Petrol in a Diesel Vauxhall Combo? Leave It Switched Off
The engine is safest left off when it has not been run since you put petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Combo, and that covers moving it clear of the pump. With your engine left off, that petrol remains where it is inside the tank, and in most cases a fuel drain is all your Combo needs.
Your Vauxhall Combo can stay put wherever it ended up, forecourt included, as Petrol in Diesel drains misfuelled cars where they are. Wait before trying anything yourself till you've called us, and we'll tell you what to do.
Your first moves after petrol in a diesel Combo
- People frequently drive away without noticing anything is wrong, as a diesel Combo will generally fire up and run on petrol and may seem normal for the first few miles. So keep the motor off.
- Switching the ignition on is all it takes, on plenty of diesels, to start the fuel pump priming and draw fuel from your tank towards the injectors, so keep that off too.
- Your Combo takes up to 60 litres, so filling the rest of your tank with diesel to thin that petrol just leaves more tainted fuel to drain. The same applies to super unleaded, which is petrol as well.
- Forecourt staff will normally help roll the vehicle clear in neutral when it is blocking a pump.
- Ring 0333 366 0103 with where your Combo has stopped and which one it is, the approximate volume of petrol that went in, and whether it has been run. If you can read the exact version on the badge, for example the Combo Tour 1.7 CDTI, that helps too.
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Combo after your motor has run
Whilst it remains inside your tank, wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Combo does not affect the engine. That only starts when it is drawn out, which is what happens when the engine is started. A diesel engine relies on its fuel to oil the high-pressure pump and the fuel injectors whilst it flows through them. Petrol dilutes your diesel and takes that lubrication away, and that is why it's driving any distance on the mixture that can do harm.
If you've already driven your Combo, pull over where it is safe then switch off. We drain your tank, then rinse the pipes and filter through until no tainted fuel is left, so it can still be sorted out. Permanent damage is very uncommon if it's caught early and given a thorough clean.
Vauxhall Combo fuel tank capacity
The capacity of the tank matters as the danger depends on what share of your fuel in there is petrol, so the same few litres are a bigger problem if the tank was close to empty when you filled up.
From 52 litres up to 60, the tank on the Vauxhall Combo changes with the variant.
In our figures the Combo 1.6 CDTI has the biggest tank and the Combo Tour 1.3 CDTI the smallest.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Combo 1.6 CDTI | 60 litres |
| Vauxhall Combo 2.0 CDTI | 60 litres |
| Vauxhall Combo Tour 1.3 CDTI | 52 litres |
| Vauxhall Combo Tour 1.7 CDTI | 52 litres |
Telling which diesel Combo you drive
The version is generally on a badge on your boot lid, and it's useful for us to know when you phone.
The diesel models of the Combo were sold as CDTI.
If there's AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Combo
Some diesel cars carry a mixture of water and urea, known as AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a separate filler, and rely on it to clean up their exhaust. Even to move your car, don't turn your key when you have AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Combo after it went in the incorrect filler.
The fuel pump gets no protection whatsoever from AdBlue, which is mostly water and won't burn. It won't mix with diesel either, and settles to the bottom of the tank, the same spot the pump draws from, so a tank holding up to 60 litres won't dilute it.
Even a little of that is plenty to end up in the fuel line. Inside your fuel system the water evaporates and lets the urea crystallise, in the fuel filter and injectors among other places, where it eats into the metalwork it sits against.
Check under the fuel flap where your Combo has an AdBlue filler, since on plenty of cars it sits right next to your diesel filler. You can typically spot the AdBlue cap by its blue shade and the much smaller nozzle it takes.
What we do in a fuel drain on your Vauxhall Combo
Every fuel drain on your Vauxhall Combo is carried out at your vehicle, so it doesn't need to go to a garage. To begin with we check what went in and whether the engine has been run. Your tank, which holds up to 60 litres on the Combo, is then emptied, the pipes and fuel filter are cleaned, and your car is filled up with fresh diesel and primed before we start the car.
When the job is done, the Combo runs on fresh diesel and you can drive the vehicle away.
How we handle AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Combo
We use the same stages for AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Combo as we do when clearing petrol. When the Combo has been started, AdBlue can leave deposits in the lines, as it settles under your diesel instead of mixing in. We clear those through as well, and change your fuel filter if it needs it.
On this page, AdBlue removal means taking AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the wrong filler. Switching off or taking out the AdBlue system on a car is not what it means.
Pricing a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Combo
Because each job is different, we have no fixed quote to publish, and these are the chief things that shape it:
- starting or driving the Combo, which makes more difference than anything else
- how much was put in compared with the capacity of the tank
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- where the Combo has stopped, and whether we can get the van to it in safety
With those answers on the phone, we can let you know what the job is going to involve.
Petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Combo: questions
Do you know the fuel tank capacity of the Vauxhall Combo?
It varies with the variant, from 52 to 60 litres, and each one is shown in the table above.
Does topping up with diesel help with a little petrol in my Combo?
We would advise against it. The petrol remains in your system when you drive, because adding diesel just cuts its proportion and removes none of that. With just a little petrol, a fuel drain to get all of it out is normally all the Combo needs.
Do I need to take my Combo to the Vauxhall dealer?
You do not have to. We have no connection with Vauxhall or any of its dealers, being independent, and your Combo is emptied and cleaned where you have stopped.
Which Combo I drive: does it matter?
Knowing your version is useful when you ring, since there are 4 diesel variants of the Combo in our figures.
Is wrong fuel in my Vauxhall Combo covered by my insurance policy?
Some policies include misfuelling cover and some don't, so it is worth checking yours. Either way, we come out to drain your vehicle for you.
Diesel in the AdBlue tank of my Combo: what happens?
In that case, as well, leave the key out of the ignition. Limp mode and a warning are what the majority of cars show you if they're driven in that state, and their AdBlue system will need emptying. Which tank the diesel was put in is worth mentioning when you call.
What should I do if I've already driven my Combo?
Turn your engine off after you have pulled over somewhere safe, and leave it off until we reach you. We drain and clean the system wherever you have pulled over, and when it is caught early like this, lasting damage is very uncommon.