Have You Put Petrol in a Diesel Volvo C30?
If you have got petrol in a diesel Volvo C30 but the motor has not been run, keep it switched off, even to shift it clear of the pump. The petrol cannot leave your tank while your engine is off, so your C30 can generally be put right with a fuel drain.
There's no reason to shift your Volvo C30 off the forecourt, or from any other place where it stopped, because the drain is done by Petrol in Diesel wherever your vehicle is. Ring us before you try anything yourself and we'll take you through it.
Got petrol in a diesel C30? First steps
- Keep your engine off. A diesel C30 will normally fire up and run with petrol inside the tank, and it can seem normal for a couple of miles, which is why motorists frequently drive away without realising anything is wrong.
- Your ignition has to stay off too, because turning it on starts the fuel pump priming on a lot of diesels, and the pump then pulls fuel from your tank.
- Your C30 holds up to 60 litres, so topping up the remainder of your tank with diesel to weaken the petrol simply means more tainted fuel to empty out. The same goes for super unleaded, which is petrol too.
- Speak to the forecourt staff when the vehicle is blocking a pump. They normally help roll it clear once it is in neutral.
- Ring 0333 366 0103 then let us know which C30 you have and where it is, about how much petrol went in, and whether the motor has been started. Where the precise variant is shown on the badge, say the C30 D4, tell us that as well.
What running the motor does with wrong fuel in your Volvo C30
Wrong fuel in your Volvo C30 only starts to get to your engine after it's pulled from the tank, which is exactly what starting the motor does. Inside a diesel engine, your fuel oils the fuel injectors and the injection pump on its way past. With petrol thinning the diesel, that protection is lost, and driving for any distance on it is then what can cause harm.
Pull over somewhere safe then switch off if your C30 has already been on the road. We empty the tank, then clean the pipes and filter through until no contaminated fuel is left, so it can still be put right. If it is caught soon and cleaned out thoroughly, long-term damage is very unusual.
Each version of the C30 is the same here, the C30 2.0D included.
Knowing the Volvo C30 fuel tank capacity
The size of your tank matters because the risk rests on what share of the fuel in it is petrol, so the same couple of litres are more of a worry if your tank was close to empty when you filled up.
The version determines the tank size on the Volvo C30, which runs from 52 to 60 litres.
Our figures place the largest tank in the C30 D5 and the smallest in the C30 1.6D DRIVe.
The C30 D2 takes 52 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volvo C30 1.6D | 52 litres |
| Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe | 52 litres |
| Volvo C30 2.0D | 52 litres |
| Volvo C30 D2 | 52 litres |
| Volvo C30 D3 | 60 litres |
| Volvo C30 D4 | 60 litres |
| Volvo C30 D5 | 60 litres |
Which diesel version of the C30 is yours?
Check the badge on your boot lid, which usually shows the variant, then let us know what it says when you call.
When there's AdBlue in a diesel Volvo C30
Some diesel cars hold a mix of water and urea, known as AdBlue, in a tank of its own with a dedicated filler, and rely on it to clean up their exhaust. Even to move your vehicle, don't turn your key if you have AdBlue in a diesel Volvo C30 after it went in the incorrect filler.
Even a tank holding up to 60 litres does nothing to dilute AdBlue as it would dilute petrol. AdBlue doesn't mix with diesel, so it drops to the bottom, right where the pump takes its fuel, and being mainly water it neither burns nor offers the fuel pump any lubrication.
A small quantity is still sucked into your fuel system. When the water has evaporated, what's left is urea, which crystallises inside the fuel system, filter and injectors among them, and attacks any metalwork it rests against.
Where your C30 has an AdBlue filler, it may well lie alongside your diesel filler under the same cover, as it does on plenty of motors. The nozzle for AdBlue is far smaller than the diesel one, and the filler cap is generally blue.
What we do for a fuel drain on your Volvo C30
We carry out a fuel drain on your Volvo C30 where the vehicle stands, and it never needs to be taken to a garage. On the C30 your tank holds up to 60 litres, so we drain all of that once we have checked what was put in and whether your engine has run. The fuel lines and the filter are rinsed after that, then we fill up with fresh diesel and prime your system before starting your motor.
For the C30 D3, the fuel tank is 60 litres.
Clean diesel is what the C30 runs on by the time the job is done, and you are free to drive off in it.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo C30 involves
AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo C30 follows the same steps as a petrol drain. Since AdBlue doesn't mix in but collects at the base of the tank, running the C30 on it may leave crystals inside the lines. Those get cleared through as well, and the filter is replaced where needed.
What we call AdBlue removal is draining AdBlue from your diesel tank after a mistake at the filler, not removing or switching off the AdBlue system on a car.
What decides the cost of a fuel drain on the Volvo C30
A fixed price is not something we publish, since no two jobs involve the same work. It largely comes down to the following:
- whether anyone has started or driven the C30, the thing that counts most
- a tank's capacity next to the volume that was put in
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- where the C30 is, and whether we can bring the van to it safely
By comparison, a full tank in the C30 1.6D is 52 litres.
We can tell you what this work will probably involve once you call and give us those details.
Petrol in a diesel Volvo C30: your questions
Your Volvo C30 fuel tank capacity: how many litres?
Between 52 and 60 litres depending on the version, and the table above shows each one.
Is it all right to add diesel after only a little petrol in my C30?
Filling up just cuts the proportion of petrol. None of that is removed, so it's all still there when you drive, which is why we wouldn't recommend it. The C30 generally requires nothing more than a fuel drain when only a modest quantity went in, and that gets that petrol out entirely.
Is a trip to the Volvo dealer needed for my C30?
You do not need to. We have no connection with Volvo or any of its dealers, being independent, and your C30 is emptied and cleaned where you are.
Does the version of my C30 make a difference?
Knowing your variant is useful when you phone, since there are 7 diesel versions of the C30 in our figures.
Is wrong fuel in my Volvo C30 covered by my policy?
Some policies include misfuelling cover and some don't, so it's worth checking yours. Whichever it is, we come out to drain your car for you.
Diesel in the AdBlue tank of my C30: what happens?
In that case, too, leave your key out of the ignition. If it's driven that way, a car will generally display an alert and enter limp mode. The AdBlue system needs draining too. Tell us which tank the diesel went into when you call.
What should I do if I've already driven my C30?
Pull over where it's safe and turn the engine off, then keep it off until we reach you. We drain and clean the fuel system where you have stopped, and if it is caught soon like this, long-term damage is very rare.