Petrol in a Diesel Nissan Qashqai, and You've Driven It
If you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Nissan Qashqai, stop as soon as it is safe, turn the motor off and leave it off. It's very rare for permanent harm to follow when it's caught soon, and it can still be put right where you have pulled up.
Where your Nissan Qashqai has stopped, Petrol in Diesel travels out to empty your tank there and clear the petrol from the system. It is on clean diesel and running by the time we leave.
When petrol in a diesel Qashqai reveals itself
At first, petrol in your tank frequently changes very little to how a diesel Qashqai feels, and the signs show up a few miles later on. These are the ones most often spotted if your tank has AdBlue or petrol in it:
- the motor is short of power, particularly when it has to accelerate
- it ticks over erratically, or it runs rough
- the exhaust puts out more smoke than usual
- a warning light appears
- the engine cuts out and might not start again
Your receipt will show what went in, so check it if any of these started after you fuelled up.
Wrong fuel in your Nissan Qashqai and the result of travelling on it
The fuel tank keeps wrong fuel in your Nissan Qashqai where it is till it's drawn out by the engine. Once the car is driven, it is drawn through the fuel injectors, your fuel filter and the injection pump. Diesel protects your pump and the injectors as it flows through them and petrol dilutes it, so the farther the Qashqai is driven, the more of the fuel system that mixture gets to.
This is the reason to stop as soon as you can rather than complete the trip. Usually, a drain and a clean are all a vehicle requires if it is stopped soon, as what can cause damage is travelling far on fuel that is tainted.
Another version of the Qashqai is no different from the Qashqai 2.0 dCi in this, so which version is yours makes no difference.
Just where you pulled over
Getting the Qashqai anywhere isn't necessary. We come to it at the roadside or outside your home, so there's no reason to restart the car or arrange a tow.
On a main road, switch on the hazard lights, then choose somewhere safe to wait away from the traffic.
Call 0333 366 0103 then say where you are, what Qashqai it is and about how far you have driven. It also helps if the badge shows the version, such as the Qashqai+2 2.0 dCi.
A fuel drain on your Nissan Qashqai after driving
There is one step more to a fuel drain on your Nissan Qashqai after it has been driven than to a drain on the forecourt. No petrol should be remaining between your tank and the engine afterwards, which is why your fuel tank is emptied first and your fuel lines are then opened and flushed through with your filter. The fuel system is primed after fresh diesel is in, and the engine is started to check it runs correctly.
After it's run: AdBlue in a diesel Nissan Qashqai
Uneven running, smoke and warning lamps are the normal signs once you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Nissan Qashqai, and your car might then stall. Settling to the base of your fuel tank, where your pump draws fuel, AdBlue reaches your fuel line fast, and it doesn't burn or lubricate. Crystals build up in your fuel lines and your filter once its water dries.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan Qashqai: what it means
AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan Qashqai that has been run means draining your tank then clearing the crystals out of the lines and the fuel filter, and we change the filter if it needs it.
Nothing here involves turning off or taking out the AdBlue system. It deals with fluid in your diesel tank, and a separate AdBlue tank your Qashqai may have is left as it is.
Tanks and engines: Nissan Qashqai fuel tank capacity
Our figures show the diesel tank holds 65 litres on every version of the Nissan Qashqai.
The badges on diesel Qashqai versions read dCi.
From 1.5 litres in the Qashqai 1.5 dCi, engine sizes run up to 2.0 litres on the Qashqai 2.0 dCi 4x4.
The list takes in 4x4 versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi 4WD | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai 2.0 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai 2.0 dCi 4WD | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai 2.0 dCi 4x4 | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai+2 1.5 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai+2 1.6 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai+2 2.0 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai+2 2.0 dCi 4WD | 65 litres |
| Nissan Qashqai+2 2.0 dCi 4x4 | 65 litres |
What a fuel drain on the Nissan Qashqai will cost after a drive
The mileage travelled and where it is now matter most towards the price of a fuel drain on the Nissan Qashqai after a drive, as does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. We can tell you what the job will involve when you call with those details.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Nissan Qashqai
Has the petrol ruined my Qashqai?
The chance of that is very small. We empty and clean the system where you've stopped, and if the car has been stopped soon, permanent damage is rare.
Is it OK to drive it home first?
We would ask you not to. Each mile on contaminated fuel takes it further through the fuel system, and we can drain the Qashqai where it is, which means there is no reason to shift the vehicle.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Another go draws more of that mixture through on each try. Please leave the car as it is. With it drained and rinsed and clean diesel in, we prime your fuel system and get it started for you.
Which Qashqai I have: does it matter?
There are 11 diesel versions of the Qashqai, and the badge on the tailgate shows which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you call.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Nissan Qashqai: am I covered?
We come out whichever way your policy goes, and some do include misfuelling cover, which means looking at yours once the car is dealt with is worthwhile.