Petrol in a Diesel Vauxhall? Keep the Engine Off
The motor is best left off when it has not been started since you put petrol in a diesel Vauxhall, and that covers moving the vehicle clear of the pump. Till your motor runs, the petrol remains inside the tank, which means a fuel drain is generally all that is needed.
Wherever a diesel Vauxhall has ended up, including the forecourt, Petrol in Diesel drains it where it stands. Every model has its own page, listed below, and you can phone us before you try anything yourself.
Your first moves when there's petrol in a diesel Vauxhall
- Your ignition needs to stay off as well as the motor, as on a lot of diesels switching it on starts the fuel pump priming, and that draws fuel out of the tank towards the fuel injectors.
- Watering the petrol down with diesel does not help. Topping up only adds to the contaminated fuel that has to be drained from a tank that takes up to 90 litres in a diesel Vauxhall.
- A car blocking a pump can be put in neutral and rolled clear, and the forecourt attendants are normally willing to lend a hand.
- The model name, for instance the Vectra, is all we need at first. Phone 0333 366 0103 with it, along with where you are, about how much was put in and whether your vehicle has been started.
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall: why the motor counts most
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall only begins to cause problems when it's drawn out of the tank, and starting your motor is what draws it. Driving any distance on that mix is what can do damage, since diesel lubricates your high-pressure pump and your injectors on its way through, and petrol dilutes it.
Switch off as soon as you can stop somewhere safe, if the car has already been driven. We can still put it right wherever you have stopped, and when it is caught early, permanent damage is very uncommon.
That applies whether you drive the Combo or any other Vauxhall.
Tank sizes across the diesel Vauxhall range
In a tank that was almost empty, a couple of litres of petrol make up more of what is in it, and that share is what counts, so the capacity of your tank matters too.
Throughout the diesel Vauxhall range, tanks run from 42 to 90 litres.
Across the range, the Agila has the smallest tank and the Vivaro the biggest.
For the Frontera, the figure is up to 80 litres.
Each of the 18 diesel Vauxhall models in our figures has its own page, giving the tank for each variant.
AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall by mistake
The first instruction is the same if you've got AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall after it went into the wrong filler. The key should stay unturned, even when the vehicle needs moving.
The fuel pump gets no protection from AdBlue, which is largely water carrying dissolved urea and will not ignite. It won't blend with diesel either, so it settles under the diesel in your tank, where the pump draws from. Once the water dries out, the urea forms crystals in the lines and the fuel filter and attacks the metalwork around it.
Where a diesel vehicle keeps its AdBlue in a separate tank, that tank has its own filler as well, frequently sharing a flap with your diesel filler. The AdBlue cap on yours, if it has one, is generally blue, and it fits a narrower nozzle.
Our fuel drain on your Vauxhall, stage by stage
On your drive or on the forecourt, a fuel drain on your Vauxhall is done where your car is, so it does not need to be moved. We find out what went in and whether the motor has run, empty your tank, and rinse your fuel pipes and the fuel filter. Then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime the fuel system before starting your engine.
The Cascada carries up to 56 litres, all of which we empty.
Our job ends with the vehicle running on fresh diesel.
How we handle AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall
The steps in AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall are the same as draining petrol, except that we take more care at the base of your tank, where AdBlue collects. Where your car has been started on it, the lines and the fuel filter are cleared through, and your fuel filter is replaced if it needs it.
What this means is emptying AdBlue out of the fuel tank, not removing or switching off the system itself.
Fuel drain on a diesel Vauxhall: what sets the price
There's no fixed quote on this page, because jobs differ. The biggest thing that affects it is whether the engine has been started or driven. How much went in against the size of your tank matters as well, along with whether it was petrol or AdBlue and where your car is parked. Those answers are what we need to explain what the job involves, so ring with them.
Your queries on petrol in a diesel Vauxhall
Do you cover each diesel Vauxhall?
Every diesel Vauxhall model we have data for is linked on this page. Diesel vehicles outside that list are drained too.
What number of diesel Vauxhall models do you list?
There are 18 diesel Vauxhall models on our list, and 117 variants between them.
Must my Vauxhall go to the dealer?
You don't have to. Being an independent firm, we have no tie with Vauxhall or any of its dealers. We empty the vehicle wherever it has stopped.
Wrong fuel in my Vauxhall: will insurance cover it?
It is worth checking your policy, as misfuelling cover is included in some but not all. We come out either way.