# What happens if you put petrol in a diesel car?

> Wrong Fuel In The Car — mobile wrong-fuel rescue across the UK. Phone: 0800 170 0644.

Putting petrol in a diesel is the most common — and most damaging — misfuel in the UK. Here's what actually happens, and what to do if it's just happened to you.

## Why petrol harms a diesel engine
Diesel doubles as a lubricant for the high-pressure pump and injectors. Petrol is a solvent, so it strips that lubrication away. If the engine is run, metal-on-metal wear can damage the pump and send debris through the fuel system — the repair most people are trying to avoid.

## The single most important thing
Do not start the engine. If the key hasn't been turned, the petrol is just sitting in the tank and a drain-and-flush almost always avoids any lasting damage. Every start and every mile increases the risk and the cost.

## What we do
We come to you, extract the contaminated fuel, flush the lines and filter, add clean diesel and test-start the car — usually in 45–90 minutes, and you drive away.

## Contact
Call 0800 170 0644 — 24/7, 365 days a year. Don't start the engine after misfuelling.