Put Petrol in a Diesel Volvo S40?
Anyone who has put petrol in a diesel Volvo S40 without running the motor ought to keep it switched off, and not start it even to roll it off the petrol pump. With the engine left off, that petrol remains where it is in the tank, and in most cases a fuel drain is all your S40 requires.
Petrol in Diesel empties misfuelled cars on the spot, and the Volvo S40 can stay at the forecourt or wherever it ended up. We'll go through it with you on the phone, so ring us before attempting anything on your own.
The first steps for petrol in a diesel S40
- Do not turn on your engine, even though a diesel S40 will normally run with petrol in the tank. It may feel fine for a time, and that is how drivers frequently drive away without realising anything is wrong.
- Turning your ignition on is enough, on a lot of diesels, to start the fuel pump priming and draw fuel from the tank to the injectors, so keep that off as well.
- Topping up with diesel to dilute it is a bad idea, even with super unleaded, which is petrol too. The tank in your S40 takes up to 60 litres, and each litre of diesel added is more contaminated fuel for us to empty.
- Forecourt staff will generally help push the car clear in neutral when it's blocking a pump.
- Call 0333 366 0103 then tell us which S40 you drive and where it has stopped, approximately how much petrol was put in, and whether the motor has run. If the precise version is shown on the badge, say the S40 D2, tell us that too.
What starting your engine does with wrong fuel in your Volvo S40
Wrong fuel in your Volvo S40 only starts to affect the engine when it is drawn out of your tank, which is exactly what starting the motor does. In a diesel motor, the fuel lubricates the injectors and the injection pump on its way through. Driving for any distance on the mix is what can cause harm, as petrol dilutes your diesel and takes that protection away.
Stop somewhere safe then switch off if your S40 has already been on the road. All the same, we can take all the contaminated fuel out, by emptying your tank and then cleaning the fuel lines and the filter. If it's caught soon and cleaned out thoroughly, long-term damage is very unusual.
It's the same whatever version of the S40 you have, and that includes the S40 D3.
The fuel tank capacity of the Volvo S40
What matters is what proportion of the fuel inside your tank is petrol. The same couple of litres count for more if you filled up with the tank almost empty, which is why its capacity makes a difference.
Tank capacities for the Volvo S40 go from 52 to 60 litres depending on the version.
Our figures put the largest tank in the S40 1.9D and the smallest in the S40 1.6D DRIVe.
The S40 D5 takes 52 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volvo S40 1.6D | 55 litres |
| Volvo S40 1.6D DRIVe | 52 litres |
| Volvo S40 1.9D | 60 litres |
| Volvo S40 2.0D | 55 litres |
| Volvo S40 D2 | 55 litres |
| Volvo S40 D3 | 60 litres |
| Volvo S40 D4 | 60 litres |
| Volvo S40 D5 | 52 litres |
| Volvo S40 D5 automatik | 52 litres |
| Volvo S40 TD | 60 litres |
What diesel S40 do you drive?
The variant is generally on a badge on your boot lid, and knowing it helps us when you ring.
Check for TD on the badging of a diesel S40.
AdBlue in a diesel Volvo S40
Water and urea go into AdBlue, which some diesel cars use to clean up their exhaust. It is stored in a tank of its own, with its own filler. The key needs to be kept out of the ignition if you have AdBlue in a diesel Volvo S40 through the wrong filler, and that includes moving the vehicle.
AdBlue drops to the base of your tank, where your pump pulls its fuel from, as it won't mix with diesel. Being mostly water, it cannot ignite and leaves the fuel pump without lubrication, and your diesel in a tank of up to 60 litres doesn't thin it as it would petrol.
A small quantity is still sucked into your fuel system. Deposits of urea build up in your filter, the injectors and the rest of the fuel system once the water evaporates, and they eat into the metalwork they sit against.
Look under the fuel flap if your S40 has an AdBlue filler, because on plenty of motors it is right beside your diesel filler. You can generally spot the AdBlue cap by its blue colour and the far smaller nozzle it fits.
How a fuel drain on your Volvo S40 is done
We do a fuel drain on your Volvo S40 where your vehicle is, and it never has to be taken to a garage. Before we fire up the engine, the system is primed and your tank refilled with clean diesel. First comes checking what was put in and whether it's run, draining a tank that holds up to 60 litres on the S40, and flushing the lines and fuel filter.
On the S40 D5 automatik the tank holds 52 litres.
Clean diesel is what your S40 is running on by the time we've finished, and you are free to drive it away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo S40
Just like emptying petrol, AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo S40 goes through the same stages. Because AdBlue does not blend in but settles at the base of the tank, running the S40 on it may form deposits inside the lines. Those get flushed through too, and the fuel filter is replaced where needed.
AdBlue removal on this page means taking AdBlue out of the diesel tank after it has gone into the wrong filler. It does not mean taking out or disabling the AdBlue system on your car.
Pricing a fuel drain on the Volvo S40
We don't publish a fixed price, as the work varies from one task to the next. These are the chief factors that shape it:
- whether anybody has started or driven the S40, the thing that matters most
- a tank's capacity next to the quantity that was put in
- what went in, petrol or AdBlue
- whether our van can safely reach the S40 where it is
To compare, a full tank in the S40 2.0D is 55 litres.
Ring with those answers and we'll be able to say what's likely to be involved.
Your questions on petrol in a diesel Volvo S40
Do you know the fuel tank capacity of the Volvo S40?
Anywhere from 52 to 60 litres, depending on which variant it is. Every one is listed above.
I only put a little petrol in my S40. Should I top up with diesel?
It isn't something we'd recommend, since adding diesel does nothing to take out that petrol. It only lowers its share, and that petrol is still in the system after you drive off. Draining takes all of it out, and with a small amount that is normally all your S40 requires.
Is a trip to the Volvo dealer needed for my S40?
No. We are independent with no tie with Volvo or its dealers, plus we empty and clean your S40 wherever it is parked, so there's no need to take it anywhere.
Does the variant of my S40 make a difference?
It helps us to know which one you have when you ring, because we have data for 10 diesel versions of the S40.
Am I insured for wrong fuel in my Volvo S40?
Misfuelling cover comes with some policies and not others, so look at yours. We will come out to drain it for you whether it does or not.
What should I do if my S40 got diesel in its AdBlue tank?
Leave the key out of the ignition in that case as well. When it's driven like that, a car will generally display an alert and enter limp mode. The AdBlue system needs draining as well. When you phone, tell us which tank the fuel went into.
I drove my S40 before I noticed. What should I do?
Pull over where it is safe and switch your engine off, then leave it off till we get to you. Where you have stopped, your fuel system is emptied and cleaned there, and caught early like this, it very rarely leaves long-term damage.