Put Petrol in a Diesel Renault Grand Espace by Mistake?
We'd ask you to keep the motor off if you have put petrol in a diesel Renault Grand Espace and not started it yet, and that counts for moving it off the forecourt as well. With your motor kept off, the petrol stays put inside the tank, and in most cases a drain is all the Grand Espace needs.
Your Renault Grand Espace can stay put wherever it has stopped, forecourt included, as Petrol in Diesel empties misfuelled vehicles on the spot. Call us before anything else then let us take you through it, instead of attempting anything on your own.
Put petrol in a diesel Grand Espace? What to do first
- Don't turn on the motor, even though a diesel Grand Espace will generally run with petrol in the tank. It can feel fine for a while, and that's how people commonly pull away without realising something is amiss.
- Your ignition needs to remain off as well, because switching it on starts the fuel pump priming on many diesels, and your pump then draws fuel from the tank.
- Diluting that petrol by filling up with diesel does not help. It just adds to the tainted fuel we drain from a tank that takes up to 83 litres in the Grand Espace, and super unleaded counts as petrol here as well.
- A car in the way of a pump can be popped in neutral and rolled out of the way, and the forecourt staff are usually glad to help.
- If the badge gives the precise version, for example the Grand Espace 2.0 dCi FAP, give it once you call 0333 366 0103. Tell us too which Grand Espace you drive and where it is parked, about how much petrol was put in and whether the motor has run.
Started your vehicle with wrong fuel in your Renault Grand Espace?
The engine isn't touched by wrong fuel in your Renault Grand Espace until it is drawn from your tank, and starting your engine is what pulls it out. A diesel engine relies on its fuel to lubricate the high-pressure pump and your injectors as it passes through them. Petrol thins the diesel and strips that protection away, which is why it's driving any distance on that blend that can cause damage.
Find somewhere safe to stop then turn off, when the Grand Espace has already been on the road. We empty the tank, then rinse the lines and filter through till no tainted fuel is left, so it can still be sorted out. As long as it is flushed out properly after being caught soon, it very seldom leaves permanent harm.
It's the same whichever version of the Grand Espace you have, and that includes the Grand Espace 2.2 dCi Automatik.
Knowing the Renault Grand Espace fuel tank capacity
If you fuelled up when the tank was almost empty, the same couple of litres make up more of the fuel in it, and the danger hinges on that proportion, so the capacity of your tank matters.
Depending on the variant, the Renault Grand Espace has a tank of 78 to 83 litres.
Our data place the biggest tank in the Grand Espace 1.9 dCi and the smallest in the Grand Espace 2.2 dCi.
The Grand Espace 2.2 dT has a tank of 78 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Renault Grand Espace 1.9 dCi | 83 litres |
| Renault Grand Espace 2.0 dCi FAP | 83 litres |
| Renault Grand Espace 2.2 dCi | 78 litres |
| Renault Grand Espace 2.2 dCi Automatik | 83 litres |
| Renault Grand Espace 2.2 dT | 78 litres |
| Renault Grand Espace 3.0 dCi V6 24V | 83 litres |
Checking your diesel Grand Espace variant
It is useful for us to have the variant when you phone, and it's generally on a badge at the rear of the vehicle.
The diesel models of the Grand Espace have been sold as dCi.
AdBlue in a diesel Renault Grand Espace
To treat their exhaust, some diesel cars use AdBlue, a blend of water and urea that goes in its own tank through its own filler. Pouring AdBlue in the incorrect filler leaves you with AdBlue in a diesel Renault Grand Espace, so don't turn your key, not even to shift the car.
Even a tank of up to 83 litres won't dilute AdBlue as it would dilute petrol. AdBlue does not blend with diesel, so it drops to the bottom, right where the pump takes its fuel, and being largely water it neither ignites nor offers the fuel pump any protection.
However modest the volume, some of it gets pulled into the line. When the water dries out, the urea forms crystals within the system, including the filter and injectors, and it attacks the metal it touches.
If your Grand Espace has an AdBlue filler, it might well sit beside the diesel filler under the same flap, as it does on a lot of cars. AdBlue caps are generally blue and take a far narrower nozzle than diesel.
What we do for a fuel drain on your Renault Grand Espace
There is no garage involved, as we do a fuel drain on your Renault Grand Espace at your vehicle itself. On the Grand Espace the tank takes up to 83 litres, and we empty all of that once we have checked what was put in and whether your engine has run. Your fuel lines and your filter are cleaned next, then we fill up with clean diesel and prime the system before starting the engine.
By the time we leave, your Grand Espace is running on fresh diesel again and ready for you to take away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Grand Espace
Just like draining petrol, AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Grand Espace runs through the same steps. If the Grand Espace has been started, AdBlue may leave crystals inside the lines, as it settles under your diesel instead of mixing in. We flush those through too, and swap your fuel filter where needed.
What we call AdBlue removal is draining AdBlue from the diesel tank after a mistake at your filler, not removing or disabling the AdBlue system on a car.
A fuel drain on the Renault Grand Espace: the cost
We do not publish a fixed quote, since this work differs from one job to the next. These are the biggest factors that shape it:
- whether the Grand Espace has been started or driven, which makes the greatest difference
- how much was put in against the capacity of the tank
- what went in, petrol or AdBlue
- the position of the Grand Espace and how safely we can reach it with the van
Phone with those answers and we will be able to explain what's likely to be involved.
Petrol in a diesel Renault Grand Espace: questions
What is the fuel tank capacity of the Renault Grand Espace?
Between 78 and 83 litres according to the version, and the table above shows every one.
Does filling up with diesel help with a little petrol in my Grand Espace?
We'd advise against it. That petrol stays in your system when you drive, because adding diesel only lowers its proportion and takes out none of it. All of it is removed with a drain, which for a small amount is generally everything your Grand Espace requires.
Should my Grand Espace go to the Renault dealer?
You don't have to. We have no tie with Renault or any of its dealers, being independent, and your Grand Espace is emptied and cleaned wherever you are.
Does the version of my Grand Espace matter?
We hold figures for 6 diesel versions of the Grand Espace, and knowing which one you have assists us when you call.
Am I insured for wrong fuel in my Renault Grand Espace?
It's worth checking your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some but not all. Whatever it says, we come out and drain the car.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my Grand Espace. What now?
Don't put your key in your ignition in that case either. Limp mode and a warning are what most vehicles give you when they are driven in that state, and their AdBlue system will need emptying. Do say which tank took the fuel when you call.
Already driven my Grand Espace: what do I do?
Look for a safe spot to pull over, then switch the motor off and keep the car that way until we get there. Spotting it this early means permanent damage is very rare, plus we empty and clean your fuel system wherever you are.