Already Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Saab 9-5?
Once it's safe, pull over then turn the engine off, then leave it off. Running on with petrol in a diesel Saab 9-5 only carries the petrol further in. We can still deal with it wherever you've stopped, and when it's caught soon, lasting damage is very rare.
Petrol in Diesel comes to wherever your Saab 9-5 has ended up, drains the tank then cleans the petrol out of the fuel system. We leave when it's running again on fresh diesel.
Petrol in a diesel 9-5: the symptoms to look for
It's usually a few miles until the symptoms appear, as with petrol inside your tank a diesel 9-5 will often run normally to begin with. If your fuel tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, drivers normally spot these:
- power falls away, particularly when you ask the engine to pull
- the idle gets uneven, or it runs roughly
- more smoke than normal appears from the exhaust
- a warning light comes on
- the motor stalls and may not restart
Your receipt shows what went in, which means you should look at it if any of these started after you filled up.
Wrong fuel in your Saab 9-5: what driving on it does
The tank holds wrong fuel in your Saab 9-5 where it is till it's pulled out by the engine. After you drive, it is drawn through your fuel injectors, your filter and your high-pressure pump. As diesel passes through the injectors and your fuel pump it protects them, yet petrol dilutes it, and that is why the 9-5 takes the mix deeper into your system the more it's used.
That's why it is wiser to stop the moment you can than to finish the journey. Normally, a drain and a clean are all a motor needs when it is stopped soon, because what can do harm is driving far on fuel that is tainted.
If you have the 9-5 Estate 3.0 TiD or another version of the 9-5, nothing changes.
We come to where you have stopped
There is no need to move the 9-5 anywhere. You can leave it at the side of the road or at home while we come to it, with no restart and no tow to organise.
With the hazard lights on, stand clear of the traffic in a safe spot if the road beside you is busy.
Before you phone 0333 366 0103, have your location ready, along with the distance you drove and which 9-5 it is. The version shown on the badge, such as the 9-5 Estate 2.2 TiD, helps too.
The fuel drain on your Saab 9-5 after a drive
Once it was driven, a fuel drain on your Saab 9-5 takes a step more than a drain at the forecourt. Draining the tank comes first. After that we open up the lines and flush them through with the filter, until there is no petrol remaining between the tank and the engine. Clean diesel goes in, your system is primed, and our technicians fire up the engine to confirm it runs correctly.
If your engine has run with AdBlue in a diesel Saab 9-5
Look out for smoke, rough running and warning lamps when AdBlue in a diesel Saab 9-5 has been driven on, as the vehicle may then stall. Settling to the base of the fuel tank, where your fuel pump picks up fuel, AdBlue gets into your fuel line quickly, and it does not burn or lubricate. Its water drying out lets the urea form crystals in your lines and your fuel filter.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Saab 9-5 is done
We replace the filter if it needs it during AdBlue removal from a diesel Saab 9-5 after it has run, once the fuel tank is emptied and the crystals are flushed from the fuel filter and your fuel lines.
Nothing here involves turning off or removing the AdBlue system. It deals with fluid in your diesel tank, and any dedicated AdBlue tank your 9-5 has is left as it is.
The Saab 9-5 fuel tank capacity and its engines
Our data show the diesel fuel tank takes 75 litres on every version of the Saab 9-5.
Engine sizes range from 1.9 litres in the 9-5 1.9 TiD up to 3.0 litres on the 9-5 3.0 TiD.
There are Estate versions among them.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Saab 9-5 1.9 TiD | 75 litres |
| Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD | 75 litres |
| Saab 9-5 3.0 TiD | 75 litres |
| Saab 9-5 Estate 2.2 TiD | 75 litres |
| Saab 9-5 Estate 3.0 TiD | 75 litres |
| Saab 9-5 SportCombi 1.9 TiD | 75 litres |
Fuel drain on the Saab 9-5 after a drive: the cost
Whether it was petrol or AdBlue affects what a fuel drain on the Saab 9-5 costs after driving on it, though it hinges mostly on how far it travelled and where it has stopped. Those details are what we need when you call, and with them we can explain what the job will need.
Petrol in a diesel Saab 9-5: common questions after a drive
Has the petrol ruined my 9-5?
It is very unlikely. Permanent harm is rare when your car is stopped soon and the system is drained and cleaned, and that's what we do wherever you've pulled up.
Can I make the journey home first?
Our advice is not to. Moving it isn't needed, since we can empty the 9-5 where it is. Taking it on only pushes tainted fuel further through your system.
What do I do if it has stalled and will not restart?
Please do not try a second time. Leave it as it is, because every attempt draws more of that mixture through. Once we've drained and rinsed it and then put fresh diesel in, we prime the fuel system and start it for you.
Which 9-5 I have: does it matter?
There are 6 diesel versions of the 9-5, and the badge on the boot says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you ring.
Will my policy cover wrong fuel in my Saab 9-5?
We come out whatever your policy says, and some do include misfuelling cover, so looking at yours after your car is sorted is worthwhile.