What to do if you accidentally fill diesel instead of petrol in your car? Know the immediate precautions to take

Nowadays incidents of petrol being filled in a petrol car or petrol in a diesel car often happen at the petrol pump due to haste or mistake of the employee. Since cars of the same model are available in both petrol and diesel variants, the chances of such a mistake are high. If this ever happens to you, instead of panicking, there are a few things that need to be taken care of immediately, so that millions of rupees of damage to the engine can be avoided.

The most important rule: do not start the engine!

The first and most important thing to do as soon as you notice that the car has been filled with wrong fuel is to not start the car engine at all. Not only this, do not turn on the ‘ignition’ of the car by turning the key. Turning on the ignition starts the vehicle’s fuel pump and directs fuel from the wrong fuel tank to the engine’s pipeline. If the fuel doesn’t reach the engine, your damage is limited to emptying the tank.

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Push the car aside

If you are at a petrol pump, put the car in neutral without starting it and push it to the side or to a safe place. Report the situation to the personnel at the pump and take the help of a towing van to take the vehicle to a mechanic.

How to empty the fuel tank?

It is advisable to take the car directly to a garage to remove the wrong fuel. Mechanics empty the tank in the following manner:

• By removing the fuel pipe – The main fuel line in the engine bay of the vehicle is isolated. The fuel pump is then supplied with direct battery current to safely remove any misplaced fuel from the tank.
• Tank Drain Plug – Some cars have a fuel drain plug under the tank, remove it to empty the tank completely. When the tank is completely empty, it is cleaned and only then filled with the correct fuel.

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How to avoid engine damage?

If diesel gets into a petrol car because diesel is heavy it damages the spark plug and the car emits white smoke. However, if petrol gets into a diesel car, it can cause a big disaster. Petrol does not contain lubricants, causing diesel engine fuel injection pumps and internal engine parts to rub and fail completely. If the car starts incorrectly, the entire fuel line, filters and injectors need to be cleaned or replaced.

In short, while misfueling is a big mistake, a single precautionary decision to ‘not start the engine’ can save you huge financial loss and mental anguish.