Fuel Cross Contamination

[1999montana]

Have three questions for those in North America who may own a diesel powered vehicle.

I've read a lot about accidental cross filling at the pumps in Europe. It seems this happens with regularity. Apparently it is a symptom of people switching from gas to diesel to lower operating costs. Old habits die hard I guess, and inevitably someone pumps the wrong fuel in.

They even have 'recovery teams' from the equivalent of AAA/CAA in Europe that actually go to where the car is and pump the contaminated diesel / gasoline mix out.

Audi released a new cap that prevents this in 2011, I think.

I'd never given it much thought until a friend asked me if I had ever heard of it. Still have to go to the gas station and look at our pumps to see similarities / differences.

My questions:

1. Does this happen with any regularity in North America?

2. If yes, what is the impact cost-wise?

3. If not, is it because our pumps are different from Europe's?

BTW, my brother-in-law has a diesel Golf that has over 400,000 KMs and still going strong, and no, he has never done this!

[The Fuel Man]

I can't speak for our American cousins but I can say that it's a big problem here in the UK. I work as a fuel drainer sorting out this type of problem every day - numerous times a day!
You mentioned the misfueling prevention device fitted on all new Audi vehicles. Range Rover started doing the same thing. As a professional note on these misfuel prevention devices: they don't always work. I've done more fuel drains of vehicles fitted with these types of devices than I care to count.
The problem with them is that they will only activate if the fuel nozzle is inserted all the way into the filler neck. Unfortunately the majority of people don't do this - they simply put the nozzle part-way in, rest it on the rim and start to fill.
Until someone takes a stand and actually changes the nozzle shapes, or something like that, it is a problem that will not go away.