Petrol stations - Contaminated Fuel

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If you think you vehicle has been filled with contaminated fuel then stop driving your vehicle if you can and get it to a garage as quickly as possible. Contact your insurer to see if this is covered in your insurance. Normally it is not, and if this is the case you will need to cover the costs of the repair yourself. If you have to have the repair undertaken ask the garage to diagnose the cause of the issue and ask them to provide a report of the costs you have had to incur.

Once the car is at the garage you will then need to contact the petrol station as quickly as possible to explain the issue and what you would like done to resolve this. They may ask to inspect the car and if so you should allow this. Remember:

To keep their fuel receipts as proof that they have purchased contaminated petrol.
If the car starts to run roughly or misfire, drivers should contact their car dealer or manufacturer for advice.
If you car has broken down seek the advice of a garage. They may be able to take a sample of the petrol to keep as evidence.
You may be advised not to drive the car, if so, do not.

Put wrong fuel in vehicle

There is no legislation that requires petrol pumps to be clearly marked and do it is your responsibility to ensure you place the right fuel into your vehicle. Because of the larger nozzle it is hard to fill a petrol car with diesel and so it is usually petrol placed into a diesel vehicle.

If this happens to you, you are not alone as it happens to lots of people each year. Inform the cashier and get help to push your vehicle to the edge of the forecourt. Do not start the engine and instead call a motor organisation such as the AA or RAC to come and attend who can pump out the fuel and prevent damage to your engine.

You should know

Petrol pumps are checked for accuracy when they are installed and serviced
Trading Standards will also check the accuracy of pumps. If you experience issues, you should report the issue to your local Trading Standards. You can do this via resolver
All pricing should be clearly displayed to you before your purchase
If you experience any problems, raise them while you are still at the petrol station and take down the name of the person that you spoke with. If your problem is not resolved at the station, you can raise a complaint via resolver

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