Running out of fuel happens to careful drivers too, particularly on the long rural stretches of Cornwall where filling stations close early and are further apart than people expect.
Stay safe first
If the car starts to hesitate, get off the main carriageway into a layby, side road or car park while you still have momentum. On a fast road like the A30 or A38, put hazards on and get everyone out on the verge side behind a barrier if there is one. Do not try to walk along the carriageway to a filling station.
Petrol in a diesel, or diesel in a petrol
If the tank is not empty but you have filled with the wrong fuel, do not start the engine or even turn the ignition on. Leave it where it is and call us. Running the engine spreads the wrong fuel through the system and turns a straightforward job into an expensive repair. We can recover the vehicle to a garage that can drain the tank.
Getting you moving
Depending on where you are and the vehicle, we will either get you to fuel or recover the vehicle on a flatbed to a garage or your home. Some modern diesels need their fuel system bled after running dry, which is a garage job. We work across Cornwall 24/7 from our base near Redruth, with no membership and a clear price up front.
What to do right now
- Pull as far off the road as possible — fuel-out is rarely a sudden stop, you usually have warning
- Switch hazards on and stay with the vehicle in a safe spot
- Tell us exactly what fuel you need — petrol or diesel — when you call
- If you suspect misfuelling, do NOT turn the ignition on at all
What not to do
- Don't keep cranking the engine to 'use the last drop' — modern fuel pumps can be damaged running dry
- Don't pour suspicious fuel from a roadside can without knowing it's correct grade
- Don't ignore misfuelling — running misfuelled diesel through the system causes thousands in damage
- Don't try to siphon fuel from another car onto the roadside
What affects the cost
- Call-out fee + actual fuel delivered (charged at forecourt rate)
- Distance from nearest open forecourt to your location
- Whether it's a fuel-out (cheaper) or misfuelling (full recovery to a drain specialist)
Equipment we bring
- Sealed jerry cans for petrol and diesel
- Funnel and nitrile gloves for clean roadside delivery
- Flatbed recovery for misfuelling jobs
Questions drivers ask
How quickly can you bring fuel to Cornwall?
Response time depends on which forecourt we're closest to relative to your location in Cornwall. We aim to be on scene inside the standard Cornwall response window — faster if there's an open station nearby.
How much fuel do you bring?
Enough to get you safely to the nearest forecourt — typically 5–10 litres. We don't fill the tank roadside; the goal is to get you mobile and to a proper pump.
What if I put petrol in my diesel?
Don't start the engine. Misfuelling caught before ignition is usually a drain-and-flush job and the car survives fine. If you've driven any distance, recovery to a drain specialist is essential — running a misfuelled diesel destroys the HP fuel pump.
Do you accept card on-site for the fuel?
Yes — card or bank transfer at the roadside. We quote total cost (call-out + fuel) before dispatch.
Running out of fuel near Cornwall is rarely an emergency on its own — but misfuelling is. Broadside Recovery delivers correct-grade fuel roadside for clean run-outs and recovers misfuelled vehicles directly to a fuel-drain specialist, preventing the £2,000+ damage that running a misfuelled diesel causes.