What Do You Do If You Have Been Putting The Wrong Fuel In Your Car? Clue: Do Not Start Your Engine! |
|---|
|
Melanie Kamdar
May 1, 2013
Have you ever realised too late that you have been putting the wrong fuel in your car? Don't worry you're not alone. It is estimated that every three and a half minutes a motorist in Britain has the horrible realisation they have put in the wrong fuel type.
Misfuelling, as the practice is known, is a common calamity and although it is very inconvenient, the problem can be easily overcome with the minimum amount of fuss if you know what to do. The most important thing to remember is there is no need to panic.
The first rule of misfuelling is don't start the engine; the second rule of misfuelling is don't start the engine. Starting the engine causes the contaminated fuel to move around the engine and causes more damage. Oh and in case you missed it earlier, remember do not to start the engine.
Once you have got over the initial shock of realising what you have done in putting the wrong fuel in your car, you haven't panicked and you haven't started your engine, you need to move on to the next stage - Getting help. You need to call a reputable company to drain the fuel and rescue your car from further damage.
Before you even let anyone near your car you should make sure that they are fully accredited and insured. For most people after their house, their car is the most expensive purchase so you need to know it is in safe hands and covered against any mishaps.
The good thing about fuel draining is that it can take place at the garage forecourt or at the side of the road when you realised your mistake. There is no need to tow your car away as the better equipped response teams will be able to rescue you using mobile draining equipment.
You need to find a fuel drainage company that drains the fuel and then replenishes the fuel system at pump prices. You also don't want to hang around too long both waiting for the service to come and when they arrive. The whole draining process from start to finish should be completed in under an hour.
And although that pesky mix of the two fuels may have caused you a big headache, it is important to know that the company is going to dispose of it properly by recycling it in an environmentally way. Companies who do this are often approved by the Environment Agency.
And finally, don't listen if someone tells you that you can solve the problem by filling the car up with the correct fuel for the engine. This may sound like an attractive and cheaper alternative, but unfortunately as it doesn't work it just proves more costly as you need to add the cost of the additional fuel to the cost of draining.