Fuel contamination leaves more customers with big repair bill

Nine months is the difference between Rodney Camilleri's car breaking down and him getting his day in court. He's been hit with a repair bill of more than $12,000, hired a lawyer for another $2500, and was without his car for four weeks. Add $85 for petrol and we have the total cost he paid for one full tank of fuel.

Camilleri's story is one of many CHOICE heard once we published the findings of our original investigation into contaminated fuel. A few of the cases end with customers recouping costs, but most illustrate just how difficult it is to hold petrol stations accountable.

 

Often the rejection letters issued by petrol companies focus on the quality of the fuel when it is being delivered, but most contaminations happen on site, says Ross Rogers, who worked at Shell Australia for 29 years.

 

"Most of the contamination in fuels is due to water. If the storage tanks at sites are not maintained and inspected regularly, water [will build up] until it reaches the pickup of the tank and a slug of water is dispensed into vehicles."

Read more:  https://www.choice.com.au/transport/cars/maintenance/articles/petrol-stations-selling-contaminated-fuel-customers-with-repair-bills