Put Petrol in a Diesel Volvo V40 by Mistake?
The motor is safest left off if it hasn't been run since you put petrol in a diesel Volvo V40, and that covers shifting it clear of the petrol pump. As long as the engine stays off the petrol stays inside your tank, so a fuel drain is generally all that it needs to set your V40 right.
There's no reason to move your Volvo V40 off the forecourt, or from any other spot where it stopped, as this drain is done by Petrol in Diesel wherever the car stands. Phone us before you attempt anything yourself and we'll talk you through it.
The first steps with petrol in a diesel V40
- Drivers frequently drive away without noticing something is amiss, since a diesel V40 will generally start and run on petrol and may seem fine for the first few miles. So keep the motor off.
- Keep the ignition off as well. On plenty of diesels switching it on will set the fuel pump priming, which draws fuel out of the tank on to your injectors.
- The V40 takes up to 60 litres, so filling the rest of your tank with diesel to weaken the petrol just leaves more tainted fuel to drain. The same applies to super unleaded, which counts as petrol as well.
- A car in the way of a pump can be put in neutral and rolled clear, and the forecourt attendants are generally glad to lend a hand.
- Call 0333 366 0103 with the place your V40 has stopped and which one it is, the rough volume of petrol that was put in, and whether it has been run. If you can see the exact variant on the badging, for instance the V40 TD, that helps too.
Started the car with wrong fuel in your Volvo V40?
Starting the motor is what draws the wrong fuel in your Volvo V40 from the tank, and only then does it begin to reach the motor. A diesel engine relies on its fuel to oil the high-pressure pump and the injectors while it passes through them. Driving any distance on that mix is what can cause damage, because petrol dilutes your diesel and strips that protection away.
Look for somewhere safe to pull in then turn off, when the V40 has already been driven. We can still put it right, by emptying the tank and rinsing the pipes and the fuel filter until all the tainted fuel is out. Very few cars that are caught soon and cleaned out thoroughly end up with long-term damage.
The V40 D4 is no different in this from any other variant of the V40.
The fuel tank capacity of the Volvo V40
The capacity of your tank counts as the danger rests on what proportion of your 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 fuelled up.
From 52 litres up to 60, the tank on the Volvo V40 changes with the version.
Our data put the largest tank in the V40 1.9D and the smallest in the V40 D2.
For the V40 D3, the tank size is 60 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volvo V40 1.9D | 60 litres |
| Volvo V40 D2 | 52 litres |
| Volvo V40 D3 | 60 litres |
| Volvo V40 D4 | 60 litres |
| Volvo V40 TD | 60 litres |
Checking your diesel V40 version
Look for the badging on the boot lid, which normally gives the version, and tell us what it says when you phone.
Check for TD on the badge of a diesel V40.
Put AdBlue in a diesel Volvo V40?
Water and urea make up AdBlue, which certain diesel vehicles use to treat their exhaust. It is stored in a tank of its own, with a separate filler. Even to move your car, don't turn the key if you've got AdBlue in a diesel Volvo V40 after it went in the wrong filler.
Even a tank holding up to 60 litres does nothing to dilute AdBlue as it would dilute petrol. AdBlue does not blend with diesel, so it settles to the bottom, right where your pump takes its fuel, and being largely water it neither ignites nor gives the fuel pump any protection.
Even a little of that is enough to end up in your fuel line. Inside the fuel system the water evaporates and leaves the urea to crystallise, in your filter and injectors and elsewhere, where it attacks the metal it sits against.
On many motors the AdBlue filler is alongside your diesel filler under the same flap, and where the V40 has one, it might well be there too. A blue lid and a nozzle much smaller than diesel generally mark the AdBlue filler.
What we do in a fuel drain on your Volvo V40
There is no garage needed, as we do a fuel drain on your Volvo V40 at your vehicle itself. We begin by checking what was put in and whether your motor has been run, then drain your tank, which on the V40 holds up to 60 litres. After that we rinse your fuel lines and the fuel filter and refill with clean diesel, and the system is primed before we start the engine.
By the end, the V40 is running on fresh diesel again and all set for you to drive away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo V40, step by step
The stages are the same as a petrol drain in AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo V40. AdBlue gathers at the bottom of the tank rather than blending in, and if the V40 has been started it may form deposits in the pipes, so we flush those through too and swap the filter if it needs it.
Here, AdBlue removal means getting AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the incorrect filler. Switching off or taking out the AdBlue system on a car is not what it means.
What sets the price of a fuel drain on the Volvo V40
Because each job is different, we have no fixed price to publish, and these are the main factors that affect it:
- whether anybody has started or driven the V40, the thing that counts most
- how much went in compared with the capacity of the tank
- what was put in, petrol or AdBlue
- where the V40 is parked, and whether we can get the van to it safely
With those answers over the phone, we can tell you what the job is going to involve.
Questions about petrol in a diesel Volvo V40
Can you tell me the fuel tank capacity of the Volvo V40?
It varies with the variant, from 52 to 60 litres, and every one is listed in the table above.
I only put a little petrol in my V40. Should I fill up with diesel?
We would not advise it. Adding diesel lowers the proportion of petrol without taking out any of that, so that petrol is still in the system when you drive. With only a little petrol, a drain to take all of it out is generally all your V40 needs.
Is a trip to the Volvo dealer necessary for my V40?
No. We are an independent business with no tie with Volvo or its dealers, plus we empty and clean your V40 wherever it is parked, so there's no need to move it anywhere.
Does the version of my V40 make a difference?
It is useful for us to know which one you have when you call, since we have data for 5 diesel versions of the V40.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Volvo V40?
Some policies include misfuelling cover and some do not, so it's worth looking at yours. Whichever it is, we come out to drain your vehicle for you.
What if I put diesel in the AdBlue tank of my V40?
Here, too, the right thing is to leave your ignition alone. The AdBlue system will need emptying, and when your vehicle is driven like that, it will most likely display a warning and drop into limp mode. Tell us which tank your fuel was put in when you ring.
What should I do if I've already driven my V40?
Till we arrive, your engine should stay off, so pull over where it's safe then turn it off. Where you have stopped, the system is drained and cleaned there, and caught soon like this, it very rarely leaves long-term damage.