Already Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Volvo XC60?
The engine needs turning off and leaving off as soon as you can pull in somewhere safe, if you have travelled on petrol in a diesel Volvo XC60. It's very uncommon for permanent damage to follow if it's spotted early, while it can still be dealt with wherever you have stopped.
Your Volvo XC60 can stay where it has stopped, as Petrol in Diesel comes out to it, drains its tank on the spot and cleans its fuel system of petrol. It's on fresh diesel and running when we leave.
Spotting petrol in a diesel XC60
It is usually a few miles until the symptoms appear, because with petrol inside the fuel tank a diesel XC60 tends to drive normally at first. Whether the tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, people normally notice these:
- less power, especially when the engine is asked to accelerate
- lumpy running, or an erratic idle
- the exhaust puts out more smoke than usual
- a warning lamp lights up
- the engine stalls and may not start again
One of these beginning after you filled up is reason enough to look at the receipt to see what went in.
How far wrong fuel in your Volvo XC60 gets when you drive
Wrong fuel in your Volvo XC60 remains in your fuel tank till the engine pulls it out, and driving is what takes it through your fuel filter, the high-pressure fuel pump and the injectors. Diesel protects your fuel pump and the fuel injectors as it runs through them and petrol weakens it, and so the further the XC60 is driven, the more of the fuel system the mixture gets to.
That is why it is wiser to stop the moment you can than to complete the trip. Damage, where it happens, comes from a long drive on contaminated fuel, and a drain and a clean are normally all a car needs if it is stopped early.
Another version of the XC60 is no different from the XC60 D3 AWD in this, and so which one is yours makes no difference.
We come to where you've stopped
You don't need to take the XC60 anywhere. You can keep it at the side of the road or at home and we come to it, with no need to restart it and no tow to book.
On a main road, switch on your hazards, then find somewhere safe to wait away from the traffic.
Call 0333 366 0103 then say where you are, what XC60 it is and about how far it has been driven. Knowing the version on the badge, like the XC60 2.4D AWD, helps too.
Fuel drain on your Volvo XC60 after it was driven
After it has been driven, a fuel drain on your Volvo XC60 takes one step more than one at the forecourt. We drain the tank first, then open the fuel lines and then rinse them through with the filter, so no petrol is left between the fuel tank and the engine. The system is primed once fresh diesel has gone in, then the engine is started to confirm it runs correctly.
AdBlue in a diesel Volvo XC60 that has been driven
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Volvo XC60 and have driven on it, the signs are normally uneven running, smoke and warning lamps, and the vehicle can stall. The fuel pump picks up fuel at the bottom of your tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, so it reaches the fuel line quickly. It also does not burn or lubricate. The urea forms crystals in your filter and the lines as its water evaporates.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo XC60
The fuel lines and the fuel filter have to be freed of the crystals once the fuel tank is emptied, which is what AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo XC60 that has been run involves. If the fuel filter needs it, we replace it.
A separate AdBlue tank, if your XC60 has one, is left as it is. The work is about liquid in the diesel tank, and doesn't involve removing or disabling an AdBlue system.
Engines and Volvo XC60 fuel tank capacity
Each version of the Volvo XC60 in our figures has a diesel fuel tank of 70 litres.
The engines are 2.0 litres on each version listed.
Some of them are AWD versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volvo XC60 2.0 DRIVe | 70 litres |
| Volvo XC60 2.4D AWD | 70 litres |
| Volvo XC60 2.4D DRIVe | 70 litres |
| Volvo XC60 D3 AWD | 70 litres |
| Volvo XC60 D5 AWD | 70 litres |
The price of a fuel drain on the Volvo XC60 after driving
The cost of a fuel drain on the Volvo XC60 after it has been driven depends largely on how far it went and where it has ended up, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference too. Give us those details on a call and then we can say what is involved in the job.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Volvo XC60
Is my XC60 ruined?
It is very unlikely. Lasting harm is rare when the vehicle is stopped soon and your fuel system is emptied and flushed, and that's what we do where you have pulled up.
Is it OK to drive it home first?
Our advice would be not to. We can drain the XC60 right where it stands, so it doesn't need shifting, and each mile driven on tainted fuel would take it further through your system.
It has stalled and will not restart. What should I do?
Leaving it alone is wiser than having another go, as every attempt draws the mixture further through. We prime the fuel system and start it for you once it has been drained and flushed and fresh diesel is in.
Do you need to know which XC60 I have?
The badge on the tailgate gives the version you have, out of the 5 diesel versions of the XC60, and knowing it assists us when you call.
Will my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Volvo XC60?
When the vehicle is sorted, it's worth checking your policy, because some include misfuelling cover. We come out whether it does or not.