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wrong fuel - expensive mistake today
#1
I was on the M1 with the low fuel light on. I think there was just over a gallon of diesel left by the time i got to the service station. I put about 13 quid of fuel in, not realising it was petrol. I drove approx 10 miles, then parked up in the local cemetary which was due to close in a couple of hours. I got out of car. When i got back in, the car would not start. (Tried to turn engine about 7 times.) I had that horrid feeling that maybe i had put petrol in instead of diesel. Waited about an hour for the RAC to answer the phone. I was completely panic striken at the thought of the car being locked in the cemetary overnight and being taken to the pound, etc etc. Rac eventually answered, arrived, towed Berl out of Cemetary, and we awaited the fuel drain rac man to arrive. It cost me £1 short of £200 quid. He drained whatever it is that he drained, topped Berl up with 4 litres diesel, told me to get fuel filter changed, which ive arranged to do first thing tomorrow. And this evening i filled up with full tank of diesel.

All my cars have been diesel, because i just dont do petrol, so i cannot get over how stupid i have been.

The thing is that before all this happened, i had just attended the two year anniversary of the death of an immediate relative. So with hindsight, its now obvious that i wasnt functioning at my best .... preoccupied with my loss of relative.

Ive been scouring the internet about filling up with the wrong fuel and so now i have all the paranoia about a damaged fuel pump sometime in the future. And of course ive just learned that there is a thing that can be fit onto the tank to ensure that petrol isnt put in instead of diesel. Shame i found out about this after the event. After my stupid mistake,  this gadget is now a must have item! I just so upset, because before this Berl, apart from rubbish suspension and rattling rear passenger window has only ever complained today, and i obviously i cant blame him, as i wouldnt particularly like it if somebody laced my food with poison.
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#2
(03-08-2015, 04:23 PM)Berl Wrote:  I drove approx 10 miles, then parked up in the local cemetary which was due to close in a couple of hours. I got out of car. When i got back in, the car would not start.

Wow! That account has more facets than a well cut diamond. I went through a whole raft of emotions, starting with laughter at the car choosing a cemetary to call it a day, then feeling guilty for chortling, as the rest unfolded.

I'd swap your fuel filter, then use one of those over the counter fuel system cleansers (for diesels, if it needs to be said), then forget about it and don't worry about any future problems which may, or may not, ever come up.

Yep, fit that gadget too.

We all make mistakes under stress. I know someone who got lost on a 20 mile, straight road, journey from hospital after finding his wife had cancer. Pressure makes you do funny things. Hope you and your car are well.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement… 

2017 Berlingo Multispace Flair 120
2013 C5 Tourer 2.2HDi Excl
Previously:
2012 C5 Tourer 1.6HDi auto
2012 Berlingo Enterprise 1.6HDi Van
2009 C5 Tourer 2.0D
2001 C5 Tourer 2.0D
2001 Range Rover 4.6 Vogue (really!)
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#3
You have my sympathy,I dread misfueling & check the pump twice before filling.I've had diesels for over 20 years.
Strawberry flavoured windows  Dodgy
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#4
We 'HAD' a driver that had put super unleaded in 3 times no less than £28 each time while driving just over 199mls,m to be fair the Transit connect was still running JUST, but it wasn't well, fuel drain and a filter change it's still running well,

we use Vpower Diesel in all vans so that might help
63 plate Berlingo working hard.....
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#5
so can i ask about wrong fuel as i did this 3 weeks ago when topped up half tank of deisel with 15quid of unleaded... got told to fill tank n run it thru which i have done but the orange triangle light is staying on.. if i change the fuel filter will this stop the light coming on n going into safe mode?? cheers all... Lee :-)
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#6
Hi All, i have had the same experience as 3 weeks ago i topped up half a tank of diesel and put in £15 of unleaded.. people said to just fill tank to brim n it will flush out but the orange triangle light is on n safe mode.. van drives ok but not a lot of power up hills lol... if i change the fuel filter will the light go out?? cheers all Lee
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#7
Don't you feel like a right pratt? I know I did when I did the same thing on my Peugeot motorhome.
I also had the RAC attend and robbed me of nearly £200.
However the guy presented me with a bottle of additive, to be pored into the tank at next fill.
I am extra, extra, extra careful now!!!!!!!!

In my defense, at the time I also ran a petrol Smart car, well that's my excuse.

Geoff
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#8
Put a big reminder inside the fuel flap.
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#9
Yep, been there, done that, got away with it luckily. Driving from Spain to Germany when diesel was cheap(er) in both but expensive in France, so tried to get all the way through on one tank. Couldn't quite make it so stopped to put in ten litres to get me over the border. Put petrol in though as I was tired.
Soon realised my mistake but she kept going, not well, but kept going and filled up to the brim at the first service station in Germany.
She kept going better and better and then kept going another hundred thousand kilometres until I sold it.

I did also try the other way round with a rental car in the UK. Tried to put diesel in a petrol. Couldn't work out why the nozzle wouldn't go in. That was after a long overnight flight and again tired.
Now a 2019 K9 1.2 petrol.
Before a 2010 B9 1.6 HDi diesel.
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#10
This well-watched Fifth Gear experiment on misfueling is quite interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL9-i9tcESU

It's not very scientific, but suggests that misfueling isn't always an immmediate disaster, though there is the caveat that more modern vehicles might not be so resilient.

Apparently 1 in 7 drivers have misfueled, so quite a common mistake.
Work van:     2020 1.5 BlueHDi 100 Enterprise Berlingo
Spare van:    2001 1.9 600d Berlingo
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