One in FIVE drivers has put the wrong fuel in their car – facing costly bills as most insurance won’t pay out

Filling up your car with the wrong fuel can cause a huge amount of damage – and this mistake might be more common than you think. 

The research by comparison site GoCompare found that one in five people have accidentally filled up their vehicle with the wrong fuel at least once – and men are more likely to have topped up the tank incorrectly than women.

Misfuelling occurs when the wrong fuel is pumped into a vehicle, for instance, if you put petrol into a diesel engine or vice versa. 

Some 24 per centh of men have misfuelled, compared to only 17 per cent of women.

Depending on how much of the wrong fuel you put in and whether you drive the car, the best-case scenario is your tank needs pumping out, which normally costs £150 to £300.

Drive the car with the wrong fuel in and cause damage and costs could stretch into the thousands.

Younger drivers may also be more at risk of misfuelling, with one in four of those aged 25-34 admitting they’ve made this mistake – making this age group the most likely to misfuel. 

Meanwhile, wisdom does seem to come with age, as only 14 per cent of 45-54-year-olds admitted they had topped up their tanks with the wrong fuel, the lowest of any age group. 

Does car insurance cover misfuelling? 

Analysing 296 car insurance policies, GoCompare found that only 14 per cent include cover as standard for the costs if you accidentally misfuel.

While 3 per cent do offer misfuelling cover as an optional extra, 83 per cent exclude the cover altogether – meaning that for many, making a mistake with your fuel could do damage to your bank balance as well as your car. 

But it is worth checking your breakdown cover, as some policies will cover the cost of having a tank drained.

Tom Banks, GoCompare car insurance spokesperson, said: ‘You might think you’d never be guilty of misfuelling – but it could be an easier mistake to make than you think.   

‘Our research shows that although misfuelling is quite a common mistake, many insurance policies don’t cover it as standard. 

‘So, it’s important to check your car insurance details to see the extent of your cover. With some policies, you can add misfuelling cover as an optional extra, and with the repair bills for misfuelling often being extremely costly, this extra cover could be a worthwhile investment.’