Put Petrol in a Diesel Skoda Superb by Mistake?
We'd ask you to leave the motor off if you've put petrol in a diesel Skoda Superb and not run it yet, and that goes for moving it off the forecourt too. A fuel drain is generally sufficient to put the Superb right, provided that petrol stays inside your tank, which it will whilst your motor is off.
There's no reason to move your Skoda Superb off the forecourt, or from any other place where it came to a stop, because this drain is done by Petrol in Diesel where the vehicle is. Call us before you try anything on your own and we'll walk you through it.
The first steps with petrol in a diesel Superb
- With petrol in your tank, a diesel Superb will normally still start and run, and seem completely normal for some miles. That is why people frequently drive off without noticing a fault, and the reason the motor needs to be left off.
- Fuel can be drawn towards the fuel injectors before your motor has fired, as on many diesel engines your ignition on its own primes the fuel pump. Leave your ignition off too.
- Topping up with diesel to thin it is a bad idea, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The tank on your Superb takes up to 62 litres, and every litre of diesel added is more contaminated fuel for us to empty.
- Forecourt staff will normally help roll the vehicle out of the way in neutral if it's blocking a pump.
- When the badging gives the precise variant, for example the Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-CR, mention it once you call 0333 366 0103. Tell us too which Superb you have and where it is, about how much petrol was put in and whether the motor has run.
What starting your engine does with wrong fuel in your Skoda Superb
The motor isn't touched by wrong fuel in your Skoda Superb till it's pulled out of the tank, and starting your engine is what pulls it out. A diesel motor depends on the fuel to oil the high-pressure fuel pump and the injectors as it runs through them. With petrol thinning your diesel, that lubrication is lost, and driving for any distance on it is then what can do harm.
If you've driven your Superb on it, the right thing to do is pull over somewhere safe and switch the motor off. All the same, we can get all of the tainted fuel out, by emptying your tank and then rinsing the fuel lines and the fuel filter. As long as it's flushed out thoroughly after being caught soon, it very rarely leaves permanent harm.
The Superb 2.0 TDI-PD is no different in this from any other version of the Superb.
The fuel tank capacity of the Skoda Superb
As the danger rests on what proportion of the fuel is petrol, the capacity of the tank matters, and a couple of litres in a tank that was close to empty are more of a problem than the same in a fuller tank.
Tank sizes on the Skoda Superb range from 60 to 62 litres depending on the version.
The smallest tank in our data is on the Superb Combi 1.9 TDI-PD, and the biggest is on the Superb 2.5 TDI.
For the Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-CR 4x4, the figure is 60 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Skoda Superb 1.9 TDI-PD | 62 litres |
| Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI-CR 4x4 | 60 litres |
| Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI-PD | 62 litres |
| Skoda Superb 2.5 TDI | 62 litres |
| Skoda Superb Combi 1.9 TDI-PD | 60 litres |
| Skoda Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-CR | 60 litres |
| Skoda Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-CR 4x4 | 60 litres |
| Skoda Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-PD | 60 litres |
| Skoda Superb V6 2.5 TDI | 62 litres |
What diesel Superb do you own?
More often than not the variant is badged on your boot lid, and it is useful to us to know when you ring.
On the diesel Superb, the badging used is TDI.
At 1.9 litres, the Superb 1.9 TDI-PD has the smallest engine, whilst the Superb V6 2.5 TDI goes up to 2.5 litres.
Our list covers 4x4 versions too.
AdBlue in a diesel Skoda Superb by mistake
To treat their exhaust, certain diesel vehicles use AdBlue, a blend of water and urea that goes in its own tank through its own filler. Even to shift your car, don't turn the key if you've got AdBlue in a diesel Skoda Superb after it went in the incorrect filler.
The fuel pump gets no lubrication at all from AdBlue, which is mostly water and won't burn. It will not mix with diesel either, and settles to the base of the tank, the very spot your pump draws from, so a tank holding up to 62 litres won't dilute it.
Even a little is pulled into your fuel line. When the water has evaporated, what's left is urea, which crystallises inside your fuel system, filter and injectors among them, and attacks any metal it sits against.
If the Superb has an AdBlue filler, it could well sit beside the diesel filler under the same flap, as it does on a lot of vehicles. AdBlue caps are generally blue and take a far smaller nozzle than diesel.
Fuel drain on your Skoda Superb: how we do it
There's no garage needed, because we do a fuel drain on your Skoda Superb at your vehicle itself. On the Superb the tank holds up to 62 litres, and we empty all of it after we have checked what went in and whether the engine has been run. Your fuel lines and your filter are rinsed after that, then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime the system before firing up the engine.
The Superb 2.0 TDI-CR 4x4 has a tank holding 60 litres.
By the time we leave, the Superb is running on fresh diesel again and all set for you to drive away.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Skoda Superb means
We take the same steps for AdBlue removal from a diesel Skoda Superb as we do when clearing petrol. AdBlue collects at the base of the tank instead of mixing in, and if the Superb has been started it may leave crystals in the lines, so we flush those out too and replace your fuel filter where needed.
AdBlue removal, as we use the term on this page, covers AdBlue that went in the wrong filler and has to come out of your diesel tank. It does not cover taking out or disabling the AdBlue system on your car.
Pricing a fuel drain on the Skoda Superb
The work differs from one task to the next, so we do not publish a set price. The main factors that shape it are these:
- whether the Superb has been started or driven, which makes the greatest difference
- the capacity of the tank, set against how much was put in
- whether it was AdBlue rather than petrol
- whether our van can easily and safely reach the Superb where it is
For comparison, a full tank on the Superb Combi 2.0 TDI-PD is 60 litres.
We can let you know what this work will probably need when you phone with those details.
Petrol in a diesel Skoda Superb: your questions
What's the fuel tank capacity of the Skoda Superb?
It varies with the version, from 60 to 62 litres, and each one is shown in the table above.
Can I top up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my Superb?
Topping up only cuts the proportion of petrol. None of that is removed, so it is all still there when you drive off, which is why we would not recommend it. All of that is removed with a fuel drain, which for a small quantity is usually everything the Superb requires.
Do I need to take my Superb to the Skoda dealer?
No. We are independent and have no connection with Skoda or its dealers, and we drain and clean the Superb wherever it has stopped, so there is no need to move it anywhere.
Does the variant of my Superb make a difference?
Yes, it does. Our figures include 9 diesel versions of the Superb, so tell us which one you have when you call.
Will my insurance policy pay for wrong fuel in my Skoda Superb?
It's worth checking your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some and not others. Whichever way it reads, we come out and empty the vehicle.
What happens if I pour diesel in the AdBlue tank of my Superb?
Don't put the key in the ignition then either. If it's driven like that, a vehicle will usually give a warning and enter limp mode. The AdBlue system needs emptying as well. Please say which tank took your diesel when you phone.
I drove my Superb before I noticed. What do I do?
Look for a safe location to pull over, then turn the motor off and leave the vehicle that way until we get there. We empty and clean your fuel system where you have pulled over, and when it's caught early like this, permanent harm is very rare.