What happens when you accidentally put diesel fuel in a hybrid car?

Answer 1

You need to recognize hybrid cars have two propulsion systems to make them move. The first is a small There are two electric motors that is are powered by a battery pack. This electric motor powers the car during low speed movement. When the car needs to go faster, the electric motors shut off and the gasoline engine kicks in. Inside the transmission is a planetary gear set attached to the engine, the first electric motor and the second electric motor.

By operating the motors at separate times, and in reverse or by locking them up and not allowing them to move, the car can achieve many different gear ratios. Also, when the motors are pushed by the engine, the created current charges the battery. Because we can control the speed of the car by absorbing energy and storing it, we can operate the ICE at its ideal rpm for power output and ecomomy.

If you were to put diesel into a gasoline engine, whether it be a normal car or the engine attached to a hybrid car, you would cause substantial damage to the fuel systems of the car. You would get some misfire issues, the check engine light would come on, and the HV ECU would likely have the ICE turn off and the car would drive slow. The primary damage would be in the fuel filters, within the engine block and inside the fuel tank. The car also would not run because of the way gasoline and diesel are combusted. Fortunately, in the United States, the size of a diesel nozzle at the gas stations are too large to fit inside the filling holes of gasoline powered cars so mistaking fuel pumps is quite difficult.