere. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your home, so there is no need to restart the car or arrange a tow.
If you are alongside a busy road, put the hazard lights on then wait somewhere safe, away from the traffic.
Ring 0333 366 0103 and say where you are, what Rio it is and about how far it has been driven. The version shown on the badge, such as the Rio 1.5 CRDi, is useful as well.
Fuel drain on your Kia Rio when you have driven on it
A fuel drain on your Kia Rio after it was driven goes one step further than one on the forecourt. Emptying the fuel tank comes first. Then we open up your fuel lines and flush them through with the filter, so there's no petrol left between the tank and the motor. Fresh diesel goes in, the system is primed, and we fire up the engine to confirm it runs smoothly.
After it's run: AdBlue in a diesel Kia Rio
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Kia Rio and you have driven on it, the symptoms are normally uneven running, smoke and warning lamps, and the vehicle may cut out. As AdBlue settles to the base of your fuel tank, where your fuel pump draws its fuel, it's in your fuel line fast, and it does not burn or lubricate. The urea crystallises in the fuel filter and your fuel lines once its water evaporates.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Kia Rio after it has run
The fuel lines and the fuel filter have to be cleared of the crystals after your tank is drained, which is what AdBlue removal from a diesel Kia Rio that has been run involves. Where your fuel filter needs it, we change it.
If your Rio has a separate AdBlue tank, that is left alone. This is about liquid in your diesel tank, not removing or switching off the AdBlue system.
The Kia Rio fuel tank capacity and its engines
Our figures show the diesel tank holds 45 litres on every version of the Kia Rio.
Diesel Rio versions have CRDi badges.
Engine size is 1.5 litres throughout the versions listed.
Costing a fuel drain on the Kia Rio after a drive
The price of a fuel drain on the Kia Rio after it's been driven depends largely on how far it went and where it has stopped, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. Ring with those details and we can tell you what the work will involve.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Kia Rio
Will my Rio be ruined?
Almost certainly not. With the car stopped soon and the fuel system emptied and flushed wherever you've pulled up, which is what we do, lasting harm is uncommon.
Can I finish the drive home first?
It is wiser not to. Each mile on contaminated fuel carries it further through your system, and we're able to empty the Rio where it sits, which means there's no reason to move the vehicle.
It has stalled and won't restart. What should I do?
Please leave the vehicle instead of trying again, because each attempt draws more of that blend through. We get it started for you after draining and flushing it, putting fresh diesel in and priming the fuel system.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Kia Rio: am I covered?
Once the vehicle is sorted out, it is worth looking at your policy, as some include misfuelling cover. We come out whether it covers you or not.