Put Petrol in a Diesel Renault Kangoo by Mistake?
The motor is safest left off if it hasn't been run since you put petrol in a diesel Renault Kangoo, and that includes shifting it clear of the pump. That petrol can't get out of your tank as long as the engine is off, so the Kangoo can normally be put right with a fuel drain.
We go to misfuelled vehicles instead of the other way round, so with Petrol in Diesel your Renault Kangoo stays on the forecourt or wherever it has stopped. Ring us first and let us walk you through it, instead of trying anything on your own.
Petrol in a diesel Kangoo: what to do straight away
- With petrol in your tank, a diesel Kangoo will generally still start and run, and feel completely normal for several miles. That is why motorists often drive off without noticing a problem, and the reason your motor should be left off.
- Leave your ignition off as well. On a lot of diesels switching it on is enough to start the fuel pump priming, which draws fuel out of the tank to the injectors.
- Do not fill the rest of your tank with diesel to weaken it. Your Kangoo takes up to 60 litres, and filling it up simply leaves more tainted fuel to drain. Super unleaded counts as petrol here as well.
- When the car is blocking a pump, pop it in neutral and push it out of the way. Forecourt attendants are usually willing to help with that.
- Once you ring 0333 366 0103, we want to know which Kangoo you drive, where it is parked, how much petrol you reckon was put in and whether the engine has been started. The exact variant helps as well when it is on the badge, for example the Kangoo 1.5 dCi FAP.
Wrong fuel in your Renault Kangoo after the motor has been started
Wrong fuel in your Renault Kangoo only begins to get to the engine when it's pulled from your tank, which is what starting the motor does. As it passes through, diesel fuel keeps the high-pressure pump and the injectors lubricated, and your engine depends on that. That protection is taken away when petrol thins the diesel, so the damage, where there is any, comes from driving on that blend.
Where you've already driven your Kangoo, pull over where it is safe and turn off. We drain the tank, then flush the lines and fuel filter through until no tainted fuel is left, so it can still be sorted out. As long as it's flushed out thoroughly after being caught early, it very seldom leaves long-term damage.
Every variant of the Kangoo is the same here, the Kangoo 1.5 dCi 110 included.
Checking the Renault Kangoo fuel tank capacity
The size of the tank matters because the risk hinges on what proportion of the fuel in it is petrol, so the same few litres are a bigger problem if the tank was close to empty when you fuelled up.
The variant sets the tank size on the Renault Kangoo, which ranges from 50 to 60 litres.
Our figures place the biggest tank in the Kangoo 4x4 1.9 dCi and the smallest in the Kangoo 1.5 dCi.
For the Kangoo 1.5 dCi 75, the tank size is 60 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Renault Kangoo 1.5 dCi | 50 litres |
| Renault Kangoo 1.5 dCi 110 | 60 litres |
| Renault Kangoo 1.5 dCi 75 | 60 litres |
| Renault Kangoo 1.5 dCi FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Kangoo 1.9 D eco RNM | 52 litres |
| Renault Kangoo 4x4 1.9 dCi | 60 litres |
| Renault Kangoo be bop 1.5 dCi | 60 litres |
Which diesel Kangoo do you own?
The variant is usually on the badging on your boot lid, and it's useful for us to know when you call.
Check for dCi on the badge of a diesel Kangoo.
Engine sizes range from 1.5 litres on the Kangoo be bop 1.5 dCi up to 1.9 litres on the Kangoo 1.9 D eco RNM.
Our list takes in 4x4 versions as well.
AdBlue in a diesel Renault Kangoo by accident
Certain diesel cars carry a mix of water and urea, called AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a dedicated filler, and use it to clean up their exhaust. If you've got AdBlue in a diesel Renault Kangoo because it went in the incorrect filler, don't touch the key, even to shift the vehicle.
AdBlue drops to the bottom of the tank, where your pump takes its fuel from, since it will not blend with diesel. Being largely water, it cannot ignite and gives the fuel pump no lubrication, and your diesel in a tank holding up to 60 litres doesn't weaken it the way it would petrol.
Even a small amount gets sucked into your fuel line. Once the water dries out, the urea crystallises within your fuel system, including the filter and injectors, and it corrodes the metal it rests against.
The same filler flap often hides both fillers, and where the Kangoo has an AdBlue filler, it could well be beside the diesel one. The nozzle for AdBlue is far smaller than the diesel one, and the cap is usually blue.
What we do in a fuel drain on your Renault Kangoo
There's no garage needed, since we do a fuel drain on your Renault Kangoo at the car itself. On the Kangoo your tank takes up to 60 litres, and we empty all of that after we have checked what went in and whether the engine has run. Your fuel lines and your filter are rinsed after that, then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime the fuel system before firing up your engine.
You can drive your Kangoo away when the job is done, running on fresh diesel.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Kangoo means
AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Kangoo follows the same stages as a petrol drain. AdBlue collects at the bottom of the tank instead of blending in, and if the Kangoo has been started it may form crystals inside the lines, so we rinse those out as well and change the filter if it needs it.
Here, AdBlue removal means taking AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the incorrect filler. Disabling or taking out the AdBlue system on a vehicle isn't what it means.
What does a fuel drain on the Renault Kangoo cost?
We do not publish a fixed price, since this work changes from one task to the next. These are the biggest factors that change it:
- whether the Kangoo has been started or driven, which makes the biggest difference
- a tank's capacity next to the amount that went in
- whether it was petrol or AdBlue
- whether our van can safely reach the Kangoo where it sits
If you ring with those answers we can tell you what the work is likely to involve.
Your questions on petrol in a diesel Renault Kangoo
What's the fuel tank capacity of the Renault Kangoo?
Anywhere from 50 to 60 litres, depending on which version it is. Each one is listed above.
I only put a little petrol in my Kangoo. Should I top up with diesel?
We would not recommend it. Putting in diesel reduces the share of petrol without taking out any of it, so the petrol is still in the fuel system when you drive off. Draining takes all of that out, and with a small amount that is normally all the Kangoo needs.
Will my Kangoo have to go to the Renault dealer?
No. We are independent with no link with Renault or its dealers, plus we drain and clean the Kangoo wherever it is parked, so there's no need to take it anywhere.
Does it matter which Kangoo I own?
Knowing your version is useful when you call, as there are 7 diesel variants of the Kangoo in our figures.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Renault Kangoo?
It's worth looking at your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some and not others. Whatever it says, we come out to drain your car.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my Kangoo. What now?
Do not put your key in the ignition then either. When it's driven that way, a vehicle will normally display an alert and drop into limp mode. The AdBlue system needs draining too. Which tank your diesel was put in is worth telling us when you call.
What should I do if I have already driven my Kangoo?
Switch your engine off after you've pulled over somewhere safe, and keep it off until we reach you. Long-term damage is very uncommon when it's caught soon like this, and we empty the system and clean it where you've pulled over.