Once in awhile, you make a mistake that can affect your vehicle. Although it is common for people to put the wrong fuel in their car, it is quite a big deal. If you make the wrong move, you could potentially damage your car beyond repair. At best, the repairs will cost you a fortune. Don’t worry, though, because there are a few steps that will save your car or your bank balance. Everything you need to know about putting the wrong fuel in the engine is listed below. Follow these steps and you should be fine.
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Table of Contents
Double Check
Before you make any big decisions, make sure it is the wrong fuel. No one is saying that you are stupid enough not to know when you have used the wrong fuel. But, the mind can play tricks on you and make you think the worst has happened. It is quite common for breakdown services to come to a car owner’s aid, only to find out that the car is fine. It only takes a minute, and it could be the answer to all of your prayers.
Don’t Panic
Okay, you have made a mistake, but now is not the time to panic. Negative thoughts will be rushing through your head, and you are bound to think that you have cost yourself a lot of money. And, maybe you are right. But, until the car comes back from the garage, there is no way of knowing. Getting worked up over your car while the diagnosis is not clear is pointless. Plus, panicking makes people make rash decisions. One wrong decision could be the difference between a minor issue and a major one.
Don’t Drive The Car
Whatever you do, don’t turn on the engine. The fuel being in the fuel tank is not the issue. The issue is the fuel getting into the engine. When it does, it wrecks the engine because they are not compatible with one another. Until you start the car you are fine as the fuel will only stay in the fuel tank. Therefore, it is imperative that the key stays out of the ignition. If you need to move it, ask someone to help you push it to a safe place until the professionals arrive.
Call For Help
Getting the fuel out of the car is not a job for an amateur. For a professional, it is routine, easy work, but you would find it hard. The best thing to do is ring the breakdown services and get them to help. In fact, most services have a wrong fuel recovery team because the error is that common. Tell them what has happened and they will send out a team to fix the problem.
Check The Warranty
Hopefully, it doesn’t come down to this, but you have to plan for the worse. If the recovery team cannot help, you are going to need to pay for a new engine. Obviously, engines cost a bomb and you might not have the cash. To help ease the situation, double check the warranty and your insurance policy to see if they will pick up the cheque.
The next time it happens, you know what to do next.
