MELBOURNE MOTORISTS who purchased petrol from a small number of fuel stations around the city are being urged to keep a close eye on their vehicle’s health.
Several vehicles have sustained damage from a suspected batch of contaminated fuel sourced from several independent service stations, and investigations to determine the exact cause of the contamination are ongoing.
Early testing indicates a silicon-based oil is to blame for the contamination. VACC spokesman David Russell says it’s unlikely the retailers who sold the fuel were aware of the problem.
“We think at some point in the distribution chain something went wrong,” Mr Russell told TMR.
“We certainly don’t think the retailers were aware the fuel they received in their tanks was going to potentially cause engine failure for their customers.
“Preliminary results of the fuel testing that we have been doing suggests that its some amount of silicon oil that’s the problem.”
More comprehensive testing is underway, and the results are expected early next week.
Various reports have put the number of affected vehicles in the thousands, but VACC says only a couple of hundred cars currently appear to be damaged by the contaminated petrol.
Until the testing is completed and the affected fuel stations decontaminated, motorists are being advised to monitor their cars for rough running, any white powdery residue on exhaust tips and sparkplugs, or a sweet smell from exhaust gasses.
“If your vehicle shows any of these signs, motorists should stop driving immediately as continuing to drive the vehicle may result in extensive engine damage,” RACV Chief Engineer Michael Case said.
“The vehicle should be towed to a repair workshop where the fuel system can be drained and a full assessment of the damage made.
Damage caused by the petrol ranges in severity, with some vehicles needing only a new set of sparkplugs and others requiring a replacement engine. It’s unknown whether the contamination also applies to premium unleaded petrol.
Car owners who suspect their vehicles are affected by the contaminated fuel are urged to have their mechanic diagnose the problem. Should their mechanic suspect a fuel issue, motorists should inform the petrol retailer they bought their last tank of fuel from.
“Motorists should speak with the relevant service station and fuel company regarding the fuel and repairs. If it can be proven that the fuel has caused the damage, owners should be reimbursed for the cost of repairs,” the RACV’s Michael Case said.
“If motorists are unhappy with the response, they should contact Consumer Affairs Victoria to pursue the matter.”
Consumer Affairs Victoria can be contacted on 1300 55 81 81.
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Don’t call consumer affairs- they have NO IDEA of which stations have suppleid the dodgy fuel.
My car stopped working 2 days ago - i had 3 mobile mechanics come out who were unable to diagnose the issue. Last night I replaced all my leads and plugs and retricked the O2 sensor. I’m really tempted to drain the fuel tank now
So where r these fuel stations that we r not supposed to go 2! Is there any fuel problems in Melton?
something dont smell right here saying independant stations yet the fuel comes from the big suppliers . who is paying who here
hmmmmmm
I have confirmed that my car has contaminated Fuel onboard I want to be fair to the Petrol Stations as I have bought fuel from three or more petrol stations in the past two weeks I noticed sluggish performance two days ago and today have checked the Spark Plugs ,,,White like dusted with Talcum Powder but I have contacted the three Petrol stations and they all say they have had no other complaints.Because I dont always get fuel from the one Service Station I am unsure where to point the finger but if a list of stations that are known to have supplied the dodgy fuel was
available I could check my petrol receipts for a match I am sure there are many more in my position we need a list ASAP please.
[...] Warning! Contaminated Fuel in Victoria-serious engine problems Hi all Did any of you catch the item on TV last night regarding contaminated fuel in Victoria.? Apparently it has caused serious engine damage in several cars already The symptoms are: engine difficult to start, white powder residue on spark plugs and exhaust pipe, fuel smells sweet compared to petrol, fuel colour is less pink (more clear) than petrol. The major brands are denying it’s theirs. Would hate to think any of our brotherhood caught up in this scam Contaminated fuel suspected to have damaged cars in Victoria | Herald Sun Victorian motorists warned about contaminated fuel - news - LIVENEWS.com.au Melbourne Motorists Urged To Watch Out For Contaminated Fuel Problems | The Motor Report: Auto News … [...]
My car has just been written off - it is less than 2 years old and the insurance company is deciding whether or not to accept a claim. I had no clue there was even a problem until the engine light came on on Thursday afternoon. I took it straight in and it is gone.
I purchased my contaminated fuel from Gasoline Fuel Co in Montmorency. I only purchase fuel from that outlet so I know for sure that it was the source of the contaminated fuel in my car. My car is currently at the Mazda dealership having the damage assessed.
My wife filled her car at Safeway Pakenham on 04/08/09 in the evening and came straight home. Next morning on the way to Upper Beaconsfield and then on to Berwick the car lost power to such an extent that she had to pull over to let others pass. Cutting a long story short, I changed the fuel filter on Saturday morning and then decided to fit new spark plugs as well. I was very surprised at the white powdery appearance of the old plugs and immediately decided that the car should no longer be driven until more is known about the contaminated fuel. My concerns have been communicated to the Servo and waiting for a return call from management there. This may be unrelated, but can one take a chance?
