If you love biking, camping, and the outdoors, a reliable car is one of the essentials. Diesel engines have become more popular in the family car segment because of their reputation for fuel economy, load capacity and towing power — perfect for the Australian outdoors.

We own a small petrol car and an all-rounder Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. I’ve had this for almost nine years now and 95% of the time I’m the one doing the servo runs — I know a lot of husbands can relate.

After almost a decade of switching between petrol and diesel, my five remaining brain cells finally dropped the ball: I put petrol in my diesel car.

But before I share the whole story, here’s the important bit for anyone currently in panic mode:

What to Do If You Put Petrol in a Diesel Car

If you’re reading this while freaking out — breathe. Here’s what to do right now:

  • Pull over immediately.
  • Turn the engine off.
  • DO NOT restart it. DO NOT drive any further.
  • Call a fuel drain/misfuel service (if you’re certain you put the wrong fuel in).
  • Expect $400–$1,500, depending on how much petrol went in and whether you drove.
  • After the drain, you should be able to drive home (unless there’s major damage).
  • If caught early, long-term damage is unlikely — but don’t take my word for it, get a mechanic’s opinion.

How It Happened

I’ve had my Pajero Sport for nearly nine years. Never had a big issue. Then… I stuffed up.

Filled up. Paid. Drove off.

Two minutes later, the car “choked.” A quick jerk — almost like someone briefly unplugged something.

Funny enough, I remember almost making the same mistake at this exact servo before.

I pulled over immediately, turned the engine off and called the servo.

“Pump 7, I paid $90.34. What fuel was it?”

“It’s 98 petrol,” he said.

Facepalm. I can’t even describe the feeling.

The Symptoms of Petrol in a Diesel Engine

There are two common scenarios:

1. You realise BEFORE starting the car

This is the best-case scenario.
Just don’t start the engine. Call a misfuel service. Easy fix.

2. You drive off without a clue

This was me.
This is where damage can happen as petrol circulates through the system.

My Car’s Symptoms

About two minutes from the servo, the car jerked slightly — like it “choked.”

I kept going, thinking it was just the road.
Then it “choked” again.

That’s when my spider sense tingled. I pulled over, switched off and prayed the damage wasn’t catastrophic.

The Pressure

To make things worse, the whole family was with me. We were all dressed up for a Christmas photo shoot starting in 30 minutes.

I really wanted to cancel it — but it was non-refundable. My wife’s idea, and she was genuinely excited. Fair enough.

Then I thought: Let’s take it one problem at a time.

Problem 1: The Photoshoot

If you’re married, you’ll understand why the photo shoot won. So we left the car where it was, took an Uber home, grabbed my other car, and made it to the shoot (photographers squeezed us into a later slot).

Problem 2: Fixing the Car

While my wife drove to the photo studio, I was:

  • Googling
  • ChatGPT-ing
  • Calling a mate who’d done the same thing before

His case was lighter — he hadn’t started the engine — but he gave me the number of the fuel drain guy (same one that ranks first on Google).

We booked the service, gave our best smiles at the photoshoot, then headed back to my stranded car.

The Fix: What They Actually Did

  • Drained the entire tank ($90 worth of 98 petrol)
  • Filled it with fresh diesel from a jerry can
  • Added something he called an injector cleaner
  • Asked me to press the start/stop button while he pumped the jerry can fuel in
  • Started the car and revved it to burn off remaining petrol (white smoke for about a minute — normal, according to him)
  • Told me to drive straight to a servo and fill up without turning it off

After all that, the car drove completely normal.

Costs

The million-dollar question: how much does a fuel drain cost?

  • My friend paid $500 (small amount of fuel, caught early).
  • My tank was ~20% diesel → then filled with petrol → then I drove off.

My cost: $1,500.

It hurts if I think about it now but hey, it was a Sunday. I was panicking. I needed the car back on that same day.
It is what it is.

Three Months Later — How’s the Car Doing?

Surprisingly (and thankfully), the car is fine.
No weird noises.
No struggles starting.
No loss of power.

Final Thoughts

If this ever happens to you, don’t panic.
Find a safe spot, turn the car off, and call a fuel drain service.

Now my real question:

Was $1,500 too expensive or fair given the situation?
If you’ve been through this:

  • How much did you pay?
  • Did your car have long-term issues?