What happens if you put E10 fuel in a non-compatible vehicle?

Filled up your classic or pre-2011 vehicle with E10 petrol by mistake? Do not let it sit in your fuel system. Unlike modern vehicles, older engines and classic cars are highly vulnerable to the 10% ethanol content found in standard E10 fuel. Ethanol is highly corrosive to older brass carburetors, fiberglass fuel tanks, and vintage rubber fuel hoses, and it actively absorbs moisture from the air, leading to rust, fuel line degradation, and severe leaks. At The Wrong Fuel Team, we provide a specialized 24/7 mobile E10 fuel draining and system flushing service specifically designed for classic and older vehicle fuel systems. Operating across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and the West Midlands, our fully certified technicians arrive in an average of 20 to 40 minutes to safely drain the corrosive E10 fuel, clean the fuel lines, and prime your system with compatible E5 Super Unleaded to keep your classic protected on-site.

As from 2011, all petrol vehicles must be able to take E10 – a type of petrol with 10 percent ethanol. Some vehicles built before 2011 can take E10, but it’s best to check your vehicle handbook to be sure, or visit the E10 compatibility guide.

Even if your petrol vehicle isn’t compatible with E10, it will still run as normal, but there is a risk of long term engine damage due to the corrosive nature of bioethanol.

If you have accidentally fueled your petrol vehicle with E10, it’s best to drain the fuel tank, flush the entire system and refuel with E5 as soon as possible.