# Car loses power uphill-bad gas **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** golf, volkswagen\ **Created:** [March 22, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459 "2010-03-22T15:34:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pennyroyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@pennyroyal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pennyroyal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/1 "2010-03-22T15:34:19Z")
We have a 2003 VW Golf TDI Diesel. Last night after filling up, we were headed home on the thruway and the car lost power when accelerating and going uphill on the thruway. This happened once before approx. 1 year ago, but worked itself out when driving to Pennsylvania. Last night it did not. We have had all of our scheduled maintenence including a deep cleaning of all systems. I was hoping maybe it was the gas. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/2 "2010-03-22T15:38:57Z")
You did fill it with diesel fuel, right, and not gasoline? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/3 "2010-03-22T15:51:57Z")
My first thoughts were the same as mcparadise’s. While it is possible to get “bad” fuel–either gasoline or diesel–it is actually much more rare than people usually think it is. Only a mechanic can determine the cause of your problem, but I suspect that it is mechanical, rather than fuel-related (unless you did actually put gasoline in your diesel-powered car!). ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/4 "2010-03-22T16:01:01Z")
You might try changing the fuel filter. ---
**Author:** ![pennyroyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@pennyroyal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pennyroyal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/5 "2010-03-22T16:59:42Z")
Yes absolutely. The pump is far away from the regular pumps. ---
**Author:** ![pennyroyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@pennyroyal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pennyroyal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/6 "2010-03-22T17:02:14Z")
Thank you. I’m pretty sure that was done, but I will check again. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/7 "2010-03-22T17:05:31Z")
Just wondering, because you mentioned “gas,” and in some stations diesel is at the same pump as gasoline. I’d suggest a clogged fuel filter might cause the symptoms you describe. ---
**Author:** ![pennyroyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@pennyroyal](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pennyroyal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-loses-power-uphill-bad-gas/46459/8 "2010-03-22T17:30:20Z")
No the diesel is far away from the regular pumps. Thanks I will check the fuel filter.