Petrol in a Diesel Toyota Corolla: Already Driven It?
If you have driven on petrol in a diesel Toyota Corolla, pull in as soon as it is safe, turn the engine off and keep it off. Spotted soon, it very rarely leaves lasting damage, while putting it right where you've pulled up is still possible.
Petrol in Diesel comes to wherever your Toyota Corolla has ended up, empties your fuel tank and cleans the petrol from your fuel system. Once we go, the vehicle is back on clean diesel.
Noticing petrol in a diesel Corolla
You might go a couple of miles without noticing anything, because petrol in your tank frequently leaves a diesel Corolla running as usual to begin with. Motorists normally spot the following if there's petrol or AdBlue inside the fuel tank:
- the engine lacks power, particularly when you ask it to accelerate
- it runs roughly, or your idle becomes uneven
- more smoke than usual appears from the tailpipe
- a warning light comes on
- once it stalls, it may not restart
Your receipt shows what was put in, so look at it if one of these began after you fuelled up.
Wrong fuel in your Toyota Corolla and the result of driving on it
Wrong fuel in your Toyota Corolla remains in your tank until the engine draws it out, and driving is what takes it through the filter, your high-pressure fuel pump and your fuel injectors. Diesel lubricates the fuel pump and the injectors as it passes through them while petrol dilutes it, and so the further the Corolla is driven, the more of your fuel system that mixture reaches.
Stopping the moment you can is better than finishing the journey because of that. Travelling a long way on tainted fuel is what can cause harm, and if a vehicle is stopped early, a drain and a clean are generally all it needs.
It makes no difference whether yours is the Corolla Verso 2.2 D-4D or any other version of the Corolla.
Just where you pulled over
You do not need to take the Corolla anywhere. The side of the road and outside your home are both places we come to, and so it doesn't need starting or a tow.
If you are beside a main road, switch your hazards on then wait somewhere safe, clear of the traffic.
About how far you travelled, which Corolla it is and where you've stopped are what to tell us when you ring 0333 366 0103. Giving us the version on the badge, like the Corolla Compact 2.0 D, is useful too.
After it has been driven: fuel drain on your Toyota Corolla
Compared with a drain on the forecourt, a fuel drain on your Toyota Corolla goes a step further after a drive. Once the tank is emptied, the lines are opened and rinsed through along with the fuel filter, which leaves no petrol anywhere from your fuel tank to the engine. The system is primed after clean diesel is in, then the engine is started to make sure it runs properly.
First comes draining the tank, which takes 55 litres on the Corolla Combi 2.0 D-4D C.
AdBlue in a diesel Toyota Corolla once driven
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Toyota Corolla and you have driven on it, the symptoms are typically uneven running, smoke and warning lamps, and your car might cut out. The pump draws fuel at the base of your fuel tank, which is where AdBlue settles, so it gets to the fuel line fast. It also does not burn or lubricate. Urea crystals build up in the fuel lines and your filter as its water evaporates.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Toyota Corolla
We change the filter if it needs it during AdBlue removal from a diesel Toyota Corolla after it's run, once your fuel tank is emptied and the crystals are cleared from your fuel filter and the lines.
Only your diesel tank is worked on here. If your Corolla has an AdBlue tank of its own, it's left as it is, and nothing here involves removing or switching off the AdBlue system.
The Toyota Corolla fuel tank capacity and the engines
Over the versions of the Toyota Corolla, diesel tanks run from 50 litres on the Corolla Combi 2.0 D XL to 55 litres in the Corolla 2.0 D-4D C.
For instance, the Corolla Compact 2.0 D-4D holds 50 litres.
The badges on diesel Corolla versions read D-4D.
From 1.4 litres in the Corolla 1.4 D-4D C, engine sizes run up to 2.2 litres on the Corolla Verso 2.2 D-Cat.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D C | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla 2.0 D-4D | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla 2.0 D-4D C | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Combi 1.4 D-4D C | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Combi 2.0 D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Combi 2.0 D XL | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Combi 2.0 D-4D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Combi 2.0 D-4D C | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Compact 2.0 D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Compact 2.0 D-4D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Liftback 2.0 D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Liftback 2.0 D-4D | 50 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Verso 2.0 D-4D C | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Verso 2.2 D-4D | 55 litres |
| Toyota Corolla Verso 2.2 D-Cat | 55 litres |
The cost of a fuel drain on the Toyota Corolla after driving
The price of a fuel drain on the Toyota Corolla after it's been driven depends largely on how far it went 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 tell you what the work will need.
Usual questions about petrol in a diesel Toyota Corolla after driving
Is my Corolla ruined?
The likelihood of that is very low. We empty and clean the fuel system wherever you have stopped, and when your car has been stopped soon, permanent damage is rare.
Should I drive it home first?
Our guidance is not to. Contaminated fuel gets further into the fuel system with every mile, which means you can keep the Corolla where it stands while we empty it there, with no reason to move the car.
It has stalled and won't restart. What should I do?
Please don't try again. Leave it as it is, since every attempt draws more of that blend through. We prime your system and start it for you after it's been drained and rinsed and fresh diesel is in.
Does the version of my Corolla make a difference?
There are 15 diesel versions of the Corolla, and the badge on the tailgate says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you ring.
Wrong fuel in my Toyota Corolla: will insurance cover it?
Once the car is sorted, it's worth looking at your policy, as some offer misfuelling cover. We come out whether it covers you or not.