Petrol in a Diesel Vauxhall Insignia: Already Driven It?
As soon as it is safe, pull in then switch the motor off, and keep it off. Driving on with petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Insignia only carries the petrol further in. It's very uncommon for permanent damage to follow if it is caught soon, while it can still be dealt with where you've stopped.
Petrol in Diesel travels out to wherever your Vauxhall Insignia has ended up, empties the fuel tank and clears the petrol out of the system. By the time we head off, your vehicle is back on clean diesel.
Petrol in a diesel Insignia: the symptoms to look for
You might go a few miles before spotting anything, as petrol inside the tank often leaves a diesel Insignia driving as usual at first. With petrol or AdBlue in your tank, these are the signs people tend to notice:
- the motor is short of power, particularly whenever it has to accelerate
- the idle becomes erratic, or it runs rough
- the exhaust puts out more smoke than usual
- the dash shows warning lights
- it stalls, and then may refuse to restart
If any of these started after you filled up, look at the receipt to see what went in.
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Insignia: what travelling on it does
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Insignia stays in your fuel tank until the motor draws it out, and driving is what pulls it through the fuel filter, the high-pressure pump and your injectors. The mix reaches more of your fuel system the further the Insignia is driven, since petrol weakens the diesel that lubricates the pump and the injectors on its way through them.
So completing the trip is a worse option than stopping the moment you can. A vehicle that's stopped early normally needs no more than a drain and a clean. What can cause harm is covering a long way on tainted fuel.
If yours is the Insignia 2.0 CDTI or another version of the Insignia, nothing changes.
We come to where you've pulled up
You do not have to take the Insignia anywhere. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your home, so there is no need to start the car or book a tow.
On a busy road, switch on your hazards, then find somewhere safe to wait away from the traffic.
When you phone 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which Insignia it is and roughly how far you went. The version on the badge, like the Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTI 4x4, helps as well.
Once it's been driven: fuel drain on your Vauxhall Insignia
There is a step more to a fuel drain on your Vauxhall Insignia after it has been driven than to one on the forecourt. Once the fuel tank is emptied, the fuel lines are opened up and flushed through along with your fuel filter, which leaves no petrol anywhere from the fuel tank to the motor. With fresh diesel in and the system primed, our technicians fire up the engine and make sure it runs correctly.
AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Insignia that has been driven
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Insignia and have driven on it, the signs are usually rough running, smoke and warning lights, and the vehicle can cut out. The fuel pump picks up fuel at the base of the fuel tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, and so it gets to your fuel line quickly. It also does not burn or lubricate. As its water evaporates, the urea forms crystals in your fuel lines and the fuel filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Insignia
Emptying your fuel tank comes first with AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Insignia that has been run, then the crystals are flushed from your fuel lines and your filter, with the fuel filter changed if it needs it.
Only the diesel tank is dealt with here. If your Insignia has an AdBlue tank of its own, it's left alone, and nothing here means taking out or disabling the AdBlue system.
Vauxhall Insignia fuel tank capacity and engines
Our records show the diesel fuel tank holds 70 litres on every version of the Vauxhall Insignia.
You will see CDTI badges on diesel Insignia versions.
On every version in our list, the motor is 2.0 litres.
The list takes in Sports Tourer and 4x4 versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI 4x4 | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTI | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTI 4x4 | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI 4x4 | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTI | 70 litres |
| Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTI 4x4 | 70 litres |
Pricing a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Insignia after a drive
The distance travelled and where it is now matter the most for the price of a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Insignia after a drive, as does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. Those details are what we need when you ring, and with them we can explain what the job will need.
Questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Insignia
Will my Insignia be ruined?
Almost certainly not. With the car stopped soon and the system emptied and flushed where you've stopped, which is what we do, permanent damage is rare.
Can I make the drive home first?
Our advice would be not to. Every mile on tainted fuel carries it further through the fuel system, and we can drain the Insignia where it is, which means there is no need to move the vehicle.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Another go pulls more of that blend through on every try. Please leave it as it is. With it drained and flushed and fresh diesel in, we prime your fuel system and get it started for you.
Does it matter which Insignia I have?
There are 8 diesel versions of the Insignia, and the badge on the tailgate says which one you have. Knowing that assists us when you call.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Vauxhall Insignia: am I covered?
Misfuelling cover is offered in some policies, so check yours after the vehicle has been sorted out. Whatever it says, we still come out.