Petrol in a Diesel Mazda 2, and You've Driven It
If you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Mazda 2, pull over as soon as it's safe, turn the engine off and leave it off. Spotted soon, it very rarely leaves lasting damage, while sorting it out where you've pulled up is still something we can do.
Your Mazda 2 can remain wherever it has stopped, as Petrol in Diesel travels out to it, drains its fuel tank there and clears its fuel system of petrol. It is on fresh diesel and running by the time we go.
Petrol in a diesel 2: the signs to watch for
A diesel 2 carrying petrol inside your fuel tank frequently feels normal to begin with, so the symptoms tend to appear a few miles later on. If the tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, people normally notice the following:
- the engine lacks power, particularly when you ask it to pull
- it runs roughly, or your idle turns uneven
- there's more smoke than usual from the tailpipe
- a warning light lights up
- it cuts out, then might fail to restart
Check your receipt if any of these began after you filled up, as it shows which fuel went in.
Wrong fuel in your Mazda 2: what travelling on it does
Until the motor draws it out, wrong fuel in your Mazda 2 remains in the fuel tank, but driving draws it on to the filter, then into the injection pump and the fuel injectors. Diesel protects your pump and your fuel injectors as it runs through them while petrol weakens it, so the further the 2 is driven, the more of the fuel system the mixture gets to.
This is the reason to stop as soon as you can rather than complete the journey. Normally, a drain and a clean are all a motor requires if it is stopped early, because what can do damage is driving far on fuel that's contaminated.
Waiting where you have pulled up
You don't need to get the 2 anywhere. No recovery truck needs to be organised and there is no need to start it, because we come to it at the side of the road or outside your house.
With your hazard lights on, stand clear of the traffic in a safe spot if the road beside you is busy.
About how far you drove, which 2 it is and where you have pulled up are the things to tell us when you ring 0333 366 0103. It helps too when the badge gives the version, like the 2 1.5 MZ-CD.
Fuel drain on your Mazda 2 after it has been driven
A fuel drain on your Mazda 2 after it has been driven goes a step further than a drain at the forecourt. Draining your tank comes first. Then we open up the lines and rinse them through with your filter, until there's no petrol left between your fuel tank and the motor. The fuel system is primed after fresh diesel is in, and the engine is started to confirm it runs smoothly.
AdBlue in a diesel Mazda 2 after it has been run
Rough running, smoke and warning lights are the normal signs once you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Mazda 2, and your car might then stall. As AdBlue sinks to the bottom of the tank, where the fuel pump takes its fuel, it is in your fuel line fast, and it neither burns nor lubricates. Crystals build up in your fuel lines and your filter as its water evaporates.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Mazda 2 works
Emptying the tank comes first in AdBlue removal from a diesel Mazda 2 that has been run, and then the crystals are flushed from your lines and your filter, with the filter replaced if it needs it.
Nothing here involves switching off or taking out the AdBlue system. It deals with fluid in your diesel tank, and any separate AdBlue tank your 2 may have is left alone.
The Mazda 2 fuel tank capacity and its engines
Of the Mazda 2 versions, the 2 MZ-CD 1.6 has the biggest diesel tank, at 45 litres, and the 2 1.3 MZ-CD Sport the smallest, at 43 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Mazda 2 1.3 MZ-CD Sport | 43 litres |
| Mazda 2 1.5 MZ-CD | 43 litres |
| Mazda 2 MZ-CD 1.6 | 45 litres |
What a fuel drain on the Mazda 2 will cost after a drive
How far it travelled and where it has stopped are what mainly settle the price of a fuel drain on the Mazda 2 after a drive, and petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. We can tell you what the work will involve when you phone with those details.
Questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Mazda 2
Is my 2 ruined?
It is very unlikely to be. If your car is stopped early, emptying and cleaning the system is what we do where you've stopped, and damage that lasts is uncommon after that.
Should I drive it home first?
It is better not to. Moving it isn't needed, because we can drain the 2 where it sits. Taking it on only takes tainted fuel further through your fuel system.
It has stalled and will not restart. What should I do?
Leaving it alone is better than having another go, as every attempt draws the blend further through. After we've drained and rinsed it and then put fresh diesel in, we prime the fuel system and start it for you.
Does the version of my 2 make a difference?
It helps when you call if we know which of the 3 diesel versions of the 2 you have, and the boot badge shows it.
Will my policy cover wrong fuel in my Mazda 2?
Misfuelling cover is offered in some policies, so look at yours once the vehicle has been sorted. Either way, we still come out.