Already Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Skoda Rapid?
Keeping the motor off is what counts after you've travelled with petrol in a diesel Skoda Rapid, so pull in as soon as it is safe and then turn the motor off. It's very uncommon for lasting damage to result if it is caught early, and it can still be sorted out where you've stopped.
Petrol in Diesel travels out to wherever your Skoda Rapid has stopped, drains the tank then flushes the petrol out of the system. By the time we go, the vehicle is back on fresh diesel.
How petrol in a diesel Rapid reveals itself
A diesel Rapid carrying petrol inside your tank often feels normal at first, so the signs usually appear a few miles further on. With petrol or AdBlue inside the tank, these are the ones motorists normally spot:
- the engine is short of power, particularly when it has to accelerate
- it runs roughly, or your idle turns erratic
- there's more smoke than usual from the exhaust
- dashboard warning lights come on
- it stalls, and then might fail to restart
If any of these started after you filled up, look at the receipt to find out what was put in.
Wrong fuel in your Skoda Rapid and the result of driving on it
The tank keeps wrong fuel in your Skoda Rapid where it is until it's drawn out by the motor. After the car is driven, it is drawn through the fuel injectors, the fuel filter and your injection pump. The mixture reaches more of the fuel system the further the Rapid is taken, because petrol dilutes the diesel that protects the pump and your injectors as it passes through them.
This is the reason to stop the moment you can and not complete the trip. A motor that's stopped soon normally needs no more than a drain and a clean. What can cause damage is covering a long distance on contaminated fuel.
Any other version of the Rapid is no different from the Rapid 1.6 TDI in this, and so which one is yours makes no difference.
Where you have pulled up
You do not need to get the Rapid anywhere. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your home, so there is no reason to restart the car or arrange a tow.
On a main road, switch on your hazards, then choose somewhere safe to wait clear of the traffic.
Before you ring 0333 366 0103, have your location ready, along with the mileage you drove and which Rapid it is. It also helps when the badge gives the version, like the Rapid Spaceback 1.6 TDI.
After it has been driven: fuel drain on your Skoda Rapid
Once it was driven, a fuel drain on your Skoda Rapid takes one step more than one on the forecourt. Draining the tank comes first. Then we open up your fuel lines and rinse them through with your filter, until there's no petrol left between the fuel tank and the motor. With clean diesel in and your fuel system primed, we fire up the motor then make sure it runs properly.
After it's run: AdBlue in a diesel Skoda Rapid
Uneven running, smoke and warning lamps are the normal signs after you have driven on AdBlue in a diesel Skoda Rapid, and the car might stall. The pump draws fuel from the bottom of the tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, and so it reaches your fuel line quickly. It also doesn't burn or lubricate. As its water dries out, the urea forms crystals in the fuel lines and the fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Skoda Rapid after it has run
We replace your fuel filter if it needs it as part of AdBlue removal from a diesel Skoda Rapid after it has run, once the fuel tank is emptied and the crystals are cleared from your filter and your lines.
Nothing here involves disabling or taking out the AdBlue system. It deals with fluid in the diesel tank, and any separate AdBlue tank your Rapid has is left alone.
The Skoda Rapid fuel tank capacity and the engines
Every version of the Skoda Rapid in our records comes with a diesel tank of 55 litres.
The badges on diesel Rapid versions read TDI.
Each version listed has a motor of 1.6 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Skoda Rapid 1.6 TDI | 55 litres |
| Skoda Rapid Spaceback 1.6 TDI | 55 litres |
The cost of a fuel drain on the Skoda Rapid after a drive
The mileage travelled and where it is now matter the most towards the cost of a fuel drain on the Skoda Rapid after driving, and so does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. Tell us those details on a call and we can tell you what is involved in the work.
Driven on petrol in a diesel Skoda Rapid: your queries
Has the petrol ruined my Rapid?
The chance of that is very small. We drain and flush the system where you've pulled up, and when the vehicle has been stopped soon, permanent damage is rare.
Should I drive it home first?
It's wiser not to. Tainted fuel gets further into the system with every mile, which means you can leave the Rapid where it is whilst we empty it there, with no need to move the vehicle.
It has stalled and won't restart. What should I do?
Please leave the car rather than having another go, as every try pulls more of the blend through. With it emptied and rinsed and fresh diesel in, we prime your system and get it started for you.
Which Rapid I drive: does it matter?
Knowing which of the 2 diesel versions of the Rapid you have assists us when you call, and it is on the badge on the boot.
Wrong fuel in my Skoda Rapid: will insurance cover it?
When the vehicle is dealt with, it's worth checking your policy, as some include misfuelling cover. We come out whether it does or not.