Petrol in a Diesel Vauxhall Corsa? Leave It Switched Off
Anyone who has put petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Corsa without starting the engine should leave it turned off, and not start it even to roll it away from the petrol pump. As long as your engine remains off the petrol stays inside your tank, so draining it is normally all it takes to set your Corsa right.
There's no reason to move your Vauxhall Corsa off the forecourt, or from any other spot where it stopped, since the drain is done by Petrol in Diesel where your vehicle stands. We'll go through it with you on the phone, so ring us before trying anything on your own.
Put petrol in a diesel Corsa? What to do first
- Do not turn on the motor, even though a diesel Corsa will normally run with petrol in your tank. It can feel fine for a time, and that's how people commonly drive away without noticing anything is amiss.
- Turning the ignition on is all it takes, on many diesels, to start the fuel pump priming and draw fuel from your tank towards the fuel injectors, so leave that off too.
- Filling up with diesel to thin it is a bad idea, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The fuel tank in your Corsa takes up to 46 litres, and every litre of diesel added is more contaminated fuel for us to empty.
- When the car is in the way of a pump, pop it in neutral then push the car out of the way. Forecourt staff are generally glad to lend a hand.
- Call 0333 366 0103 with where the Corsa has stopped and which one it is, the rough amount of petrol that was put in, and whether it has been run. When you can see the exact version on the badge, for example the Corsa 1.5TD, that is useful too.
Running on wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Corsa
The engine is not affected by wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Corsa till it is pulled from the tank, and starting your motor is what draws it out. Whilst it flows through, diesel fuel keeps the high-pressure pump and your injectors oiled, and the motor relies on that. Driving for any distance on the mix is what can do damage, as petrol thins your diesel and takes that protection away.
Stop somewhere safe then turn off if the Corsa has already been on the road. We drain your tank, then clean the pipes and filter through until no contaminated fuel is left, so it can still be sorted out. Very few cars that are caught early and flushed out thoroughly end up with permanent damage.
The Corsa 1.7D City is no different in this from any other variant of the Corsa.
The fuel tank capacity of the Vauxhall Corsa
The capacity of your tank counts as the danger hinges on how much of your fuel in there is petrol, so the same couple of litres are a bigger problem if the tank was close to empty when you filled up.
From 44 litres up to 46, the fuel tank on the Vauxhall Corsa changes with the variant.
In our figures the Corsa 1.5D has the biggest tank and the Corsa 1.7 DTI has the smallest.
For the Corsa 1.7 CDTI, the tank size is 44 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTI | 44 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.5D | 46 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.5TD | 46 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.7 CDTI | 44 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.7 DI | 44 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.7 DTI | 44 litres |
| Vauxhall Corsa 1.7D City | 46 litres |
Finding your diesel Corsa version
It is useful for us to know the variant when you ring, and it is usually on a badge at the back of the car.
The diesel versions of the Corsa have been badged CDTI and DTI.
Engine sizes go from 1.3 litres in the Corsa 1.3 CDTI up to 1.7 litres on the Corsa 1.7 DI.
Put AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Corsa?
Some diesel vehicles carry a mix of water and urea, called AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a dedicated filler, and use it to treat their exhaust. Even to shift your car, don't touch the key when you've got AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Corsa after it went in the incorrect filler.
AdBlue drops to the bottom of your tank, where the pump takes its fuel from, as it will not mix with diesel. Being mainly water, it cannot ignite and leaves the fuel pump without protection, and the diesel in a tank of up to 46 litres doesn't weaken it as it would petrol.
Even a little of that is plenty to end up in the fuel line. Crystals of urea build up in your filter, your injectors and the remainder of your fuel system as the water dries off, and they corrode the metalwork they touch.
Where the Corsa has an AdBlue filler, it may well lie alongside your diesel filler under the same cover, as it does on plenty of cars. AdBlue caps are normally blue and accept a much smaller nozzle than diesel.
How a fuel drain on your Vauxhall Corsa works
We do a fuel drain on your Vauxhall Corsa where your vehicle is, and it never has to be taken to a garage. First we confirm what went in and whether your motor has been run. The tank, which holds up to 46 litres on the Corsa, is then emptied, the lines and filter are cleaned, and your vehicle is filled up with clean diesel and primed before we start the vehicle.
Clean diesel is what your Corsa runs on by the time we've finished, and you are free to drive it away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Corsa
AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Corsa takes the same stages as a petrol drain. If the Corsa has been started, AdBlue can leave crystals inside the pipes, since it settles under the diesel rather than mixing in. We clear those out as well, and replace your fuel filter where needed.
AdBlue removal, as we use the term here, is about AdBlue that was put in the incorrect filler and has to come out of the diesel tank. It does not cover taking out or disabling the AdBlue system on the car.
What sets the price of a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Corsa
Since every task is different, we have no set price to publish, and these are the main things that affect it:
- starting or driving the Corsa, which makes more difference than anything else
- the amount put in, weighed against the capacity of the tank
- whether it was AdBlue and not petrol
- the position of the Corsa and how safely we can reach it with the van
With those answers over the phone, we can let you know what the job is likely to involve.
Queries about petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Corsa
How many litres is the Vauxhall Corsa fuel tank capacity?
The table further up lists each version, with tanks between 44 and 46 litres.
Can I fill up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my Corsa?
It isn't something we'd recommend, as putting in diesel does nothing to take out that petrol. It just lowers its proportion, and that petrol is still in the system after you drive off. The Corsa normally requires nothing more than a drain if just a small amount went in, and that gets that petrol out entirely.
Must my Corsa go to the Vauxhall dealer?
No, we travel to it. The Corsa is drained and cleaned where it has stopped, by an independent business with no link to Vauxhall or any dealer.
Does the version of my Corsa make a difference?
We hold figures for 7 diesel versions of the Corsa, and knowing which one you have helps us when you ring.
Will my policy pay for wrong fuel in my Vauxhall Corsa?
It is worth checking your policy, as misfuelling cover is included in some and not others. Whatever it says, we come out and drain the car.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my Corsa. What now?
In this case, too, the sensible thing is to leave your ignition alone. Most cars display an alert and drop into limp mode if they are driven in that state, and the AdBlue system will need emptying. Do say which tank took the diesel when you call.
Already driven my Corsa: what do I do?
Pull over where it is safe and switch the motor off, then keep it off till we reach you. Spotting it this soon means lasting harm is very unusual, plus we drain and clean the system wherever you happen to be.