Warning for drivers over ‘easy’ mistake made every three minutes which could cost you £1,000s – how to avoid

DRIVERS have been warned over a simple mistake which could leave them thousands of pounds out of pocket – as new data shows a surprisingly high number of us are doing it.

Motorists can land themselves in all sorts of trouble by putting the wrong type of fuel in their vehicles at a petrol station, known as “mis-fuelling”.

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A simple car refuelling mistake could cost you thousands of pounds[/caption]

New research by comparison website GoCompare, exclusively for The Sun, found a fifth of drivers have mis-fuelled at least once – costing them a hefty bill to fix.

The comparison site also found 24% of male motorists have made the simple error, compared to 17% of female drivers.

And the number of drivers who admitted to making the mistake at least once rose to a quarter among younger drivers – those aged 25-34.

The RAC says around 150,000 drivers mis-fuel every year in the UK – roughly one driver every three minutes.

Depending on the type of fuel your vehicle uses, the simple error can mean having to replace the entire fuel system, which can cost thousands of pounds.

And if you add more than 3% of the wrong type of fuel to a car, it may cause decreased engine performance, stalling and engine damage, according to the RAC.

But the real kicker is that Go Compare found a staggering 87% of car insurance policies don’t cover drivers damage caused by mis-fuelling – so many of those who make the easy mistake would have to cover it themselves.

The comparison site found that only 13% of 296 car insurance policies analysed by data company Defaqto include cover for the costs of removing petrol or diesel added to the wrong tank.

It also found 3% do offer mis-fuelling cover as an optional extra, but 84% exclude it altogether.

Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go Compare, said: “You might think you’d never be guilty of misfuelling – but it could be an easier mistake to make than you think.

“If you’ve recently changed cars, are borrowing someone else’s vehicle, or simply have a lot on your mind when you’re at the petrol station, you could quickly find yourself staring down the barrel of a costly repair bill.”

It’s worth noting, while some car insurance policies may not cover you for misfuelling, you may be able to claim on a different clause.

Tom said it might be possible to claim for accidental damage, or on your breakdown cover.

Some policies also include fuel draining as well as the recovery of your car to the nearest garage.

Tom said: “It’s important to check your car insurance details to see the extent of your cover.

“If you don’t already have misfuelling cover as standard, you may be able to add it as an optional extra, and with the repair bills for misfuelling often being extremely costly, this extra cover could be a worthwhile investment.”

What to do if you misfuel

Mis-fuelling occurs whenever you put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle.

For those with a diesel car, that means putting petrol in there, or vice versa.

Or, you could accidentally put the wrong type of petrol in – for example E10 fuel in a car that isn’t compatible.

If you do find yourself making the common error, there are a few steps you should take to minimise any damage.

The first and most crucial step is to not turn the ignition on – this will engage your engine and could mean you have to replace your engine completely, costing thousands of pounds.

Tom said: “Stop in your tracks and call for assistance away from the forecourt.

“Provided you haven’t started the engine, you may be able to fix the problem by draining and cleaning the tank of the wrong fuel.”

If you do turn on the ignition and have started driving, make sure to pull over as soon as possible and turn the engine off.

Put the vehicle into neutral and call breakdown cover who will be able to drain and flush your fuel system.

Then call your insurance provider as soon as possible to see if you are covered.

Other petrol station mistakes to avoid

Callum Butler, from ALA Insurance, previously told The Sun that refuelling your vehicle while the engine is running is one mistake to avoid.

Doing this mixes fire and fuel which causes a serious fire hazard, which can invalidate your car warranty.

A car warranty gives you protection against having to pay for labour costs and replacement of certain parts if they suffer a mechanical issue.

Callum explained how the correct way to fill up fuel is to turn off the engine and wait for any residual heat to dissipate before adding petrol or diesel to the tank.

Meanwhile, Graham Conway, managing director of UK leasing firm Select Car Leasing, previously told The Sun why you shouldn’t carry on filling up your fuel tank after you hear a click.

Do this, and you could overfill the tank which may see extra fuel running into the small drain under the entry and on to the ground under your vehicle.

Beyond wasting money on fuel which ends up on the floor, you could end up causing damage to your tank as well.

Graham said doing this can “propel liquid fuel into the pipes” which damages your car’s vapour recovery system.

This system stops evaporated fuel from escaping when the petrol cap is released by capturing it in a charcoal canister.

Do this, and you may end up failing an emission test and could be faced with an expensive repair bill worth up to £500.

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