Petrol in a Diesel Nissan X-Trail: Already Driven It?
Keeping the engine off is what matters after you have driven with petrol in a diesel Nissan X-Trail, so stop once it's safe and switch the engine off. It's very uncommon for permanent damage to result if it is caught soon, and it can still be dealt with wherever you have pulled up.
Your Nissan X-Trail can remain where it has stopped, as Petrol in Diesel travels out to it, drains its tank there and clears its fuel system of petrol. By the time we go, the car is back on fresh diesel.
When petrol in a diesel X-Trail shows itself
It's usually a couple of miles before the signs appear, as with petrol in the fuel tank a diesel X-Trail tends to run normally to begin with. Drivers normally spot these signs when there is petrol or AdBlue in your fuel tank:
- power falls away, especially when you ask the engine to accelerate
- it idles unevenly, or it runs roughly
- the tailpipe gives off more smoke than usual
- a warning lamp appears
- it stalls and might not start again
Your receipt shows what was put in, so check it if one of these began after you fuelled up.
How far wrong fuel in your Nissan X-Trail goes when you drive
The fuel tank holds wrong fuel in your Nissan X-Trail in one place until it's pulled out by the engine. After you drive, it goes through your fuel injectors, the fuel filter and the high-pressure fuel pump. As diesel flows through the fuel injectors and your pump it lubricates them, yet petrol weakens it, which is why the X-Trail spreads that mix further into the fuel system the more it is driven.
This is the reason to stop the moment you can and not finish the journey. Harm, where it occurs, comes from a long drive on contaminated fuel, and draining and cleaning are usually all a car needs when it is stopped soon.
Waiting where you have stopped
Getting the X-Trail anywhere is not necessary. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your house, so there's no need to restart it or arrange a recovery truck.
If you're next to a busy road, put your hazards on and wait somewhere safe, away from the traffic.
Before you ring 0333 366 0103, have your whereabouts to hand, along with the distance you drove and which X-Trail it is. It also helps if the badge gives the version, like the X-Trail 2.2 Di.
Fuel drain on your Nissan X-Trail once you've driven on it
Once it was driven, a fuel drain on your Nissan X-Trail takes one step more than one on the forecourt. No petrol is left between the fuel tank and the engine by the end, so your fuel tank is drained first and the fuel lines are then opened up and flushed through with the fuel filter. The system is primed after fresh diesel is in, and the motor is started to check it runs properly.
AdBlue in a diesel Nissan X-Trail that has been driven
Look out for smoke, rough running and warning lamps when AdBlue in a diesel Nissan X-Trail has been driven on, as the car may also stall. The pump picks up fuel at the base of the fuel tank, which is where AdBlue settles, so it reaches the fuel line quickly. It also does not burn or lubricate. Its water drying out lets the urea form crystals in the lines and the fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan X-Trail after driving
Draining your tank comes first with AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan X-Trail that has been run, then the crystals are flushed out of the lines and your fuel filter, with the filter replaced if it needs it.
Nothing here means switching off or taking out the AdBlue system. It deals with liquid in your diesel tank, and any dedicated AdBlue tank your X-Trail may have is left alone.
Engine sizes and Nissan X-Trail fuel tank capacity
The X-Trail 2.0 dCi is at the top end and the X-Trail 2.2 dCi at the bottom of the Nissan X-Trail versions, with diesel fuel tanks from 60 to 65 litres.
You'll see dCi badges on diesel X-Trail versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi | 65 litres |
| Nissan X-Trail 2.2 dCi | 60 litres |
| Nissan X-Trail 2.2 dCi 4x2 | 60 litres |
| Nissan X-Trail 2.2 Di | 60 litres |
Fuel drain on the Nissan X-Trail after driving: the cost
The distance driven and where it is now count most towards the cost of a fuel drain on the Nissan X-Trail after driving, and so does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. We can tell you what the job will need once you phone with those details.
Common queries about petrol in a diesel Nissan X-Trail after a drive
Has the petrol ruined my X-Trail?
It's very unlikely. Permanent damage is rare when the vehicle is stopped soon and the system is emptied and cleaned, and that's what we do where you have pulled up.
Can I finish the drive home first?
We'd ask you not to. Every mile on tainted fuel pushes it further through your system, and we can empty the X-Trail where it sits, which means there's no reason to move the car.
It has stalled and won't restart. What should I do?
Leaving it alone is wiser than having another go, since each try pulls the mixture further through. We prime the fuel system and start it for you after it has been emptied and rinsed and fresh diesel is in.
Do you need to know which X-Trail I drive?
There are 4 diesel versions of the X-Trail, and the badge on the tailgate says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you call.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Nissan X-Trail: am I covered?
Misfuelling cover is included in some policies, so check yours after the vehicle has been sorted out. Either way, we come out.