What happens if you put regular gas in premium car

On a daily basis, most of us drive a car or truck that requires regular, unleaded gasoline. This makes it pretty simple when we fill up at the gas station. But every once in awhile, someone may accidentally fill their vehicle with a different gasoline than usual.

What should you do if this happens?

Most of today’s vehicles are technologically advanced enough to tell the difference between lower octane gas and higher octane gas (regular and premium); cars and trucks have electronic fuel management systems that will notice the switch and adjust the ignition timing and fuel injection to cope.

If you usually fill your tank up with 87-octane gasoline and you accidentally put in a higher octane blend (say, 91, 92, or 93), don’t worry. You’re actually filling your car or truck with a different blend of gas, which means it will burn differently in your engine. You may feel a difference in the way the vehicle runs and may notice an improvement in gas mileage, but that’s about all that will happen.

Premium Gas Vehicles

If your car or truck manufacturer recommends premium gasoline for your car and you put in regular, don’t panic. Just because premium is recommended doesn’t mean you have to use it; you can easily use regular gas without compromising the engine.

However, if your manufacturer requires premium gasoline and you put in regular, you may have some problems. Depending on how advanced your vehicle’s fuel system is and other factors like how your engine is tuned, what the timing is, and how hot it runs determines how your car or truck will handle regular gas. In most cases, the vehicle will run fine, but you may experience less power and a decrease in gas mileage. In more serious cases, you may hear engine knocking or valve chatter because the fuel isn’t burning right. These things could damage your engine and you should take it to your mechanic.

Diesel Vehicles

Diesel fuel is very different than unleaded fuel, and it’s important that you pay attention to which your vehicle requires.

If your vehicle requires diesel fuel and you accidentally put in unleaded, the unleaded fuel will actually remove the lubrication that diesel provides for the car’s parts. That means the parts will grate against each other and cause big damage.

If the opposite happens and you fill your regular gas-car with diesel, the damage may not be as bad, but you’ll only get a few miles down the road before the engine cough, sputters, and loses power. You’ll need to flush out your fuel lines and refill the car or truck with diesel, but you’ll be able to drive it again.

If you’ve filled your car with the wrong type of gas and haven’t turned it on yet, do yourself a favor and don’t. Once the wrong fuel is drawn up into the fuel lines, you’ll experience engine damage. Instead, call a mechanic and have them rectify the situation.

Accidentally putting the wrong fuel in your car is a problem most of us will encounter at some point. While there’s nothing wrong with putting too high a grade of fuel in your car, you will encounter issues if you drive a

luxury vehicle

Car insurance

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What happens if I put premium gas in my car?

We’ve all been there—you’re rushing to get somewhere, need to fill up on gas quickly, and only realize you’ve chosen

premium

Luckily, even if your vehicle isn’t designed to require premium gas, it won’t harm your engine or any components of your car.

What’s the difference between regular and premium, anyway? Premium gasoline has a longer burn period, which means there are fewer deposits left over after the burn. This makes it a better option for high-performing and luxury cars. 

Regular fuel, on the other hand, has a short burn time and will leave more deposits in the vehicle’s system. 

The only real issue you’ll see is if you don’t put premium fuel in a car that requires it, which is common for many luxury vehicles on the market. That’s when problems with driveability may arise—but otherwise, your only concern is the

extra cash

What happens if I put the “wrong” fuel grade in my car? 

While premium fuel is pretty forgiving, the same can’t be said for all grades of fuel and any accidental fill-ups. 

If you put diesel fuel in a gas car, for example, it can end up clogging the fuel filter and fuel injectors and

seizing up the engine

Putting gas in a diesel car can be just as damaging—it can damage your fuel injector pump, leading to an engine misfire. You may need to repair, rebuild, or fully replace engine components, so you should also get your car drained if this mixup occurs.

MORE:

How to choose the best gasoline or fuel for your car

Will insurance cover gasoline removal?

Those are some pretty intense consequences for accidentally putting the wrong fuel in your car—and you’re probably wondering if your car insurance will be able to help you out if this kind of blunder happens.

Unfortunately, your car insurance likely won't pay for the cost of draining the wrong fuel out of your car. This is because the fuel mishap was preventable and totally your mistake. 

You can always check with your insurer to be sure, but keep your expectations low. 

However, if a gas station attendant pumps the wrong gas into your vehicle and you suffer substantial damage as a result of their error, you may be eligible to sue for damages to recuperate

repair

towing

Saving money on car insurance with Jerry

While accidentally filling up with premium gas can hurt your pockets, there are other ways to save when it comes to your car. For one thing, you’ll want to shop for car insurance quotes often to make sure you’re not overpaying for the

coverage you need

If you’d rather leave the hard work of gathering quotes to someone else, use

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FAQs

What happens when you put the “wrong” fuel in your car?

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It depends on the type of gas and car you’re dealing with!

Premium fuel in a non-premium car will have no effect.

Standard fuel in a premium-only car can affect performance and driveability.

Diesel in a gas car will clog your filter and injectors, and lead to your engine seizing up.

Gas in a diesel car will damage your fuel injector pump, resulting in an engine misfire and possibly leading to major repairs.

How much more expensive is premium gas?

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Premium fuel normally costs 10-12 centspergallon more than regular gasoline in the United States. 

That works up to about 2-3 cents per liter—which doesn’t seem like much but definitely adds up over time!

Claire Beaney is an insurance writer that recently graduated from the University of Calgary's English Literature program. Outside of work, Claire enjoys reading, binging Criminal Minds, and playing with her mini doxie Nora. Her dream car is a VW Bus.

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