Few vehicle maintenance mistakes can lead to as much car repair as filling a diesel tank with regular gas. Volkswagen, the leading provider of diesel cars in the U.S., is taking some steps to make sure drivers avoid this costly error. The automaker plans on retrofitting more than 200,000 vehicles with a guard and special fuel cap that will prevent the wrong fuel from being pumped into the tank.
"As diesel engine passenger vehicles become more popular, auto manufacturers have seen an increase in the number of misfueling cases where diesel engine vehicles are mistakenly fueled with gasoline," Volkswagen stated, as quoted by Automotive News. "The resulting fuel system contamination can lead to costly repairs that are not covered under warranty."
The new cap will strive to keep gas nozzles from fitting into the car, and the fuel tank will remain closed if the wrong pump is inserted into the fuel filler, the news source reports. This change should help to decrease the problems that stem from gasoline getting into diesel engines, which often lead to extensive auto repair and even dangerous situations like cars stalling on roads.