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Re-activateOne of the hazards of driving diesel cars has been the threat of accidentally filling the tank with gasoline. I know of several diesel-car owners who have generously lent their cars to friends, only to find that the friend has "kindly" filled the tank for them – with the wrong fuel.
Running a diesel engine with gasoline can destroy the engine. And even flushing the fuel tank and fuel system is an expensive proposition.
Gasoline-powered cars are designed to prevent accidental diesel fill-ups. The diameter of the filler receptacle is too small to fit a diesel nozzle. Unfortunately, the reverse has not been true – until now.
On its new diesel models, BMW is introducing a system that will prevent a gas nozzle from being inserted in the diesel filler neck. BMW calls the system the Incorrect Fuelling Protection System <sic>. The filler neck in these diesel models has a locking system that only a standard diesel filler nozzle can release. An unleaded gasoline nozzle with its smaller diameter cannot make the connection to open the filler flap. Our new X5 xDrive35d has this. (Look for a future test of this as well as other diesels, such as the Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTec and Audi Q7.)
As more diesels come on the market that meet new air quality standards, this clever, low-buck concept could remove the worries of filling up with the wrong fuel.
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