Driven on Petrol in a Diesel Mazda Already?
The motor needs to stay off once you have driven with petrol in a diesel Mazda, so pull over as soon as it's safe then switch it off. Wherever you have stopped, sorting it out is still possible, and harm that lasts is very rare if it's caught soon.
Petrol in Diesel comes to wherever the vehicle has stopped, empties the fuel tank and clears the petrol out of your fuel system, so it's running on fresh diesel once more by the time we leave.
Signs of petrol in a diesel Mazda
Frequently, a diesel car with petrol in its tank drives normally for a few miles at first, and the signs show up after that. Drivers usually spot these when there's petrol or AdBlue in your tank:
- power drops off, especially whenever you ask the motor to pull
- it ticks over unsteadily or runs rough
- smoke from the tailpipe that is heavier than usual
- warning lights come on
- the motor stalls, and restarting may not be possible
Looking at your receipt tells you what was put in, and that is useful if any of these started after you filled up.
How driving spreads wrong fuel in your Mazda
The injectors, the filter and the high-pressure fuel pump get wrong fuel in your Mazda only when driving pulls it through. Until then, it sits in the tank. The farther the car goes, the more of your system that mixture reaches, as petrol dilutes the diesel that keeps your fuel pump and the fuel injectors lubricated.
This is the reason to stop as soon as you can rather than complete the trip. Travelling a long way on contaminated fuel is what can do harm, and if a motor is stopped soon, a drain and a clean are usually all it requires.
This applies to the CX-7 just as it does to every other diesel Mazda.
Waiting where you've pulled up
You do not need to get the car anywhere. You can leave it at the roadside or outside your house while we travel to it, without restarting it or booking a recovery truck.
On a fast road, the hazards go on and you wait somewhere safe, clear of the traffic.
When you ring 0333 366 0103, the details we need are your whereabouts, the model and roughly how many miles you covered. To start with, the model name will do, like the 626.
Fuel drain on your Mazda after it has been driven
Compared with a drain on the forecourt, a fuel drain on your Mazda goes one step further once it's been driven. We empty your tank first, then open your fuel lines and flush them through with your fuel filter, so that no petrol is left between your tank and the engine. With clean diesel in and your fuel system primed, we fire up the motor then make sure it runs correctly.
On the B-Series, the tank we empty first takes up to 70 litres.
After it has run: AdBlue in a diesel Mazda
Look out for smoke, uneven running and warning lamps if you have driven on AdBlue in a diesel Mazda, because the vehicle might also cut out. The fuel pump picks up fuel from the bottom of the tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, so it reaches the fuel line quickly. AdBlue does not burn or lubricate in any way. As its water evaporates, the urea crystallises in the lines and the fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Mazda, step by step
AdBlue removal from a diesel Mazda that has been run means draining your tank and then clearing the crystals from the lines and the filter, and we change your fuel filter if it needs it.
Any separate AdBlue tank fitted to the car is left alone. The work covers liquid in the diesel tank and does not mean removing or switching off the AdBlue system.
Every diesel Mazda in the range
From 43 litres, diesel Mazda tanks run up to 75 litres across the line-up.
The 5, for instance, holds up to 60 litres.
We cover 12 diesel Mazda models, and each has its separate page below listing every version and its fuel tank.
Following the drive, what does a fuel drain on a diesel Mazda cost?
Where the car ended up and the distance it travelled mostly set the cost of a fuel drain after driving. Petrol or AdBlue makes a difference too. Call with those details and we can tell you what this job will need.
What people ask after driving with petrol in a diesel Mazda
Has the petrol wrecked my Mazda?
The chance of that is very small, because lasting harm is rare when your car is stopped early and we drain and clean the system where you have pulled up.
Should I drive it home first?
We would sooner you did not. Shifting it is not necessary, as we can drain your car where it sits, and each mile on mixed fuel carries it further through the fuel system.
It won't restart after stalling. What should I do now?
Every attempt pulls more of that blend through, so please leave it instead of having another go. Restarting it for you is last, after we have drained and rinsed it, put fresh diesel in and primed the system.
My insurance and wrong fuel in my Mazda: am I covered?
Some insurance policies include misfuelling cover, so it's worth checking yours once your car is sorted. We come out regardless.