I've been accused of misfuelling a rental car - how many miles can you theoretically drive after misfuelling? | Ask Honest John

I've been accused of misfuelling a rental car - how many miles can you theoretically drive after misfuelling?

I'm in dispute with a car rental provider who want to sue me for a small fortune. They allege I filled up a diesel car with petrol but some things are not adding up. Is it possible to drive a car for 60+ miles if you put petrol in a diesel engine because that's how far I travelled after filling up? The dashboard came up with a catastrophic engine failure warning light and then died on me. But 60 miles on the wrong fuel? Every article that I have read says the engine will conk within a couple of miles.

Asked on 28 October 2021 by Anthony Brown

Answered by Dan Powell

It's theoretically possible. For example, if the car had a significant level of diesel in the tank when you filled up with petrol then the car could have travelled 60+ miles without a problem, with the petrol floating on top of the diesel until it reached the fuel pick-up point.

Tags: misfuelling renting a car

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