Petrol in a Diesel Subaru Impreza, and You've Driven It
As soon as it's safe, pull in then switch the engine off, and leave it off. Running on with petrol in a diesel Subaru Impreza only carries the petrol further in. It's very uncommon for permanent harm to result when it is caught early, while it can still be dealt with where you have stopped.
Once Petrol in Diesel comes out to wherever your Subaru Impreza has stopped, the petrol is cleaned from the system and your fuel tank emptied. It is on fresh diesel and running when we go.
Signs of petrol in a diesel Impreza
You may go a couple of miles without spotting anything, as petrol in your tank frequently keeps a diesel Impreza driving as usual to begin with. The following are the signs most often spotted if your tank has AdBlue or petrol in it:
- power drops away, particularly as you ask the engine to accelerate
- the idle turns uneven, or it runs rough
- smoke from the tailpipe, more than usual
- warning lights show
- after it stalls, it may not restart
Your receipt will show what was put in, so look at it if one of these started after you fuelled up.
How far wrong fuel in your Subaru Impreza gets once you drive
Wrong fuel in your Subaru Impreza sits in your fuel tank till the engine draws it out, and driving is what takes it through your filter, your injection pump then the fuel injectors. Diesel lubricates your fuel pump and the fuel injectors as it passes through them while petrol thins it, and so the further the Impreza is taken, the more of the system that blend reaches.
So completing the journey is a worse choice than stopping the moment you can. Travelling a long way on tainted fuel is what can do damage, and when a motor is stopped early, draining and cleaning are normally all it requires.
Any other version of the Impreza is no different from the Impreza XV 2.0D here, and so which version is yours makes no difference.
Right where you stopped
The Impreza doesn't need taking anywhere. No recovery truck needs to be organised and there's no need to restart it, as we come to it at the roadside or outside your home.
A safe place, clear of the traffic, is the place to wait when you are next to a busy road, with your hazard lights on.
Phone 0333 366 0103 then say where you are, what Impreza it is and roughly how far you have driven. If the badge shows the version, such as the Impreza 2.0D, that helps too.
Fuel drain on your Subaru Impreza when you've driven on it
There is a step more to a fuel drain on your Subaru Impreza after it has been driven than to one on the forecourt. We empty the tank first, then open your fuel lines and then rinse them through with the fuel filter, so that no petrol is left between your fuel tank and the motor. The system is primed once clean diesel has gone in, and the motor is started to confirm it runs properly.
AdBlue in a diesel Subaru Impreza after it has run
Uneven running, smoke and warning lamps are the usual symptoms after you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Subaru Impreza, and the car might stall. As AdBlue settles to the base of your tank, where the fuel pump draws its fuel, it is in your fuel line fast, and it does not burn or lubricate. The urea crystallises in the fuel filter and the lines once its water dries.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Subaru Impreza after it has run
AdBlue removal from a diesel Subaru Impreza that has been run means draining the fuel tank then flushing the crystals from the lines and the filter, and we'll replace the filter if it needs it.
Only the diesel tank is worked on here. If your Impreza has an AdBlue tank of its own, it is left alone, and nothing here involves removing or switching off the AdBlue system.
Tanks and engines: Subaru Impreza fuel tank capacity
Each version of the Subaru Impreza in our figures has a diesel fuel tank of 64 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Subaru Impreza 2.0D | 64 litres |
| Subaru Impreza XV 2.0D | 64 litres |
Pricing a fuel drain on the Subaru Impreza after a drive
The price of a fuel drain on the Subaru Impreza after it has been driven depends largely on how far it travelled and where it has ended up, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference too. Those details are what we need when you call, and with them we can explain what the work will involve.
Driven on petrol in a diesel Subaru Impreza: your queries
Has the petrol ruined my Impreza?
It's very unlikely to be. When the car is stopped soon, emptying and flushing the fuel system is what we do where you have stopped, and harm that lasts is rare after that.
Can I drive the car home first?
We'd rather you did not. Moving it isn't needed, because we can empty the Impreza where it stands. Taking it on only carries tainted fuel further through the system.
What do I do when it has stalled and will not restart?
Leaving it alone is wiser than having another go, since every attempt draws the mixture further through. We start it for you after emptying and flushing it, putting clean diesel in and priming your system.
Does it matter which Impreza I drive?
There are 2 diesel versions of the Impreza, and the badge on the tailgate says which one you have. Knowing that assists us when you call.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Subaru Impreza: am I covered?
Misfuelling cover is included in some insurance policies, so do look at yours after the car has been sorted. Either way, we come out.