Put Petrol in a Diesel Volkswagen Tiguan?
Anybody who has put petrol in a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan without starting the engine should leave it switched off, and not run it even to move it off the pump. Draining the tank is normally enough to set the Tiguan right, as long as the petrol stays inside your tank, which it does while your engine is off.
We come to wrongly fuelled cars rather than the other way round, so with Petrol in Diesel the Volkswagen Tiguan stays on the forecourt or wherever it ended up. Ring us first and let us talk you through it, instead of trying anything on your own.
Petrol in a diesel Tiguan: what to do straight away
- Don't turn on the engine, even though a diesel Tiguan will generally run with petrol inside your tank. It may feel fine for a time, and that is how drivers frequently drive away without realising anything is wrong.
- Switching the ignition on is enough, on plenty of diesels, to start the fuel pump priming and pull fuel from your tank to the fuel injectors, so leave that off as well.
- The Tiguan holds up to 64 litres, so filling the remainder of the tank with diesel to dilute the petrol only means more contaminated fuel to drain. The same goes for super unleaded, which is petrol too.
- When your car is in the way of a pump, put it in neutral and push the vehicle clear. Forecourt attendants are usually happy to lend a hand.
- When the badging shows the exact variant, for instance the Tiguan 2.0 TDI CR 4Motion, give it when you call 0333 366 0103. Let us know too which Tiguan you have and where it is, roughly how much petrol was put in and whether your motor has been run.
Wrong fuel in your Volkswagen Tiguan once the motor has been started
The motor isn't affected by wrong fuel in your Volkswagen Tiguan till it is drawn from the tank, and starting your engine is what draws it out. In a diesel engine, your fuel oils your injectors and the injection pump on its way past. Driving for any distance on that mix is what can do damage, because petrol thins your diesel and takes that protection away.
Once you've driven the Tiguan on it, the thing to do is stop in a safe place then turn the motor off. It can still be dealt with, with the tank drained and the pipes and filter cleaned till the last of the contaminated fuel has gone. Very few vehicles that are caught soon and cleaned out thoroughly end up with lasting damage.
It's the same whatever variant of the Tiguan you have, and that includes the Tiguan 2.0 TDI.
The fuel tank capacity of the Volkswagen Tiguan
As the danger rests on what proportion of the fuel is petrol, the capacity of your tank counts, and a couple of litres in a tank that was close to empty are a bigger problem than the same in a fuller one.
The tank holds 64 litres on every diesel Volkswagen Tiguan we have figures for, so that calculation is the same whichever version you have.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI | 64 litres |
| Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI CR | 64 litres |
| Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI CR 4Motion | 64 litres |
Which diesel variant of the Tiguan do you drive?
It helps us to know the version when you ring, and it is usually on a badge at the back of the car.
Look for TDI on the badge of a diesel Tiguan.
Each variant in our records has an engine of 2.0 litres.
Our list also has 4MOTION versions.
AdBlue in a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan
Water and urea go into AdBlue, which certain diesel cars use to treat their exhaust. It is held in a tank of its own, with a separate filler. Pouring AdBlue in the incorrect filler gives you AdBlue in a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan, so do not touch your key, not even to move the vehicle.
Because it is mostly water, AdBlue does not ignite and offers the fuel pump no lubrication whatsoever. It does not blend with diesel either, so it sinks to the base of the tank where the pump takes its fuel, and a tank holding up to 64 litres won't dilute it the way it would dilute petrol.
Even a little of it is plenty to end up in your fuel line. As the water dries out, the urea crystallises in your fuel system, including your filter and injectors, and it attacks the metalwork it touches.
On many motors the AdBlue filler is beside the diesel filler under the same flap, and where your Tiguan has one, it may well be there as well. You can typically spot the AdBlue cap by its blue shade and the far narrower nozzle it fits.
The fuel drain on your Volkswagen Tiguan, step by step
A fuel drain on your Volkswagen Tiguan is carried out at your vehicle, and it doesn't need to be taken to a garage. To begin with we find out what went in and whether the engine has been run. The tank, which holds up to 64 litres on the Tiguan, is then drained, the pipes and filter are cleaned, and the car is refilled with clean diesel and primed before we start the engine.
You can take the Tiguan away once the job is done, now running on fresh diesel.
How we handle AdBlue removal from a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan
The stages are the same as draining petrol for AdBlue removal from a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan. AdBlue gathers at the bottom of the tank rather than mixing in, and if the Tiguan has been started it may form crystals in the lines, so we clear those through too and swap the filter where needed.
AdBlue removal, as we use it on this page, covers AdBlue that was put in the incorrect filler and has to come out of your diesel tank. It does not cover taking out or switching off the AdBlue system on the vehicle.
What does a fuel drain on the Volkswagen Tiguan cost?
A set quote isn't something we publish, because no two jobs involve the same work. It mainly comes down to the following:
- starting or driving the Tiguan, which makes more difference than anything else
- how much was put in against the capacity of your tank
- whether it was petrol or AdBlue
- the location of the Tiguan and how safely we can get to it with our van
Phone with those details and we will be able to say what's likely to be involved.
Questions on petrol in a diesel Volkswagen Tiguan, with answers
The Volkswagen Tiguan fuel tank capacity: how many litres?
64 litres on every variant in our data.
I only put a little petrol in my Tiguan. Should I top up with diesel?
It isn't something we'd advise, since putting in diesel does nothing to remove the petrol. It just reduces its proportion, and the petrol is still in the fuel system once you drive off. All of that comes out with a drain, which for a modest amount is usually everything your Tiguan requires.
Must my Tiguan go to the Volkswagen dealer?
No. We're independent with no connection with Volkswagen or its dealers, and we drain and clean your Tiguan wherever it is, so there's no need to move it anywhere.
Does the version of my Tiguan make a difference?
Knowing your version is useful when you ring, since there are 3 diesel variants of the Tiguan in our figures.
Is wrong fuel in my Volkswagen Tiguan covered by my insurance?
It's worth checking your insurance, as misfuelling cover is part of some but not all. Whichever way it reads, we come out and empty the car.
Diesel in the AdBlue tank of my Tiguan: what now?
Here, too, the right thing is to leave your ignition alone. The AdBlue system will need emptying, and if the vehicle is driven like that, it'll most likely display an alert and go into limp mode. Let us know which tank the fuel went into when you call.
What should I do if I've already driven my Tiguan?
Turn the motor off after you've pulled over somewhere safe, and keep it off until we arrive. Long-term harm is very uncommon when it is caught early like this, plus we empty the fuel system and clean it where you've pulled over.