I've only put a small amount of petrol in my diesel car, is it OK to drive if I top it up with diesel?

It depends on what you consider a small amount. As a safe amount some car manufacturers will say none though the industry generally accepts 7.5% or less of petrol in diesel is safe. When you work it out for your tank capacity you will soon realise it's not a lot of the wrong fuel before it's too much. See the table below for a guide. If you don't know your tank capacity then give us a call on 01472 867070 for free advice or google your vehicles tank capacity but do be careful as the tank capacity can vary by year, model of car and engine size or whether it is a two wheel drive or four wheel drive version. If your thinking of taking a risk as it's only a little bit over the safe limit then don't . A local motorist did just that. After adding less than 15 litres of petrol to his 75 litre tank, someone suggested he topped up with diesel. Which he did and then drove from Scunthorpe to York ending the journey in limp mode. The Dealership quote to repair the Audi Q5 was in the region of £7,500.

Older Diesels before 2001 may be safe with up to 10% - seek advice

Depending on the quantity of the wrong fuel, exceeding the safe amount will at least be one or more of the following • Stop the engine running after a few miles and not start again • Cause loss of power • Cause rough idling • Prevent the engine starting from cold

At worst too much petrol in diesel can cause catastrophic failure due to: • Premature ageing of the fuel filter allowing particles to enter the HP fuel pump and injectors • The petrol eating away at fuel system seals and hoses causing leaks • Lack of lubrication (from the diesel) causing excessive wear or damage to the HP fuel pump • Injector tips prematurely aged or burnt