Petrol in a Diesel Peugeot 406? Leave It Switched Off
Anybody who has put petrol in a diesel Peugeot 406 without running the motor ought to keep it switched off, and not run it even to roll it away from the pump. That petrol cannot leave the tank while the engine is off, so your 406 can normally be set right with a drain.
We come to wrongly fuelled cars rather than the other way round, so with Petrol in Diesel the Peugeot 406 stays at the forecourt or wherever it has stopped. Ring us before you attempt anything on your own and we'll walk you through it.
Your first moves after petrol in a diesel 406
- Keep the engine off. Any diesel 406 will usually fire up and run with petrol in the tank, and it may seem normal for a few miles, and that is why drivers frequently drive away without noticing something is wrong.
- Your ignition has to remain off too, since turning it on starts the fuel pump priming on a lot of diesels, and the pump then draws fuel from the tank.
- Diluting that petrol by topping up with diesel doesn't help. It only adds to the contaminated fuel we drain from a tank that holds up to 70 litres in the 406, and super unleaded counts as petrol here too.
- Speak to the forecourt attendants if your vehicle is blocking a pump. They generally help push the vehicle out of the way after it is in neutral.
- Phone 0333 366 0103 and let us know which 406 you have and where it is parked, about how much petrol was put in, and whether the engine has run. If the precise version is on the badge, say the 406 2.1 DT, give us that as well.
Started your car with wrong fuel in your Peugeot 406?
Wrong fuel in your Peugeot 406 only begins to affect your engine after it's pulled from your tank, which is what starting the motor does. A diesel engine relies on the fuel to oil the high-pressure pump and the injectors while it passes through them. Petrol dilutes the diesel and strips that protection away, which is why it is driving any distance on that mix that can cause damage.
Stop somewhere safe then turn off when your 406 has already been on the road. It can still be sorted out, with your tank emptied and the pipes and filter rinsed until every trace of the tainted fuel has been removed. Permanent harm is very unusual when it's caught early and given a thorough clean.
Every variant of the 406 is the same here, the 406 Break HDi 110 included.
The fuel tank capacity of the Peugeot 406
If you fuelled up while the tank was almost empty, the same couple of litres make up more of your fuel in it, and the risk hinges on that proportion, which means the capacity of the tank matters.
It doesn't make a difference which variant you drive, because each diesel Peugeot 406 in our figures has the same tank, taking 70 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Peugeot 406 1.9 DT | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 2.0 Hdi | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 2.0 HDi Esplanade | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 2.0 HDi Premium | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 2.1 DT | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 2.2 HDi | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break 2.0 Hdi | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break 2.0 HDi Esplanade | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break 2.0 HDi Premium | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break 2.2 HDi | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break HDi 110 | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break HDi 90 | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break SRDT | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Break SVDT | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Coupe 2.2 HDi | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 Coupe HDi 135 | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 HDi 110 | 70 litres |
| Peugeot 406 HDi 90 | 70 litres |
Telling which diesel 406 you drive
It helps us to have the version when you ring, and it's generally on a badge at the rear of the vehicle.
On the diesel 406, the badging used is HDi.
The smallest motor, 1.9 litres, is in the 406 1.9 DT, and the largest, 2.2 litres, is in the 406 Coupe 2.2 HDi.
There are Coupe versions on the list too.
AdBlue in a diesel Peugeot 406
AdBlue is a mixture of water and urea that some diesel cars rely on to treat their exhaust, and it has its own tank and filler. The key needs to stay out of the ignition if you've got AdBlue in a diesel Peugeot 406 through the incorrect filler, and that includes shifting the vehicle.
As it is largely water, AdBlue does not ignite and gives the fuel pump no protection whatsoever. It doesn't mix with diesel either, so it sinks to the bottom of the tank where the pump takes its fuel, and a tank holding up to 70 litres won't dilute it as it would dilute petrol.
A modest quantity is still sucked into the fuel system. Inside your fuel system the water dries off and leaves the urea to crystallise, in the fuel filter and injectors and elsewhere, where it corrodes the metal it rests against.
If the 406 has an AdBlue filler, it could well sit alongside your diesel filler under the same cover, as it does on many cars. The nozzle for AdBlue is much narrower than the diesel one, and the filler cap is typically blue.
What we do in a fuel drain on your Peugeot 406
We carry out a fuel drain on your Peugeot 406 where the vehicle is, and it never needs to be taken to a garage. To begin with we confirm what went in and whether the motor has run. Your tank, which holds up to 70 litres on the 406, is then drained, the pipes and filter are cleaned, and your vehicle is filled up with fresh diesel and primed before we start your engine.
By the time we leave, your 406 is running on fresh diesel once more and all set for you to drive away.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Peugeot 406 involves
The steps are the same as a petrol drain for AdBlue removal from a diesel Peugeot 406. When the 406 has been started, AdBlue can leave crystals inside the pipes, because it gathers under the diesel instead of blending in. We rinse those out too, and swap the fuel filter if it needs it.
What we call AdBlue removal is emptying AdBlue from your diesel tank after a mistake at your filler, not taking out or switching off the AdBlue system on a vehicle.
A fuel drain on the Peugeot 406: what it costs
Because each job is different, we have no fixed price to publish, and these are the chief factors that shape it:
- whether anybody has started or driven the 406, the thing that matters most
- how much was put in against the capacity of the tank
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- where the 406 is parked, and whether we can bring the van to it in safety
If you ring with those answers we can tell you what the job is likely to involve.
Queries on petrol in a diesel Peugeot 406, with answers
Can you tell me the fuel tank capacity of the Peugeot 406?
All the versions we have data for take 70 litres.
Does topping up with diesel help with a little petrol in my 406?
We wouldn't recommend it. Putting in diesel lowers the share of petrol without taking out any of it, so that petrol is still in the system when you drive off. With only a little petrol, a drain to take all of it out is usually all your 406 needs.
Is a trip to the Peugeot dealer needed for my 406?
There's no reason to move it elsewhere. We drain and clean the 406 where it is parked, and we are independent, with no tie to Peugeot or any of its dealers.
Does it matter which 406 I have?
Yes, it helps. Our data cover 18 diesel variants of the 406, so let us know which one you have when you phone.
Am I insured for wrong fuel in my Peugeot 406?
We will still come out to drain it for you, covered or not. Look at your policy anyway, since not every policy has misfuelling cover.
What happens if I pour diesel in the AdBlue tank of my 406?
In that case, as well, leave the key out of the ignition. When it is driven that way, a vehicle will usually give a warning and go into limp mode. The AdBlue system needs emptying as well. Do say which tank took the diesel when you call.
I drove my 406 before I realised. What should I do?
Turn the engine off after you have pulled over somewhere safe, and leave it off till we get to you. We empty and clean the fuel system where you have stopped, and if it is caught soon like this, long-term damage is very rare.