Filled Wrong Fuel In A Car? Heres What To Do!

The automobile industry has changed quite a bit in the last few years, with electric cars being launched last year. However, the consumer market predominantly still purchases cars those run on fuel, mainly diesel and petrol. With the significant hike in oil prices, several car owners around the world are experimenting with different fuels than advised, which is a terrible idea. Even though it has become quite common in the community, this article can help you not only understand how to face the situation but also how you can better it.

Photo Credit: www.mahindrafirstchoice.com

What are the symptoms of putting the wrong fuel in your car?

Although putting the wrong fuel in your car should be avoided at all costs, it is not an uncommon sight to see. Maybe you have been given the wrong information about the vehicle or just made a mistake; understanding how to figure out the same is utterly important. Here mentioned are some symptoms of adding the wrong fuel to your car.

The engine will seize to work properly:

This is the first and most significant problem you will face. Although in most cases, the engine works properly for the first few moments, it eventually cuts out and starts showing problems. Your car might even stop running in the middle of the street.

Extra smoke from the exhaust:

Another common thing to witness is abnormal smoke from the exhaust pipes. While there are many causes for this, the most common one is using the wrong fuel for your car. This might also call cause some severe and is irreparable problems.

The engine fails to start at all:

This is another sign that you have been using the wrong fuel in your car. While as the first point mentioned, the engine will eventually stop working, in this case, it does not start at all.

If you face any of these situations with your car, you should immediately take professional assistance and seek help from a professional. It is also a better option to tow down your car to either the parking bay or repair centre since driving it might cause further problems to the engine.

What happens when you add diesel to a petrol Engine?

Usually, adding diesel to a petrol car is not as common since the detailed dispenser nozzle doesn't fit the car tank. However, if on the off chance it does happen, this is how you will know:

• The exhaust will produce excessive smoke
• The engine might misfire
• The engine might not restart
• The engine will completely shut down

Photo Credit: www.mynrma.com.au

What happens when you add petrol to a diesel engine?

When compared to the pre-mentioned scenario, this is more common as petrol can get easily confused with diesel and can have several implications on the engine. Some of them are mentioned here:

• The car slows down acceleration
• There is excessive smoke from the exhaust
• The warning light flickers
• The engine makes an abnormal sound while driving
• It might not restart
• It can completely stop the ignition

What to do in such a case?

Photo Credit: theuijunkie.com

Now that you know what happens in such scenarios, it is time you understand what you should do. If you have already misfueled your car and started the engine, it is best if you shut it off immediately and put the car in neutral. Push the vehicle near a safer spot and contact the RAC fuel petrol to help. They will help you drain the fuel and flush the entire system clean. This can save your engine in the process. In addition to that, you should also give your insurance agent a call and tell them about what happened.

On the other hand, if you have already recognized the symptoms before you have turned your engine on, taking it to a professional is the best way to go. Ensure that you do not turn the engine on in any scenario as that might cause the fuel to travel from its tank to the engine.

With this information, you can surely help your car be in better shape in case of such a mishap. All in all, contacting the RAC fuel petrol is the best decision as they know what should be done and have the right expertise and experience with such cases.