Put Petrol in a Diesel Mini Countryman by Mistake?
The engine is best left off when it has not been started since you put petrol in a diesel Mini Countryman, and that covers moving it away from the pump. That petrol cannot leave the tank whilst your motor is off, so your Countryman can generally be put right with a fuel drain.
There is no reason to shift your Mini Countryman off the forecourt, or from any other spot where it came to a stop, as the drain is done by Petrol in Diesel where the vehicle stands. Phone us before you attempt anything yourself and we'll walk you through it.
Got petrol in a diesel Countryman? First steps
- With petrol inside the tank, a diesel Countryman will normally still fire up and run, and seem perfectly normal for several miles. That is why motorists frequently drive off without noticing a fault, and why the engine should be left off.
- Your ignition needs to stay off too, as turning it on starts the fuel pump priming on a lot of diesels, and your pump then pulls fuel from your tank.
- The Countryman takes up to 47 litres, so topping up the remainder of the tank with diesel to dilute that petrol just leaves more contaminated fuel to drain. The same applies to super unleaded, which is petrol too.
- A vehicle in the way of a pump can be popped in neutral and pushed out of the way, and the forecourt staff are generally glad to help.
- When the badging gives the exact variant, for example the Cooper D Countryman ALL4, mention it once you ring 0333 366 0103. Let us know as well which Countryman you have and where it is, about how much petrol was put in and whether your motor has run.
Wrong fuel in your Mini Countryman once the motor has been started
The motor isn't touched by wrong fuel in your Mini Countryman till it's pulled from your tank, and starting your motor is what draws it out. A diesel engine depends on the fuel to lubricate the high-pressure pump and the fuel injectors whilst it flows through them. Driving any distance on the mix is what can cause damage, since petrol dilutes your diesel and washes that lubrication away.
If you've already driven the Countryman, stop in a safe place and turn off. Even so, we can take all the contaminated fuel out, by draining the tank and then rinsing your fuel pipes and the filter. When it's caught early and flushed out thoroughly, lasting harm is very unusual.
It is the same whichever version of the Countryman you drive, including the One D Countryman.
The fuel tank capacity of the Mini Countryman
What matters is how much of your fuel inside the tank is petrol. The same few litres matter more if you fuelled up with your tank close to empty, which is why its size makes a difference.
The fuel tank holds 47 litres on every diesel Mini Countryman we have figures for, so that calculation is the same whichever version you have.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Mini Cooper D Countryman | 47 litres |
| Mini Cooper D Countryman ALL4 | 47 litres |
| Mini Cooper SD Countryman | 47 litres |
| Mini Cooper SD Countryman ALL4 | 47 litres |
| Mini One D Countryman | 47 litres |
What diesel version of the Countryman is yours?
Most of the time the version is shown on the boot lid, and it is helpful to us to know when you call.
Put AdBlue in a diesel Mini Countryman?
Water and urea make up AdBlue, which certain diesel vehicles use to treat their exhaust. It's held in a tank of its own, with a separate filler. Pouring AdBlue in the incorrect filler gives you AdBlue in a diesel Mini Countryman, so don't touch your key, not even to shift the car.
The fuel pump has no protection whatsoever from AdBlue, which is mostly water and won't ignite. It will not blend with diesel either, and settles to the base of your tank, the same spot the pump draws from, so a tank holding up to 47 litres does nothing to dilute it.
Even a little of it is plenty to end up in the fuel line. When the water has dried off, what's left is urea, which forms crystals in the system, filter and injectors among them, and attacks any metal it rests against.
The same filler flap often covers both fillers, and if your Countryman has an AdBlue filler, it may well be beside the diesel one. The nozzle for AdBlue is far narrower than the diesel one, and the filler cap is normally blue.
The fuel drain on your Mini Countryman, step by step
Taking your vehicle to a garage is not needed, as a fuel drain on your Mini Countryman is carried out right at the vehicle. Before we start the engine, your system is primed and your tank refilled with clean diesel. First comes finding out what went in and whether it has run, emptying a tank that takes up to 47 litres on the Countryman, and cleaning the lines and filter.
You are free to drive the Countryman away when we've finished, now running on clean diesel.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Mini Countryman, explained
We follow the same stages for AdBlue removal from a diesel Mini Countryman as we do when emptying petrol. We clear crystals out of the pipes too if the Countryman has been started, and replace the fuel filter where needed, as AdBlue settles in the bottom of the tank rather than blending in and can leave them there.
AdBlue removal on this page means taking AdBlue out of the diesel tank after it has gone into the incorrect filler. It doesn't mean taking out or switching off the AdBlue system on your vehicle.
What does a fuel drain on the Mini Countryman cost?
We do not publish a fixed price, since the work varies from one job to the next. These are the biggest factors that change it:
- whether the Countryman has been started or driven, which makes the largest difference
- a tank's size next to the amount that went in
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- whether the van can easily and safely reach the Countryman where it stands
We can let you know what the work will probably need when you phone with those details.
Queries on petrol in a diesel Mini Countryman, answered
Your Mini Countryman fuel tank capacity: how many litres?
47 litres on each variant in our data.
Can I top up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my Countryman?
Topping up only cuts the proportion of petrol. None of that is taken out, so it's all still there when you drive, which is why we wouldn't recommend it. All of it comes out with a fuel drain, which for a modest quantity is usually everything the Countryman needs.
Will my Countryman need to be taken to the Mini dealer?
You do not need to. We have no connection with Mini or any of its dealers, being independent, and the Countryman is emptied and cleaned where you have stopped.
Do you need to know which Countryman I have?
It helps us to know which one you drive when you call, since we hold figures for 5 diesel versions of the Countryman.
Am I insured for wrong fuel in my Mini Countryman?
It is worth looking at your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some but not all. Whichever way it reads, we come out and empty the car.
Diesel in the AdBlue tank of my Countryman: what happens?
In this case, too, the sensible thing is to leave your ignition alone. The AdBlue system will need emptying, and when your car is driven like that, it will most likely show an alert and drop into limp mode. Do say which tank took your diesel when you phone.
Already driven my Countryman: what do I do?
Stop where it's safe and switch the engine off, then keep it off until we arrive. Spotting it this early means long-term damage is very rare, plus we empty and clean your fuel system wherever you are.