I only purchased my fuel from Gasoline Fuel Co in Rattray Rd, Montmorency. My investigations have indicated the fuel was delivered after 14 July 2009 and the petrol delivered was from Mobil. My car is costing me in excess of $3,000.00 to be repaired and it is only 5 months old. Not happy Jan.
Pakenham Safeway have responded quickly and denied that there have been any other complaints from other customers. They provided a complaints form to be completed and a sample ( 3 litres ) of fuel from the same pump for comparison purposes. The car is not being used and will be checked out and given a tune-up on friday.
The problem may well have been completely unrelated but I feel it was wise to follow the path taken in light of the current scare.
Personally, I don’t think anyone need worry about purchasing ULP from Safeway Pakenham, it would appear that they have nothing to hide and I am more than happy with the response given.
I purchased fuel from the shell service station on Dandenong rd (Springvale/Mulgrave) near the intersection of blackburn and westall roads for the last month or so, and nowhere else! Untill that such time my car was driving perfectly. IM VERY NOT HAPPY! Now its idiling very rough, and shuddering is apparent. Had everything checked, spark plugs changed, with symptoms as desribed on the old ones, It can only be the fuel!!!!!!!!!!!!. I only ever use 98 octane fuel despite claims its only in cheap fuel and not premium. Motorists beware!!!!!!!
Bought a second hand car from Strapp Ford, dealer gave me half tank of free petrol, and second day the engine light came on. Went to Toyota service centre and they suspect it’s a fuel contamination which might cost upto 4k to repair, went to RACV and they said my comprehensive does not cover, and finally went back to the dealer and they said it is not their problem despite of the free petrol provided by them. Seems no one is taking up the responsibility and have to pay 4k out of pocket to fix it.
What exactly does the contaminated fuel do to the Engine?
About the time this news broke out, my car had also broken down.
The diagnoses was Engine failure due to the ‘Cam shaft bolt’.
I’m no car wiz by any means, so I don’t know the technical jargon, but apparently the Cam shaft bolt exploded out and hit something (possibly the oil pump?) and now the pistons and numerous other things are screwed and it’s going to cost me a new Engine, along with possible radiator, timing belt and water pump..all costing about 2k.
I’m just curious if the contaminated fuel could have caused the cam shaft to burst out and be the cause of total Engine failure???
Hi Rachel.
The contaminated oil deposits silicon oxide inside the combustion chambers of the engine, fouling plugs, oxygen sensors, catalytic converters and possibly even damaging the cylinder bores.
Your mechanic is the real judge of whether your engine’s failure is fuel-related, but given the separation of the camshaft system to the fuel system, fuel is probably not the cause of your problems.
I filled my 2 week old ML 500 at a petrol station in Wellington Street, Collingwood, and it was contaminated fuel. It is costing $15,000 to fix and will take 2 weeks. The engine light came on about 2 days after the contaminated fuel went in, took it to the garage and they said come back in a few days. The next day i took it back to them as the car began to idle really strangely and then it was bunny hopping. They diagnosed petrol contamination within a couple of hours. Unfortunately i had been driving the car for a week with the contaminated petrol before it was discovered.
Thank you Tony
hey Kate,
i read your msg about bad fuel in collingwood, wellington st. do you know which service sation it was? my insurance is claiming i need proof where i bought the fuel and i am not sure where i filled up, could of been there tho, i work just around the corner.
Ta
Louis, how did you go with your car . It seems my daughters car was filled at Shell Pakenham and it is now hard to start and showing the white ring of death, was it a Shell you filled up at ?
My daughter is away and she has the receipt but I believe she filled at the station opposite the football stadium ?
I have a new Toyota that I bought just under a year ago. As soon as the warning light came on I read the user book that came with the car & it advised to take in for inspection immediately. When I took it they advised me it was from contaminated fuel & the last service station I used was GAAS 164 Springvale Rd, Springvale. Apparently there have been 40+ claims already lodged from people that have used that service station, yet there is no sign up advising people the fuel may be contaminated. I was given a quote stating it will cost $18905 to be fixed and it’s not covered through insurance or car warranty. I am going to want compensation for this!
Hi Miki, I too have had contaminated fuel from Gass Food Stores in Springvale Rd. I have been without my car for a week & a half & it is still at the mechanic’s. I am not sure how much it is going to cost me. I spoke to Sunil at the service station & he admitted they had contaminated fuel. I beleive it should be covered through insurance.
Hi Ben,
Hopefully it will be covered by his insurance, but the question is how long is this going to take & when are we going to have wheels again. If anyone out there has any idea on who to contact at Mobil to get an idea of what’s going on, how long until our cars can be fixed & also request a replacement car or money for it whilst it is being resolved will be great.
Has anyone received contaminated fuel from Quix Service Station - Johnson Street Fitzroy? They are claiming no-one has made any complaints except me, but it is impossible as I had refuelled over three weeks prior and the tank was almost empty.
I have receipts, a repair quote and stat dec and they still refused the claim.
my girlfriends car has just been written off today due to fuel contamination. we also bought petrol from the servo on wellington st in collingwood. her car is only 3 years old and we thought it was the O2 sensor. but today was told it was fuel contamination. we filled the car up on a thursday and by the sunday it was loosing power in first and second and monday morning was conking out at every red light. this is a nightmare!!!
