Petrol in a Diesel Volkswagen Fox? Leave It Switched Off
Anybody who has put petrol in a diesel Volkswagen Fox without starting the engine ought to keep it turned off, and not run it even to roll it away from the pump. A drain is usually sufficient to set your Fox right, provided the petrol stays inside your tank, which it will while the engine is off.
Petrol in Diesel empties wrongly fuelled vehicles where they stand, and the Volkswagen Fox can be left at the forecourt or wherever it ended up. Phone us before you try anything yourself and we'll take you through it.
The first steps with petrol in a diesel Fox
- Keep the motor off. A diesel Fox will normally fire up and run with petrol inside its tank, and it can feel normal for a few miles, which is why motorists often drive away without realising something is amiss.
- Turning the ignition on is enough, on plenty of diesels, to start the fuel pump priming and draw fuel from your tank to your injectors, so leave that off too.
- Topping up with diesel to thin it is a mistake, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The tank on your Fox takes up to 50 litres, and each litre of diesel added is more contaminated fuel for us to empty.
- Forecourt attendants will normally help roll the car clear in neutral if it is in the way of a pump.
- When the badge shows the exact version, for instance the Fox 1.4 TDI, give it once you call 0333 366 0103. Tell us too which Fox you drive and where it is parked, roughly how much petrol was put in and whether the engine has run.
Running on wrong fuel in your Volkswagen Fox
Whilst it stays inside your tank, wrong fuel in your Volkswagen Fox does not reach the engine. That only begins when it's drawn out, which is what occurs when your motor is started. Whilst it flows through, diesel fuel keeps the high-pressure fuel pump and the injectors oiled, and your engine depends on that. With petrol thinning your diesel, that protection is lost, and driving for any distance on it is then what can cause damage.
Once you have driven your Fox on it, the right thing to do is pull over somewhere safe and switch your engine off. We can still sort it out, by emptying your tank and cleaning the pipes and the filter till all the tainted fuel is gone. Permanent damage is very unusual when it is caught early and given a proper clean.
Volkswagen Fox fuel tank capacity
Since the danger hinges on how much of the fuel is petrol, the size of the tank matters, and a few litres in a tank that was nearly empty are a bigger problem than the same in a fuller one.
In our data, all of the diesel variants of the Volkswagen Fox share one tank of 50 litres, so the calculation works out the same for each.
Which diesel Fox do you have?
The version is usually on the badging on the boot lid, and it helps us to know it when you call.
On a diesel Fox you will see TDI on the badge.
Your engine is 1.4 litres in each version on our records.
AdBlue in a diesel Volkswagen Fox by accident
Some diesel cars carry a mix of water and urea, called AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a dedicated filler, and rely on it to clean up their exhaust. The key should remain out of your ignition when you have AdBlue in a diesel Volkswagen Fox through the wrong filler, and that covers shifting your car.
As it is largely water, AdBlue doesn't ignite and gives the fuel pump no lubrication whatsoever. It does not mix with diesel either, so it sinks to the bottom of the tank where the pump draws its fuel, and a tank holding up to 50 litres won't dilute it as it would dilute petrol.
Even a small quantity gets pulled into your fuel line. Once the water dries off, the urea forms crystals in the fuel system, including your filter and injectors, and it attacks the metalwork it sits against.
On plenty of cars the AdBlue filler sits beside your diesel filler under the same fuel flap, and if your Fox has one, it may well be there too. AdBlue caps are generally blue and take a much smaller nozzle than diesel.
What we do for a fuel drain on your Volkswagen Fox
We carry out a fuel drain on your Volkswagen Fox where your vehicle is, and it never has to go to a garage. We start by finding out what was put in and whether your motor has run, then drain the tank, which on the Fox holds up to 50 litres. Then we flush your fuel pipes and your filter and refill with fresh diesel, and the fuel system is primed before we fire it up.
When we've finished, the Fox is running on clean diesel and you can carry on.
Handling AdBlue removal from a diesel Volkswagen Fox
AdBlue removal from a diesel Volkswagen Fox takes the same stages as draining petrol. AdBlue gathers at the bottom of your tank rather than mixing in, and if the Fox has been started it may leave deposits inside the pipes, so we clear those through too and replace your fuel filter if it needs doing.
AdBlue removal, as we use it on this page, covers AdBlue that went in the incorrect filler and has to come out of your diesel tank. It does not cover removing or disabling the AdBlue system on your vehicle.
How much does a fuel drain on the Volkswagen Fox cost?
A fixed price isn't something we publish, because no two jobs need the same work. It mainly comes down to the following:
- starting or driving the Fox, which makes more difference than anything else
- the size of your tank, set against how much went in
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- whether the van can safely reach the Fox where it sits
We can tell you what this work will probably need when you phone and give us those details.
Queries on petrol in a diesel Volkswagen Fox, answered
How many litres is the Volkswagen Fox fuel tank capacity?
50 litres. The tank is the same capacity whatever variant you have.
Can I top up with diesel if I only put a little petrol in my Fox?
We'd recommend against it. The petrol remains in the fuel system when you drive, as adding diesel just cuts its share and takes out none of it. The Fox normally needs no more than a drain when only a modest amount was put in, and that takes that petrol out completely.
Should my Fox go to the Volkswagen dealer?
There's no reason to move it elsewhere. We drain and clean your Fox where it is, and we are independent, with no tie to Volkswagen or its dealers.
Does my policy cover wrong fuel in my Volkswagen Fox?
Misfuelling cover comes with some policies and not others, so check yours. We will come out to drain it for you whether it does or not.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my Fox. What now?
Keep the key out of the ignition in that case too. The AdBlue system will need draining, and if your vehicle is driven like that, it will most likely show a warning and go into limp mode. Which tank your diesel was put in is worth mentioning when you call.
I drove my Fox before I noticed. What do I do?
Look for a safe spot to pull over, then switch your motor off and keep the car that way until we get there. Lasting damage is very rare if it's caught soon like this, plus we empty your fuel system and clean it where you have pulled over.