A Mis-Fueling Saga that may help all !

[oldcro]

First time snowing and high wind, second time mind elsewhere with work problem.

How I made these simple mistakes is beyond comprehension according to Mercy1, but the fact remains errors are made for various reasons by ordinary folk.

 

[300E]

Doesn't alter the fact I can't understand how perfectly sensible and intelligent people are capable of making such a dozy mistake.... Any theories?

At the time of the 530d incident I think Esso stations had pumps which all looked very, very similar, all with blue nozzles, the colour coding was very similar for all fuel types.

I agree it takes a certain amount of inattention to make the mistake but Esso stations in particular have caused me a few brown trouser moments over the years.

 

[renault12ts]

When I did it (many years ago) I lifted the red nozzle (4star), then drove 5 miles and parked up. car would not start later.

 

[trapperjohn]

Most simple! mistakes are made when people are in the "drone zone" ie Mind elsewhere.

Would not mind betting that the pipe used to fill with which ever wrong fuel was in the same position on the pump as the correct pipe is on the pump where the hapless victim normally fills up.

Skill Based, Rule Based and Knowledge Based comes to mind.

http://zonecours.hec.ca/documents/A2007-1-1399575.UnderstandingHumanBehaviourandError.pdf

 

[A210AMG]

Lack of sleep with little people keeping me up has meant I have done silly things....


Making myself a cup of tea I put the tea bag in my mouth.... YUCK

(Brain knew I was doing wrong but didn't compute)


Different occasion I've filled my cup up with cerals rather than the bowl...


I can see choosing the wrong pump quite easy to be honest, I always worry in Europe.

Why can they not be different sizes completly?


Also if you put petrol in a Cdi is that 'not as bad' I remember my dad saying he did this around 7 litres in an empty tank, brimmed it with diesal and all ok.

 

[This is Pete]

When I first moved over to diesel, I managed to put a few litres of petrol into the tank. After a panicked call to a car club friend of mine, he told me just to fill up the rest of the tank with diesel and let the petrol dilute.

Car drove away fine without any ill effects. I'd guess that a few litres in an 80 litre tank would dilute quiet well. But then I don't know how sensitive modern engines are or what the safe dilution ratio is.

I've never mis-fueled since then, but I'm very careful in checking the colour of the pump before I pick it up, also making sure I've got the cheaper option and not the high-performance, overpriced version.

I also do daft things like catch myself from pouring milk into the kettle or trying to make coffee with cold water...

but as far as I'm aware, misfueling a diesel engine with petrol isn't as damaging as the other way around (which explains why you can't put a diesel nozzle into a petrol car).

 

[Henry D]

Misfueling is easily done when you own two or three different vehicles of different fuel types,I haven't done it myself.....................yet and hope I don't.

 

[artyman]

As already said I daresay most folk are on autopilot when filling up, after nearly 50 years of filling up with petrol it would be easy to grab the wrong nozzle, fortunately I haven't done it yet, but can sympathise with those who have.

Some years ago we had a member at the sailing club that put oil in the fuel tank, the safety boat was a bit smokey but it trundled on. You have to ask if all the 'modern improvements' to engines have got a bit too fussy and aren't improvements at all.

 

[Dieselman]

I like the look of this and will find out more and try - not saying it runs in the family,but my brother mis-fuelled his merc twice.

Interesting observation.
At work we find the same drivers make this mistake repeatedly, most never.

 

[ringway]

Interesting observation.
At work we find the same drivers make this mistake repeatedly, most never.

Thank you, Unleadedman.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Is it like the trick question, which jungle animal can collect bananas quickest from a coconut tree??

That's easy.

It's a monkey.

 

[Mercy1]

Interesting observation.
At work we find the same drivers make this mistake repeatedly, most never.

So most people on this thread are saying it is a simple mistake that ANYONE can make. You are saying that MOST don't!!

Interesting observation indeed...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Whilst I do have sympathy for anyone that makes a mistake, the chance of me mis-fuelling is zero and I can be driving a dozen different cars of both fuels a week.

I can also understand to an extent if someone has two cars, one of which is diesel & one that's petrol.

Every single time I fill up, I remind myself what fuel I need to put in.

 

[A210AMG]

Most don't until they do...


I do think owning both a petrol and diesal car in the house hold increases the chance..

 

[Dieselman]

Most don't until they do...


I do think owning both a petrol and diesal car in the house hold increases the chance..

If you don't know what car you're driving, should you be driving?

I have owned a multitude of cars simultaneously over extended periods, some with petrol, some diesel, in addition sometimes I drive other cars as well.

We had a driver that did this twice in the only car he drove and another that mis-fuelled the van he drove three times.

 

[Dieselman]

Thank you, Unleadedman.

LOL. At one time I had one diesel car and two petrol cars. I never felt the urge to stick the wrong nozzle into the filler.

 

[Mercy1]

SWMBO does have a certain capacity for making inexplicable c0ck-ups. For that reason, I won't allow her anywhere near a fuel pump! Which makes her a very happy bunny indeed!

 

[Stratman]

I've done it once.

I've also owned both manual and automatic cars, my wife's car which I drive is manual and I've never confused the two. I've never depressed the 'clutch' and done an emergency stop, nor have I come to a juddering stall in a manual.

I'll be watching Mercy1's posts like a hawk for incorrect use of apostrophes. After all, how difficult can it be? We all went to school

 

[ringway]

LOL. At one time I had one diesel car and two petrol cars. I never felt the urge to stick the wrong nozzle into the filler.

I did it,on our Sprinter. I was bursting for a pee and decided I could fill up before using the gents. After around £30 worth of unleaded I noticed the different smell. At that point my desperate need for a pee disappeared.

Called RAC and went on a flat-back to a place it Whitefield where they average 10, misfuels per day. 4/5 others in the waiting room when I got there, one guy was leading his wife 3-2 in misfuels.

I bought one of those anti-misfuel devices shown on The Dragons Den for Sprinter and 210 but never got round to fitting them. I know I'll never misfuel again, but can't help making sure, after looking for DIE and sometimes tapping the nozzle when selecting.

Didn't start the Sprinter, but the Shell delivery tanker arrived and asked me to move. I made him push it out of the way with me.

 

[IanPS]

Been there, done that, paid the bill!

Diesel pumps at my local all had yellow handles.
One day, half asleep, at strange service station, filled up from yellow handled pump. Wondered why car switched itself off after a couple of miles.
Will not do it again