A woman borrowed her husband’s car while hers was in the garage, and he asked her to fill it up for him – but it all went horribly wrong when she made a crucial error
A husband was left seething after his wife made a potentially disastrous mistake with his car. With her own vehicle in the garage, she had borrowed his, agreeing to fill up the tank while running errands.
However, in a critical error, she filled the tank with diesel instead of unleaded petrol, which could have led to a staggering repair bill of over £1,000. Realising her mistake after the car failed to start, she contacted her husband, who maintained his composure and arranged for the vehicle to be towed.
Fortunately, a friend intervened, draining the diesel and replacing it with petrol. He said: “Now that it’s been running for a while, it’s finally running smoothly again.
“Now I have to clear the warning codes from the engine, and it’s done,” he added, which appears simple but could’ve been a lot worse, Torque News shared. The vehicle’s owner was relieved to learn that the issue had been resolved with only a couple of hours of labour charges incurred.
This incident serves as a stark warning for anyone in a similar situation. Kelley Blue Book stresses the critical importance of not starting the engine if diesel is mistakenly put into a petrol car, as it is “crucial to keep the diesel in the tank and not let it into the fuel lines and cause damage.”
They advise against panic, recommending instead to “immediately call a dealership or local repair shop. Arrange for an emergency tow to get your vehicle to the service centre”.
Should the car have been driven with diesel in the tank, more extensive repairs may be required.
However, if it hasn’t been driven, the resolution should be relatively simple. Experts also stress the significance of being vigilant when fuelling up, urging drivers to “important to pay attention at the pump,” and to double-check the fuel type required for the vehicle, particularly if it’s not one they usually operate.