Have you been contaminated?

[NicholasP]

Lots of talk down here in the South East that a lot of 'new cars' are returning to dealers and garages with faults. Reports of malfunctioning fuel sensors which are confusing engines with their oxygen readings!

This is happening after fuel from both Tesco and Morrisons in the S.E was said to be contaminated..

Has anyone encountered such problems?

Various car companies reckon once the contamination has been proved officially, people will be able to claim back the damage costs from the fuel stations...Repair costs wont be covered by the warranty as the fuel is to blame..

[NicholasP]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6406801.stm

[Eshrules]

Nice one for putting the linky up, i saw this on the news last night but missed the report because of a screaming sprog

three things that make me (not very hard mind) chuckle :

""In the context of over 28 million vehicles on the road, you have to keep it in proportion"" << yeah, try telling that to the 1000's of owners that have a repair bill coming their way....

""I think that we've got a corridor in east Anglia, London and the South East where somehow a dodgy batch of petrol has crept into the system"" << really, you dont say!

""motorists who think they have been affected must have proof of purchase to be able to make a claim and should keep receipts"" << who keeps every single reciept for every bit of fuel they buy? 9/10 the garage doesnt supply you with a receipt anyway unless you ask for it!

both morrisions and tesco are apparently reporting no fault with their petrol after "independant" tests.... why am i not suprised, 1000's of cars with the same symptoms, filling up with the same fuel, at the same garages..... theres only one conclusion, bit worrying in a way though, if it's happened once.....

the upshot of this could be a hit in consumer confidence....leading to slight reductions in the prices at the pumps... doubt it though and both morrys & alfrescos are bound to wriggly out of this somehow ****ers

[NicholasP]

If I was Mr Tesco or Mr Morrison...I'd be slightly worried..

It doesn't matter if they can prove it or not.. if 1000 cars are returning to the dealer with the same problem..that should be hard evidence in itself

Furthermore, if you've just spent a big portion of your income on a brand new motor..or if you care about your current motor...are you really going to be rushing off to Tescos to fill up in the hope that your tank won't be contaminated?

No..you'll be off to Shell..BP...Sainsburys..Texaco..Jet....etc

I dont think it matters if Tesco or Morrisons drop their fuel prices to 75p..that is not gonna satisfy your average risk averse consumer

[Sam]

So glad I filled up at Tesco last week

We shall see.

[ian]

even up north in durham tesco have contaminated fuel, you pay for what you get, i wont touch cheap fuel now.

i only will fill up with bp ultimate diesel or shell.

is saving &#163;8 on a tank really worth the risk ??

[Dave Avant]

Another reason not to use Supermarket fuel!!!

Its cheaper for a reason!!!

Always used branded petrol stations.

Personally If I had filled up at a supermarket or anywhere and the car got a fault on the emission side and the fuel was the culprit I would be going to the said petrol station for payment.

I can't see how it can break the sensors, I'd be looking more at the cats as I think the problem would be the sensor picking up on something not correct in the emissions.

[richjthorpe]

If you ask me, Tesco has always had crap petrol. I used to drive and imported MR2 that would usually run of 100 RON in Japan but ran fine on 97/98 RON in the UK. I gave Tesco's 99 RON a go and filled up the tank, the car started flatspotting and the power just wasn't there. Switched back to Shell Super UL and the car ran fine. Decided to try another tank of Tesco's 99 RON but exactly the same happened.

Richie

[MalcQV]

Just filled up last night with Tesco petrol

Here is a thought for using branded stations though.

I had my card ripped off in one, a reputable one at that. Obviously it was their staff that did it but that means they did not vet their staff properly perhaps.

I guess I trust Tesco not to rip my card off probably because I see where they swipe it (in the rip-off case the reader was slightly out of sight).

That said Asda is better still as they do not take your card of you. My nearest Asda is few miles off.

The link does not comment on how the fuel was contaminated. Petrol stations in the same area regardless of brand do tend to get their supplies from the same refinery I believe.

[Dave Avant]

Malc, was it Shell that had your card ripped off, I know Shell had a spate cards being cloned as bogus engineers put dodgy card machines in. All machines were with drawn, last year I think it was, when chipnpin was released.

Yes Supermarket fuel will come from the same refinery, but with a slightly different brew, hence the price difference.

tesco 99 seems to be hailed as being good in tests though.

All stations I've been to have the card reader on the front of the counter.


But yes we need to find out what the 'contamination' is.