My wife was driving her car and the engine light came on so she took it straight ot mitsubishi. They have drained the tank and also kept sample just in case we need to have it checked. They have told her she needs to replace catalytic convertor and they have cleaned sensors. She only purchases fuel from Montmorency and as she only drives short distances she doesn’t need to fill up regulary. We will be looking at being compensated for any costs we incure.
I also purchased fuel from Wellington Street Collingwood. It is the only place I use to refill so know it was definately from them. The car had only been serviced recently and my mechanic commented on what a smooth powerful motor it had. After getting the contaminated fuel mid July the car gradually lost power and acceleration each day. A warning message eventually flashed up ” check powertrain” which indicates a fuel emmission problem. My mechanic diagnosed the problem immediately having seen many similar that week. The fuel stop owner advised me to have the engine drained immediatley and take all steps to have the motor repaired and forward the bill to his insurance broker. Am now involved in a three-way bun fight between the bulk supplier, tanker delivery and retal outlet as to who is eventually liable to make good my cost of repairs $4,000.
Could be many months before we see our claims settled. Very frustrating considering the ongoing affect it will have on the cars performance. It is not often you strike a really well performing car and to have it compromised by people who should know what they are selling is annoying.
2002 Mazda RX7 / Fuel Contamination
On Monday the 2nd of November 2009 I was driving down Princes Hwy heading away from the city and realized I only had a few liters in the tank. At 12:56am I pulled into the United Service Station located in the service lane of Princes Hwy in Mulgrave with not one problem with my car. I parked beside the Premium 100 Octane Bowser and turned off my car. I than started to pump 26.77L of fuel into my 75 Liter Petrol tank which roughly had about 5-8 Liters left in it before it hit the reserve tank.
After I finished pumping the Premium 100 octane into my tank I went around to the driver’s side and started the car as my brother was waiting in the car. I than went inside to the pay for the petrol. When I returned to my car approximately 3 minutes later I attempted to drive off and the car moved about 5 meters and started to continuously miss and backfire and would not hold RPM.
After realizing that I couldn’t drive the car I managed to reverse the car back into the service station where the attendant walked out the door to see if everything was ok and asked what was wrong! I told the attendant that the fuel that I put into my car must be contaminated and that I couldn’t move my car. The attendant than stood behind the car and asked me to rev the car again. So I revved the car to about 2500-3000RPM and the car started to miss and backfired continuously. The attendant than bought to my attention that un-burnt fuel was spitting out the exhaust system. I than spoke to the Manager of the fuel station over the phone and he said that there was nothing that he could do.
Another Customer than pulled in beside me and asked me what was wrong and if she could help. This lady was nice enough to than drive me to another service station while my brother waited with my car and the attendant. I than filled up 4.60L of fuel and also purchased some octane booster for the fuel as well. I than was driven back to my car where I placed the fuel from the other service station into the fuel tank with some octane booster and let the car run for 3-5 minutes. After this time period I revved the car a little again and the problem seemed to help the problem and allowed me to drive home.
On Wednesday morning I went to start the car and the car would not start. I than called a mechanic and he had the car towed to his shop and he has identified the problem as a fuel contamination problem. He has provided an open invoice as he is not sure what other problems he may find that the contamination has caused until he is repairing the car.
I have also enclosed a brief statement from the service attendant stating that he had seen my car enter the service station with no problems and than when I attempted to leave after filling my tank he noticed that there was something wrong with my car. (This has also been signed by the attendant on a United Customer Comment Form with a copy of the receipt)
I have also requested a video of this event as it would be quiet evident on film showing the problems that the contamination has caused to my car. Although the United customer support staff have mentioned that all of there cameras at certain operating service stations are not operating.
I understand that the Service station has yet to lodge a report or notify United that this problem has occurred and I also understand that you will be questioning my claim. To my knowledge you have not received any other complaints about the fuel that has been served to other customers that have caused problems.
One of the reasons for this may be that my car is a 2002 Mazda Rx7 Spirit R Type A Reg: @#$%$%$. This vehicle runs a 13B twin turbo Rotary engine which is different to a conventional Piston engine. Piston engine are allot more tolerable when it comes to contaminated fuel compared to a Rotary engine due to the overall design of the engine. I can also supply proof of a full and major service that was completed on my vehicle at 45,000km’s if you require. And invoices for all other services that I complete every 4,000km’s religiously.
I am requesting full compensation for the damage that this has caused to my car and also the out of pocket expenses that I had to make to the service station for the purchase of the fuel and octane booster and a full refund of the purchase of fuel from the United Service Station.
this is ludacris, who do we contact about getting our cars fixed? i too filled up at collingwood. my engine is ruined now. WHO DO WE CONTACT TO COMPLAIN? is there a web site or something?
The best thing that you can do is ask at that servo for a customer coment form and get the details for the claims area off that for. The above statment is what i actually sent to United Claims and its been a week and i havnt heard a thing. As i work in the insurance industry i know that this stuff takes a long time and can be quiet ennoying but you just have to keep at it.