Petrol in a Diesel Renault Scenic: Already Driven It?
Leaving the motor off is what counts after you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Renault Scenic, which means you should stop as soon as it's safe and then switch the engine off. It is very rare for permanent harm to follow if it is spotted early, while it can still be put right wherever you've stopped.
Where your Renault Scenic has ended up, Petrol in Diesel travels out to drain the tank there and clean the petrol from your fuel system. We leave once it's running again on clean diesel.
Noticing petrol in a diesel Scenic
At first, petrol inside the fuel tank frequently makes little difference to how a diesel Scenic drives, so the signs show up a few miles later. Whether the fuel tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, drivers usually notice these:
- the engine is short of power, particularly whenever it has to accelerate
- lumpy running, or an erratic idle
- there's more smoke than normal from the tailpipe
- the dashboard shows warning lights
- the motor stalls then may not restart
If any of these started after you fuelled up, look at the receipt to find out what was put in.
What travelling does with wrong fuel in your Renault Scenic
The fuel tank keeps wrong fuel in your Renault Scenic in one place until it is pulled out by the motor. After you drive, it goes through the fuel injectors, your filter and the high-pressure fuel pump. Diesel protects your fuel pump and the injectors as it runs through them while petrol thins it, and so the further the Scenic is taken, the more of the system the mix reaches.
This is the reason to stop the moment you can and not finish the trip. Damage, where it occurs, comes from a long journey on tainted fuel, and a drain and a clean are usually all a vehicle requires when it's stopped early.
Whether you have the Scenic 1.5 dCi or any other version of the Scenic, nothing changes.
Just where you stopped
Taking the Scenic anywhere is not needed. The roadside and outside your house are both spots we come to, and so it does not need restarting or towing.
A safe place, away from the traffic, is the place to wait if you're next to a busy road, with your hazard lights on.
When you ring 0333 366 0103, let us know where you are, which Scenic it is and roughly how far you travelled. If the badge gives the version, such as the Scenic dCi 150 FAP, it helps as well.
Fuel drain on your Renault Scenic when you've driven on it
There is one step more to a fuel drain on your Renault Scenic after it has been driven than to one at the forecourt. No petrol should be left between the tank and the engine afterwards, so your fuel tank is emptied first and the lines are then opened and rinsed through with the filter. Fresh diesel goes in, the fuel system is primed, and our technicians fire up the engine to check it runs properly.
Once it has run: AdBlue in a diesel Renault Scenic
Rough running, smoke and warning lights are the usual symptoms once you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Renault Scenic, and the vehicle might stall. The pump draws fuel from the base of your fuel tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, and so it reaches your fuel line fast. It also doesn't burn or lubricate. Its water drying lets the urea form crystals in the lines and your fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Scenic after it has run
We change the fuel filter if it needs it during AdBlue removal from a diesel Renault Scenic after it's run, once the tank is emptied and the crystals are flushed out of your fuel filter and your fuel lines.
If your Scenic has a dedicated AdBlue tank, that's not touched. This is about liquid in the diesel tank, not taking out or switching off the AdBlue system.
The Renault Scenic fuel tank capacity and its engines
60 litres is the capacity of the diesel fuel tank on each version of the Renault Scenic in our figures.
On this diesel Scenic, the versions wear dCi and DTI badging.
The Scenic 1.9 dTi is one of those labelled DTI rather than dCi.
The smallest engine is 1.5 litres, on the Scenic 1.5 dCi FAP, and the largest is 2.0 litres, on the Scenic 2.0 dCi FAP.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic 1.9 dCi | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic 1.9 dCi FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic 1.9 dTi | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic 2.0 dCi FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic dCi 110 FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic dCi 110 FAP ECD | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic dCi 130 FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic dCi 150 FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic dCi 160 FAP | 60 litres |
| Renault Scenic RX4 1.9 dCi | 60 litres |
Costing a fuel drain on the Renault Scenic after driving
The mileage driven and where it is now matter most for the cost of a fuel drain on the Renault Scenic after driving, and so does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. Tell us those details on a call and we can tell you what's involved in the job.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Renault Scenic
Is my Scenic ruined?
The likelihood of that is very small. We empty and clean the system where you've stopped, and if the vehicle has been stopped early, permanent damage is rare.
Is it all right to drive it home first?
We'd ask you not to. We can empty the Scenic right where it is, so it doesn't need moving, and every mile driven on contaminated fuel would carry it further through the fuel system.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Leaving it alone is better than having another go, since each try pulls the mixture further through. We prime the fuel system and get it started for you once it's been emptied and flushed and clean diesel is in.
Which Scenic I have: does it matter?
There are 12 diesel versions of the Scenic, and the badge on the boot shows which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you ring.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Renault Scenic: am I covered?
Once the vehicle is dealt with, it is worth checking your policy, as some include misfuelling cover. We come out whether it covers you or not.