I was driving in a rural area today and there was a decent size puddle close to the sidewalk (3-6 inches deep), there was oncoming traffic so I couldn't avoid it. After going through it I could smell diesel! I pulled over and found out it was diesel / heating oil from a tank that had ruptured from a nearby farm. I drove slowly back home which is only a few miles away and cleaned the tires / brakes out with some de-greaser. I went out today and it feels like I have no brakes, I really have to step on it to get the car to stop and ABS keeps kicking in. Is there a way to get my brakes back or am I going to have to get new pads because they've absorbed diesel? Same with the tires?
Drove through diesel puddle. Do I need new brakes / tires?
- Thread starter Diesegas
- Start date
Any chance you notified any authorities so this issue isn't multiplied by 10 or 100?
I would think you'd have recourse from whoever spilled it. I don't know your laws over there though--not sure how it'd play out here, but over here I think one could take to a shop, have the work done and present the fuel spill "owner" with the choice of paying now or later after a visit in small claims court.
It's possible that degreaser and/or water may still be on the pads and tires though. Not sure I'd recommend driving around so as to burnish off though, I'd probably want to take apart the pads and "know" that they aren't soaked in diesel. If they were, I'd probably just swap out, they usually aren't that expensive (and again, charge the responsible person for it). Tires though, wipe down, maybe with some brake cleaner, and they should be fine I would think. Something to evaporate off.
It's possible that degreaser and/or water may still be on the pads and tires though. Not sure I'd recommend driving around so as to burnish off though, I'd probably want to take apart the pads and "know" that they aren't soaked in diesel. If they were, I'd probably just swap out, they usually aren't that expensive (and again, charge the responsible person for it). Tires though, wipe down, maybe with some brake cleaner, and they should be fine I would think. Something to evaporate off.
If the pads/ shoes are soaked with Diesel throw them away.
Yup, I told the landowner and he called. Clean up crew was despatched and road closed.
Thanks, I just got off the phone from my insurance agent, they've booked it to go in to tomorrow for repairs. By the sounds of it they'll be looking to recover costs from the land owner.
Yes most definately. If the pads got diesel/heating oil on them they are permanently contaminated. If you replace the side that got contaminated, you should just go ahead and replace the pads on all four corners anyway since youll have differen thickness pads on different sides. The pads come per axle so it shouldnt be more expensive. Just make sure you clean the rotors with brakleen not degreaser it works much better.
Yea they will subrogate them and recover their losses and your deductible.
Something is off. Low coefficient of friction from diesel on your pads and rotors, would not cause ABS to activate. More the opposite, it would be much harder to get the wheels to lock up and you might not be able to get ABS to activate.
Your tires should be fine, just wash them off. Same for your rotors. Pads, I'd consider replacing as they aren't that expensive.
(Almost) anything will work to clean the rotors, including plain old dish detergent, strong solution and water rinse.
Insurance for this? Unless you have a $0 deductible, I don't see the point. DIY pads replacement can be under $50, or $100-$200 for a shop to do it. Depends on how picky you are, some people waste money on OEM branded or exotic pads for their daily driver needs.
Your tires should be fine, just wash them off. Same for your rotors. Pads, I'd consider replacing as they aren't that expensive.
(Almost) anything will work to clean the rotors, including plain old dish detergent, strong solution and water rinse.
Insurance for this? Unless you have a $0 deductible, I don't see the point. DIY pads replacement can be under $50, or $100-$200 for a shop to do it. Depends on how picky you are, some people waste money on OEM branded or exotic pads for their daily driver needs.
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I Agree, I drove through a diesel spill and the road was as slick as black ice for quite a while down the road. If the tires got the diesel on them along with the road the ABS would be kicking on. My situation happened before a traffic circle in a light rain and the cars were piling up as they tried to brake for the circle ( aka roundabout) luckily i smelled the diesel and knew what to expect and was able to avoid the mess. You couldn't even press on the gas or even lightly brake without the car spinning or sliding for MILES down the road.Something is off. Low coefficient of friction from diesel on your pads and rotors, would not cause ABS to activate. More the opposite, it would be much harder to get the wheels to lock up and you might not be able to get ABS to activate.
Your tires should be fine, just wash them off. Same for your rotors. Pads, I'd consider replacing as they aren't that expensive.
(Almost) anything will work to clean the rotors, including plain old dish detergent, strong solution and water rinse.
Insurance for this? Unless you have a $0 deductible, I don't see the point. DIY pads replacement can be under $50, or $100-$200 for a shop to do it. Depends on how picky you are, some people waste money on OEM branded or exotic pads for their daily driver needs.
Simple Green and a hose will clean most of it off. I've driven through diesel on a motorcycle and it was interesting. (it may or may not have been intentional..... )
)In the U.S. a haz mat team would be sent out with excavators and dump trucks to remove the contaminated soil. Probably $10K+ for the land owner in cleanup costs. Even though the stuff came from the ground millions of years ago anyway.
