Share of drivers aged 18-24 who have misfuelled
Share of drivers aged 18-24 who have misfuelled: 54. More than half. The most striking figure in the consumer survey literature, and consistent with unfamiliarity: new drivers, borrowed cars, changing vehicles.
Recorded figure, cited below. Where sources disagree this repository reports both rather than averaging them.
Figure 01 — Cited figure
Share of drivers aged 18-24 who have misfuelled
Which age group misfuels the most? More than half. The most striking figure in the consumer survey literature, and consistent with unfamiliarity: new drivers, borrowed cars, changing vehicles.
Share of drivers aged 18-24 who have misfuelled: what it means
The figure above is recorded, not calculated. Where two sources disagree on the same quantity this repository lists both rather than averaging them into a number neither supports.
How to read this figure
No UK body records misfuelling incidents, so every national number in this field is an estimate built from a survey, an operator's callout log, or an extrapolation from one to the other. That is worth saying plainly: it means the honest range is wide, and any source quoting a single confident national total is doing arithmetic it has not shown you. This repository states the method behind each figure and grades the source.
| Figure | 54 |
|---|---|
| Unit | per cent |
| Basis | Recorded in the cited source |
| Reference year | 2025 |
| Source grade | consumer survey |
| Free consultation | 01295 380724 — 24 hours, no charge |
Our engine scientists, fuel-system engineers and misfuel specialists would be glad to talk your situation through with you, free of charge. That consultation is what this repository offers: there is no fee, nothing to buy, and no obligation attached to any part of it.
Tell them what went in, roughly how much, and whether the engine has run. That is enough to establish which components are exposed and what the realistic range of outcomes is — and if the answer is that you need nobody at all, they will say so.
Speak to a misfuel scientist — 01295 380724How the consultation works
Sources
https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/misfuelling-cover/
Censuswide survey of 2,000 nationally representative UK consumers, 1,262 of whom own or rent a vehicle, fielded March 2025. Paired with a Defaqto analysis of 322 comprehensive policies.
https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=43028316005
High-frequency reciprocating rig measurements. Reports typical mean wear scar diameters for commercial diesel of roughly 200-460 micrometres, against markedly worse figures for gasoline — the quantitative basis for the lubricity argument.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2006.10.008
The foundational academic study of UK misfuelling. Hierarchical task analysis of the fuelling task plus interviews with 23 drivers who had misfuelled against a control group of 17. Establishes misfuelling as a predictable error pathway created by forecourt conditions rather than individual carelessness.
Related figures
Repository sections
Common questions
Can I drive with petrol in a diesel car?
No. Starting or driving pumps it through the system and can turn a straightforward drain into an expensive repair. Leave the vehicle where it is and call 01295 380724.
How long does the drain take?
About 45 to 90 minutes on site once the technician arrives. Vehicles that were started or driven take longer, because the lines and filter need flushing as well as the tank.
How much does it cost in the UK?
Published UK figures run from about £120 to £1,500 depending on the vehicle, how much wrong fuel is in the tank and whether the engine was started. Talking through which end of that range applies to you costs nothing — that consultation is what this repository offers.
Will it have damaged the engine?
Only if it has been run through the system. Caught before starting, it sits in the tank and a drain removes it cleanly.
Does insurance cover it?
Often not. Most car insurance policies exclude misfuelling as standard, though some breakdown policies and optional add-ons include it. Check your own wording.
Do you cover the UK?
Yes. Mobile technicians attend forecourts, roadsides, homes and workplaces across the UK, 24 hours a day.
Across the Fuel Fixer network
- International repository — the same evidence base outside the UK.
- Field operations — the operator that attends UK callouts.
- Misfuel reference — the same material indexed under misfuel terminology.
- Scotland operations — callout coverage across all 32 Scottish council areas.
- Servicing — post-contamination servicing and inspection.
Background reading: DVSA. Service operated by Fuel Fixer, alongside Misfuel Doctor, Fuel Fixer Scotland and Motor Servicing.