DRIVERS are furious after the fuel they bought at a major supermarket was “contaminated” and caused their cars to “suddenly break down”.
The chain has nearly 500 stores across the UK and offers petrol stations at many of its locations.
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The ‘contaminated’ fuel comes from a Morrisons petrol station in KentCredit: SWNS
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The pumps have now been decommissionedCredit: SWNS
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Driver David Abernethy said his fuel sample was ‘third’ waterCredit: SWNS
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John Lowdon says his car stopped working after filling it up at a Morrisons petrol stationCredit: SWNS
However, some drivers are now fuming after being left out of hundreds of pounds after filling their cars with what is believed to be contaminated fuel from a supermarket petrol station.
A number of people have had problems with their vehicles after buying unleaded petrol at Morrisons in Strood, Kent, last week.
David Abernethy poured 65 pounds of fuel into his Range Rover at around 5pm on Wednesday, September 25.
The 64-year-old from Frindsbury noticed something was wrong the next morning.
He said his car wouldn’t start when he tried to start it.
After what he described as a period of “unusual” rumbling noises, the car eventually appeared to be fine on the road.
But he said the car was still not working properly.
He then saw on social media that other drivers had similar problems after filling up at Morrisons on Knight Road.
Earlier this year, the supermarket announced that all of its petrol stations had been taken over by another company, Motor Fuel Group (MFG).
David said he tried to contact MFG but was unsuccessful.
Petrol stations will be required by law to share live pump price changes within thirty minutes to give motorists the best deal at the pumps
On Friday he didn’t use his car at all, and on Monday he called them again because his wife couldn’t go to work without a car.
However, he says, he was unable to reach the company.
At the end of the day, David called the AA who drained 65 liters of fuel from his car.
When he asked for a fuel sample, he said it was “third water”.
How to spot contaminated fuel and what to do about it
The HIGHER bio content in today’s diesel fuel means that the fuel in the tanks often contains small but problematic levels of water that sink to the bottom.
Since the area between water and fuel is the perfect environment for microbial growth, what are known as “diesel bugs” begin to develop. Left untreated, these bugs can create nasty sludge. This very “biofilm” can block filters, damage pumps and be drawn into machinery causing equipment failure, downtime and costly repairs. For this very reason, it is crucial that tank owners are able to spot telltale signs that their fuel may be contaminated. Here’s what you need to watch out for.
Appearance of your fuel
Diesel should usually look bright and clear enough to see through. If it does not, this is usually a sign that water contamination is present in the fuel. Once the water in the tank becomes emulsified under pressure changes and agitation during tank use, water droplets will form which give the fuel a slightly cloudy or even milky appearance.
If left, that water content causes the growth of nasty microbial sludge that clogs filters and damages vehicles. When checking the appearance of the fuel, it is best to take a sample from the bottom of the tank as well as from the top, as this is where a layer of diesel bug residue forms.
Problems with filters and equipment
The first thing you’ll likely notice when contamination becomes a problem is that your fuel filters are clogging faster than usual. A clogged filter is a sign that the filter is doing its job, so when they need to be changed more often, it means you have more dirt or water in the fuel that the filters need to remove. When changing the filter, check for traces of silt as this is a clear sign that you have a water pollution problem.
If contaminated fuel gets into your vehicle, you may start to experience problems such as loss of power, sputtering, and unintended changes in speed. These are signs that the fuel is not burning as it should, perhaps because the sediment is restricting the flow of fuel to the engine.
Erosion of your reservoir
If you don’t address a diesel bug infestation and let it get worse over time, the bugs will eventually start eating away at the fuel tank itself causing visible erosion of the tank base and walls.
It’s common practice to check the tank for rust, cracks and holes – and if you can visibly see it, it could be a sign of a serious contamination problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Once erosion begins, the structure of your fuel tank is compromised and therefore could be at risk of leaking and causing an oil spill, which you will be responsible for cleaning up.
What to do if you suspect your fuel is contaminated?
If you experience any of the above signs that your diesel may be infested with diesel bugs, it is important that you act immediately to prevent further costly problems:
Keep a supply of spare filter elements on site to ensure you can quickly replace them when they become full.
If your existing fuel can be salvaged, have it professionally polished before you put more of it into your vehicles and equipment and cause damage.
Have your tank and piping professionally cleaned before refilling the tank to prevent contamination of clean fuel.
Arrange for tank service to check if contamination has caused damage or leakage to the tank itself or its components.
Do not allow the fuel to stagnate. If your tank is not used regularly, install a fuel recirculation unit to prevent bacteria build-up and sludge build-up.
Not only did it cost him £360 to drain, but another £90 to fill his tank with unleaded premium fuel, according to the breakdown company’s advice.
He added: “The mechanic showed me all the water in the bottle and said there shouldn’t be that much in the system.”
David said it was “unfortunate” that he was in the Morrisons car park at the time as he doesn’t normally refuel there.
John Lowdon, who lives just 300 meters from the supermarket, filled up his car at around 8.30am on Friday (September 27) and immediately noticed the problems.
The 74-year-old put £48 of petrol into his Ssangyong Tivoli ready to drive to Dorset for a family holiday on Sunday, but says the car “sputtered” on the way home.
He said: “I managed to get home but the car was sputtering all the time and I didn’t know what it was so I went out later to try again and the car was dead, it wouldn’t do anything.”
John then returned to the petrol station in his wife’s car only to find that pump number seven had a yellow ‘do not use’ box on it.
Then the station gave him the number and email address of the fuel supplier.
After trying to reach out several times, he says the company confirmed it was investigating the issue.
He added: “I have no idea what’s wrong with the petrol, all I know is my car is dead.
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It is important to act quickly if you think your vehicle has contaminated fuelCredit: Alamy
“I don’t know what’s going on at this point. As far as I’m concerned, you buy petrol from Morrisons.
“If you go and buy a packet of someone’s sausages in Morrisons, you don’t have to go back to them to fix the problem.”
John says he hasn’t gotten a quote from his mechanic yet on the problems with the car and will have to pay what he has to fix it.
But he made light of the thought that some people “just can’t afford to pay for it.”
He added: “But there are people who just can’t afford to pay for it. If their car has just broken down in the middle of Strood, they have no choice but to pay £90 to have it towed and then £250-£300 to fix it – plus the cost of filling it up first place.
“That’s about £450 and some people today don’t have that and rely on their cars for work.”
He says he won’t be going back to Morrisons for fuel.
As of yesterday (October 1), unleaded gasoline was not in use at pumps three, four, seven and eight.
Several other people took to Facebook to report problems with their cars after filling them up at the same gas station.
A Morrisons spokesman said: “We no longer own or operate petrol stations – they are all operated by MFG”.
The Sun has sought comment from MFG.
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