My Worst Fear - We've Broken Down :(

[HKF]

45 minutes ago we put €40 diesel on, which took us to half a tank. Hubby looked down and we're almst empty!! Just came through a peage off the motorway and pulled in. We're leaking diesel So, now got to sort breakdown and wait till they arrive. This was my worst nightmare and has ruined our chance of trying one last time to get on with MoHo-ing I'm distraught. I'm sorry to vent to you guys but I can't scream at hubby, as he needs to stay calm to sort this out xx

 

[Odd-no-more]

Hopefully the breakdown people will find the leak and be able to fix it. Good luck

 

[Yorick]

Lucky you pulled off the motorway. I've heard breakdown trucks won't go on them

Good luck.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Fingers crossed it’s just a loose pipe, good luck

 

[mikebeaches]

That's horrible, but hopefully might not be too serious.

Yes, it's a pain in the backside, and cuts through all of your plans waiting for help.

With luck a mechanic may be able to fix it at the roadside and you'll be on your way having lost a few Euro worth of diesel.

Fingers crossed you can get it sorted soon without too much agro.

Good luck!

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[Figaro]

Have you had a full service / diesel filter replaced recently ?
Some are notorious for leaking unless done correctly, what make year and model vehicle ?
I'm sure you'll soon be sorted and back on the road

 

[March Hare]

Don't panic HKM I agree it's a horrid experience breaking down, but it sounds as though you've found a safe place to park up off the motorway. All being well your recovery service will be with you soon and they'll either fix it at the roadside or take you into a garage where they can look into the problem tomorrow. Their business is dealing with breakdowns, so fingers crossed they're with you quickly!
Good luck!

 

[125BEER]

It's a problem that can be fixed and seem a great inconvenience but you will be back on the road.Can you see any leak from underneath?
Stay safe...

 

[Lenny HB]

Doesn't sound too serious either a loose or split pipe or if an X250 could be the fuel filter housing.

 

[Geoff185]

Check connections on fuel filter.our last one was serviced 300 miles later fuel leak from filter. Just snapped back in, RAC said common problem with fuel hoses not being clipped in fully at replacement

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[Gina M]

45 minutes ago we put €40 diesel on, which took us to half a tank. Hubby looked down and we're almst empty!! Just came through a peage off the motorway and pulled in. We're leaking diesel So, now got to sort breakdown and wait till they arrive. This was my worst nightmare and has ruined our chance of trying one last time to get on with MoHo-ing I'm distraught. I'm sorry to vent to you guys but I can't scream at hubby, as he needs to stay calm to sort this out xx

So very sorry. I'm sure you will soon be on your way and this time tomorrow you will have forgotten all about it.

Gina

 

[HKF]

Have you had a full service / diesel filter replaced recently ?
Some are notorious for leaking unless done correctly, what make year and model vehicle ?
I'm sure you'll soon be sorted and back on the road

We did have a full service and diesel fitted recently but the first part of our journey was much longer and everything was fine. This must be something that's gone very quickly. We're currently parked in a lorry space with a huge patch of diesel under us.

 

[HKF]

It's a problem that can be fixed and seem a great inconvenience but you will be back on the road.Can you see any leak from underneath?
Stay safe...

Yes, we have a huge pool of diesel

 

[Figaro]

We did have a full service and diesel fitted recently but the first part of our journey was much longer and everything was fine. This must be something that's gone very quickly. We're currently parked in a lorry space with a huge patch of diesel under us.

Good chance then it's the diesel filter incorrectly fitted and probably cracked ?
If you can give model and year, other will know for sure

 

[63720]

Sorry to hear this and hope you get sorted soon. Not trying to add to your woes but although diesel is not strictly flammable it could burn if ignited and make the ground slippery. May be worth calling the fire service to clean it up. It will definitely be a problem for other road users especially bikers. Just a thought.

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[Grasmere9]

You have breakdown, get a cup of tea and try not to worry. Let the breakdown people do their job...usually very talented people who spot all sorts of things. Keep us posted.

 

[claude et maude]

This happened to us just before lockdown on the way back from Belgium. It was a bit of a panic at the time but having been recovered twice and fixed(!?) three times it was all sorted. We now look back on it and laugh at the pictures of our MH on the back of a recovery truck…it’s just one of our many MH anecdotes now.

Oh, and it was a cracked fuel filter.

Take care, you’ll be ok.

 

[HKF]

Good chance then it's the diesel filter incorrectly fitted and probably cracked ?
If you can give model and year, other will know for sure

We have a Benimar Europe 740 on a 2011 Fiat Ducato 2.3 TDI 130cv.

 

[cliffanger]

Hope you get it sorted soon. Try not to let it spoil your holiday.

I should think most of us have had things go wrong that make us feel like giving up, but luckily the brilliant experiences usually outweigh the bad ones!

When you get moving again let us know where you’re going with plenty of photos of sunshiny holiday smiles just to make us all jealous back here!

 

[Yorick]

Yes, we have a huge pool of diesel

Might be worth parking so the diesel runs away from the tyres.

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[Chris]

We did have a full service and diesel fitted recently but the first part of our journey was much longer and everything was fine. This must be something that's gone very quickly. We're currently parked in a lorry space with a huge patch of diesel under us.

It happened to us about 10 years ago following a service.

i leaked diesel through half of Spain before I realised it was a problem

Easy fix

 

[Gina M]

We did have a full service and diesel fitted recently but the first part of our journey was much longer and everything was fine. This must be something that's gone very quickly. We're currently parked in a lorry space with a huge patch of diesel under us.

At least it didn't happen on the motorway.

Gina

 

[SheikhLala]

Sorry to read this but the positive thing is you’re off the motorway, it’s much safer and much easier to get the recovery people to look at it.
Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Happy Jim]

Happened to me following a service, I’d probably done >200 miles before I sniffed the diesel. Very easy fix though, new filter + housing and it’s a 30 min job for the garage (which includes a tea break!).

Fingers crossed for you (again).

Regards

Jim

 

[Nirvanauk]

Good chance then it's the diesel filter incorrectly fitted and probably cracked ?
If you can give model and year, other will know for sure

I have exactly the same issue after a full service. Thankfully the RAC pulled out all the stops and replaced the filter assembly.

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[Riverbankannie]

Sending you hugs for a difficult situation.
Reading all the posts it seems as if it is not catastrophic just really really annoying and disruptive. I do hope that breakdown fix it and you can get safely on your way.
Perhaps ask them to check your tyres for diesel too.

 

[Lenny HB]

We have a Benimar Europe 740 on a 2011 Fiat Ducato 2.3 TDI 130cv.

Yep, that's an X250 with the plastic fuel filter housing that is prone to cracking if not tightened with the correct tool.

 

[denisejoe]

Breakdown on motorway in France you get all the lane closed with all the lorries with big arrows on and their breakdown truck to get you off the motorway after that not sure what happens

 

[Landy Andy]

I’m surprised you haven’t got people under the van collecting the diesel, with it‘s current value.

 

[HKF]

Yep, that's an X250 with the plastic fuel filter housing that is prone to cracking if not tightened with the correct tool.

Would the housing, or part of it, have come away completely? I ask because not too much before realising we were losing fuel, we heard something under the van as though soething was bouncing along and hitting it a few times. There had been nothing in the road that we saw, so I'm wondering if it might have been part of the housing. Is that possible?

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