Petrol in a Diesel Vauxhall Meriva: Already Driven It?
If you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Meriva, pull in as soon as it is safe, turn the motor off then leave it off. It's very rare for permanent harm to follow if it is caught soon, and it can still be put right where you've pulled up.
When Petrol in Diesel travels out to wherever your Vauxhall Meriva has stopped, the petrol is cleaned out of your fuel system and your tank emptied. We leave when it is running again on fresh diesel.
Warning signs of petrol in a diesel Meriva
To begin with, petrol in the tank often changes very little to how a diesel Meriva feels, and the signs show up a few miles later. Motorists usually spot these signs when there's petrol or AdBlue inside the fuel tank:
- the engine is short of power, particularly whenever it has to accelerate
- lumpy running, or an erratic idle
- smoke from the exhaust, more than normal
- a warning lamp lights up
- it stalls and might not start again
Any of these beginning after you filled up is a reason to check your receipt and see what went in.
Wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Meriva and the result of travelling on it
Driving is what draws wrong fuel in your Vauxhall Meriva out of your fuel tank and on through your filter, your high-pressure pump and your fuel injectors. Till the engine draws it out, it stays where it is. The mix reaches more of the fuel system the further the Meriva is taken, because petrol weakens the diesel fuel that protects your pump and the injectors as it passes through them.
That is the reason to stop the moment you can rather than finish the trip. A motor that's stopped early usually needs nothing more than a drain and a clean. What can do damage is covering a long distance on contaminated fuel.
We come to wherever you've stopped
Taking the Meriva anywhere is not needed. The roadside and outside your house are both places we come to, and so it does not need restarting or towing.
With the hazards on, stand clear of the traffic somewhere safe when the road beside you is fast.
When you phone 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which Meriva it is and roughly how far you travelled. The version on the badge, such as the Meriva 1.7 CDTI, is useful too.
Fuel drain on your Vauxhall Meriva once you have driven on it
Next to a drain on the forecourt, a fuel drain on your Vauxhall Meriva goes one step further after driving. We drain your tank first, then open up the lines and then flush them through with your filter, so no petrol is left between your fuel tank and the engine. Before we go, the engine is started to check it's running properly on fresh diesel, once your system has been primed.
AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Meriva after it has run
Travelling with AdBlue in a diesel Vauxhall Meriva usually brings warning lights, smoke and uneven running, and the car might go on to stall. As AdBlue settles to the bottom of the fuel tank, where your pump draws its fuel, it's in your fuel line quickly, and it does not burn or lubricate. Urea crystals build up in the lines and the filter once its water dries out.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Meriva after driving
The fuel lines and the filter have to be cleared of the crystals once the fuel tank is drained, which is what AdBlue removal from a diesel Vauxhall Meriva that has been run means. If your fuel filter needs it, we replace it.
Nothing here means turning off or taking out the AdBlue system. It covers liquid in the diesel tank, and any dedicated AdBlue tank your Meriva has is left alone.
Tanks and engines: Vauxhall Meriva fuel tank capacity
Our records show the diesel fuel tank holds 53 litres on each version of the Vauxhall Meriva.
On the diesel Meriva, the versions wear CDTI and DTI badging.
One of those labelled DTI rather than CDTI is the Meriva 1.7 DTI.
Engine sizes go from 1.3 litres in the Meriva 1.3 CDTI up to 1.7 litres on the Meriva 1.7 CDTI.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Meriva 1.3 CDTI | 53 litres |
| Vauxhall Meriva 1.7 CDTI | 53 litres |
| Vauxhall Meriva 1.7 DTI | 53 litres |
What a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Meriva costs after a drive
The distance driven and where it is now count the most towards the price of a fuel drain on the Vauxhall Meriva after a drive, and so does whether it was AdBlue or petrol. Phone with those details and then we can tell you what the job will involve.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Vauxhall Meriva
Has the petrol ruined my Meriva?
It's very unlikely. Lasting damage is uncommon when the vehicle is stopped soon and the system is drained and cleaned, and that's what we do wherever you have pulled up.
Is it OK to drive it home first?
We would ask you not to. We can empty the Meriva right where it sits, which means it doesn't need shifting, and each mile driven on contaminated fuel would carry it further through the fuel system.
What do I do if it has stalled and will not restart?
Leaving it alone is wiser than trying again, since each try pulls the blend further through. With it emptied and rinsed and clean diesel in, we prime the system and get it started for you.
Does it matter which Meriva I drive?
There are 3 diesel versions of the Meriva, and the badge on the boot shows which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you call.
Insurance and wrong fuel in my Vauxhall Meriva: am I covered?
Some policies have misfuelling cover, and so it's worth checking yours after the car is sorted. We still come out either way.