Frequently Asked Questions

Petrol strips lubrication in a diesel fuel system. High-pressure pump and injectors are especially vulnerable. If you have not started the engine, manufacturer-spec fuel system recovery at our workshop usually prevents damage. If the engine has been running, the risk of costly failure increases with every minute.

Diesel in a petrol engine can clog spark plugs, foul injectors, and coat the catalytic converter. The engine may run roughly, smoke heavily, or fail to start. It still needs manufacturer-spec fuel system recovery at our NZIFDA-certified workshop.

It depends on the type of misfuel, how much was added, and whether the engine was started. Vehicles that have not been started usually need workshop recovery only. Vehicles driven on wrong fuel can sustain injector, pump, and catalytic damage — repair costs can run into thousands. Engine repair after driving on wrong fuel is a separate cost from recovery.

No — do not drive or start the engine if you can avoid it. Even the accessory position can activate the fuel pump in many vehicles. If you have already started, turn off immediately and do not restart. Call us — we dispatch a tow truck to collect your vehicle.

Even a small amount can cause problems in modern diesel systems. We recommend full workshop recovery rather than risk it — cost is usually far less than the repair bill if something goes wrong.

Not necessarily — turn the engine off immediately and call us. Many vehicles briefly started on wrong fuel recover fully after workshop recovery. How long it ran and how far it was driven matter. We dispatch a tow truck and transport the vehicle to our workshop for assessment.

Not recommended, especially for diesel. The safe approach is complete manufacturer-spec fuel system recovery at our workshop. See our how it works page for the process.

Common signs: misfires or rough idling, excessive exhaust smoke, loss of power, engine management light, failure to start or stalling, unusual knocking. If these appear shortly after refuelling, stop driving and call for assistance.

We have completed 0 recoveries nationwide through 0+ workshop partners. When you call, we assign the nearest available tow truck — you get a live ETA in your customer portal once dispatched. On average, pickup is 30–90 minutes and workshop recovery takes 4–6 hours. Most customers collect the same day.

We cover New Zealand from Land’s End to John o’ Groats through 0+ independent workshop partners. See our coverage map. When you call, we confirm we can reach you and give an estimated arrival time.

We dispatch a tow truck to you 24/7. On-site work is limited to safe loading only — recovery happens at our NZIFDA-certified workshop. You collect the vehicle from the workshop once it is cleared.

Yes. Recovery is at NZIFDA-certified workshops by trained technicians. We carry public liability insurance and comply with health, safety, and environmental regulations. Waste fuel is disposed of through licensed facilities.

Yes — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including public holidays. Dispatch is always available. After-hours and public-holiday rates apply §6.5–§6.6.

Phone is fastest — our line is answered 24/7. Have your location, vehicle details, and what happened ready. A deposit or card pre-authorisation is taken when you book to confirm dispatch §1.10.

Total cost depends on tow distance, workshop time, parts, and when the work takes place. Every job is fully itemised and based on our rate card. See how costs stack up.

Invoices are built line by line — tow, workshop labour, disposal, fluids, parts, booking fee, and NZIFDA filing fee §7.5.

A non-refundable booking fee is payable when you book §1.9. It appears as a separate invoice line, is applied against your final invoice on completion, and is not the total job cost. If you cancel before completion, the booking fee is forfeited.

Every misfuel job is filed on the National Misfuel Register and a Certificate of Compliance is issued §7.13. The NZIFDA filing fee appears as its own invoice line.

No. A service deposit is taken at booking to confirm dispatch §1.10. It is applied against your final invoice on completion — it is not the total price. The remaining balance is due when the job is complete.

Yes — tow and workshop labour follow time-of-day bands, including after-hours and public holidays §7.5–§7.6.

No. Anything said by phone, chat, or our AI agents is indicative only §7.7. The itemised invoice in your customer portal is the binding amount — paying confirms you accept it.

Coverage varies by policy — check with your insurer §9.13. Usually you pay EEK and claim reimbursement; we provide itemised invoices and insurance reports to support your claim §9.5, §9.8. Direct insurer billing only where agreed in writing.

A deposit or card pre-authorisation is taken at booking §7.1. We accept credit and debit cards and bank transfer for balances §7.3. The final balance is charged to your stored card automatically when the invoice is issued on completion §7.17, unless your insurer is paying under a written agreement §11.5.

No — tow collection is part of our service. When you call EEK, we dispatch a tow truck and transport the vehicle to our workshop. Tow charges appear as itemised lines on your invoice.

If contamination came from the fuel station, you may be able to claim from the station operator or their insurers. Keep your fuel receipt. We provide documentation to support claims. Recovery costs are itemised on your EEK invoice.

Yes — passenger cars, SUVs, light commercial vehicles, vans, pickups, and motorhomes. Mention unusual or specialist vehicles when you call so the correct workshop is assigned.

Yes — including commercial trucks and HGVs. Larger tanks take longer; pricing is fully itemised.

Yes. Hybrids with internal combustion engines have the same misfuel risk as conventional vehicles. Fully electric vehicles have no liquid fuel tank and are not at risk of misfuelling.

Yes. We regularly service premium marques. Recovery follows manufacturer specifications. No separate prestige surcharge unless additional parts or labour are required.

Yes — priority dispatch, account management, consolidated invoicing, and volume agreements where applicable. Time-of-day rates apply unless your fleet contract specifies otherwise.

A tow truck collects your vehicle and brings it to our NZIFDA-certified workshop for manufacturer-spec fuel system recovery — assessment, decontamination, filter replacement where required, refuel, and verification. Recovery is never performed at the roadside. See how it works for detail.

Tow pickup is typically 30–90 minutes from your call. Workshop recovery usually takes a further 4–6 hours. Most customers collect the same day. Vehicles driven on wrong fuel may need additional work — priced separately on the invoice.

In most cases, yes — especially if the engine was not started. The workshop verifies operation before release. Any additional component work is quoted separately. Your vehicle is released once the invoice is settled §8.1.

Our NZIFDA-certified workshops use purpose-built fuel recovery systems, sealed waste containers, diagnostic tools, and replacement filters. Nothing is deployed at the collection location.

Contaminated fuel is captured in sealed containers and disposed of through licensed facilities in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017. Every job is recorded on the NZIFDA National Misfuel Register §6.13. Disposal is a separate invoice line. We never leave waste fuel at the pickup location.