Home > Misfuelling a Vehicle
Download the Misfuelling a Vehicle PDF
In accordance with the latest UK government guidelines, all RMP colleagues are now working from home until further notice. Despite not being able to meet with you in person, we are very much open for business and you can reach all our teams by phone, email or social media as we continue our mission to deliver the best service possible for you and all of our clients.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we do our bit to help mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19 in these extraordinary times.
Take care and stay safe from all at RMP
on
Misfuelling a Vehicle
Misfuelling a vehicle is a common mistake to make, occurring on average every 3 minutes in the UK with roughly 150,000 motorists filling their tank with the wrong fuel every year.
Preventing misfuelling
If you’re used to driving several different vehicles, or fill up at many different petrol stations, here are a few tips to help avoid the cost and hassle of misfuelling.
- Don’t rely on the colour of the hose or nozzle. Check the label on the pump trigger and the fuel grade indicator on the pump
- If necessary, place a reminder inside or on the outside of the fuel filling flap
- Keep your concentration at the fuel pump. It’s not a good time to get distracted
- Try not to refuel when you’re in a hurry or stressed
- If you drive a diesel vehicle and are worried about misfuelling, it is possible to purchase a device that fits into the filler neck to prevent you inserting the narrower petrol nozzle
What happens if you put petrol in a diesel vehicle?
Putting petrol in a diesel vehicle will damage the fuel pump if not dealt with immediately. In diesel cars, the main fuel pump uses the diesel fuel flowing through it for lubrication. However, when petrol fuel is put in, the mix of petrol in diesel acts as a solvent, reducing lubrication and quickly causing damage to the pump as the metal parts come into contact and rub together. Other parts of the fuel system which might not be compatible with petrol, can also be damaged.
Switching on the vehicle’s ignition will circulate this mix of petrol in diesel through the fuel system, causing further contamination to other components so if you realise what has happened straightaway, do not turn on the ignition.
What happens if you put diesel in a petrol vehicle?
Putting diesel in a petrol car is not especially common because the diesel nozzle is generally bigger than the petrol nozzle. The potential damage isn’t as severe but it will still cause the engine to smoke a bit and run badly, so it’s best to get the diesel out as soon as possible.
What to do next?
As mentioned above, the most important advice is to not turn on the ignition if misfuelling is suspected before driving off from the filling station.
Unfortunately, the removing of incorrect fuel is not something that can be carried out by the driver and it will need attention from either a roadside assistance company or removal to a garage or main dealer who will use specialist equipment to remove fuel from the tank. If the ignition has not been switched on, this may be all that is required. However, if the vehicle has been driven further work to flush the fuel lines may also be required and potentially replace any damaged components.
Due to strict Environment Agency rules relating to hazardous materials it is not possible to provide the driver with the contaminated fuel that has been removed from their vehicle.
If you are responsible for a vehicle fleet, all drivers should be made aware of what to do in the event of a misfuelling incident through the organisation’s driver manual. This information should also be available in each vehicle.
Insurance
Under the QBE Motor policy, any claim for wrong fuelling of a vehicle will be considered under the accidental damage cover, provided always the insured has mitigated the loss which could mean, for example, not starting the engine or pulling over as soon as the error has been noticed. Each claim, however, would be looked at on its own circumstances. The cost of replacing the aborted fuel would however not be covered in any circumstances.
How can we help you?
For more advice on how we can help lower the cost of your risk, please email contact@rmpartners.co.uk
Unsubscribe
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us.
Related Resources
Sign up to receive the latest from rmp
Sign up to receive the latest from RMP
Short Form Privacy Notice
Risk Management Partners Limited is the data controller of any personal information you provide to us or personal information that has been provided to us by a third party. We collect and process information about you in order to arrange insurance policies and to process claims. Your information is also used for business purposes such as fraud prevention and detection and financial management. This may involve sharing your information with third parties such as insurers, reinsurers, other brokers, claims handlers, loss adjusters, credit reference agencies, service providers, professional advisors, our regulators, police and government agencies or fraud prevention agencies.
We may record telephone calls to help us monitor and improve the service we provide. For further information on how your information is used and your rights in relation to your information please see our privacy notice at https://rmpartners.co.uk/privacy-policy. If you are providing personal data of another individual to us, you must tell them you are providing their information to us and show them a copy of this notice.
