Contaminated fuel!!!! Not wrong fuel put in! Be aware!!!!

jwells

jwells

Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Posts
227
Likes collected
985
Location
tetbury
Funster No
29,579
MH
AutoTrail Expedition
Exp
Long time
On friday I refilled my van with 43 litres of diesel at my local Tesco garage and drove approximately 400 mts to my home, as I arrived home the fuel filter warning light illuminated just before I turned the engine off. Yesterday I had to move the van, when I started the engine the panel warning lit up with the Fuel Filter Warning! I shut down and checked to see what was wrong - handbook said bleed fuel filter, which I did, and was presented with a bottleful of very dirty fuel! Been to the Tesco garage, and although the duty manager initially said that they had had a few complaints, and took my information, later comunication with head office denies evererything!
Today! Through my insurance company I contacted AA breakdown, they sent a man, he took a fuel sample directly from the fuel tank, declared it contaminated which could only have come from my last refuel! He personally took the sample to the Tesco garage to tell them of the problem. Tesco say there is no problem with their system! AA man's comment to me on return 'strange how many diesel pumps are locked off!'
Now my problem is to get this sorted, if I had mistakenly put the wrong fuel in the AA would have sorted it, but because I had put in contaminated diesel they could only transport my van to a garage of my choice! Can't be sorted at the roadside!! So this now leaves me with a van I can't run, a tank full - 95lts of contaminated diesel fuel £140, plus a bill of approximately £400 to sort it!
It all comes down to proof, and as far as Tesco is concerned, it has nothing to do with them!!! They know exactly where, when and how much I put in! Not the first time our local Tesco garage has had this problem!

Not a good day!:mad::madder:
 
jwells said:
On friday I refilled my van with 43 litres of diesel at my local Tesco garage and drove approximately 400 mts to my home, as I arrived home the fuel filter warning light illuminated just before I turned the engine off. Yesterday I had to move the van, when I started the engine the panel warning lit up with the Fuel Filter Warning! I shut down and checked to see what was wrong - handbook said bleed fuel filter, which I did, and was presented with a bottleful of very dirty fuel! Been to the Tesco garage, and although the duty manager initially said that they had had a few complaints, and took my information, later comunication with head office denies evererything!
Today! Through my insurance company I contacted AA breakdown, they sent a man, he took a fuel sample directly from the fuel tank, declared it contaminated which could only have come from my last refuel! He personally took the sample to the Tesco garage to tell them of the problem. Tesco say there is no problem with their system! AA man's comment to me on return 'strange how many diesel pumps are locked off!'
Now my problem is to get this sorted, if I had mistakenly put the wrong fuel in the AA would have sorted it, but because I had put in contaminated diesel they could only transport my van to a garage of my choice! Can't be sorted at the roadside!! So this now leaves me with a van I can't run, a tank full - 95lts of contaminated diesel fuel £140, plus a bill of approximately £400 to sort it!
It all comes down to proof, and as far as Tesco is concerned, it has nothing to do with them!!! They know exactly where, when and how much I put in! Not the first time our local Tesco garage has had this problem!

Not a good day!:mad::madder:
Click to expand...

First send a letter demanding all your losses. If no joy,

www.gov.uk

Make a court claim for money

How to take legal action if someone owes you money (small claims court), how much it costs, what happens next. Includes information from withdrawn guidance EX303, EX304, EX306, EX321, EX325 and EX350.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

Personally I'd be optimistic on this one.
 
If it’s a case of draining the tank off, I’d be tempted to take a Jerry can of diesel from another station with you and go disconnect the fuel line on the Tesco forecourt and then reconnect it afteremptying and fill up with your Jerry can and just say that you are giving them back their contaminated fuel.
You’d have to write off claiming your forty off quid though.
 
Had exactly the same issue with Tesco's fuel. Wrote a sign for letter to head office with proof of purchase, garage receipt for new filter etc. Followed up with a phone call to head of customer relations. Got fuel cost, garage bill paid and a gift token from them. Keep your cool, keep at them and they will sort it out. They hate bad publicity. Hope you get it sorted

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Photograph the closed off pumps ASAP.

Wear a disguise and go back and ask why the pumps are closed.

Make a note of which pumps are closed - ie their numbers. There will be more than one tank but only one will be contaminated which is why knowing which pumps are shut is important. During any future court case you can seek disclosure of which pumps serve what tank.
 
TheBig1 said:
They did exactly the same locally until the local press got involved and loads of customers got in touch. Tesco paid out without fuss then
Click to expand...
I think this might be the Branksome Tesco, which was closed for months whilst they removed the contaminated tanks.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk

Petrol station at Tesco Branksome to re-open soon – but investigation into cause of contaminated diesel goes on

THE TESCO garage at the centre of the contaminated fuel fiasco is set to re-open in mid-November, the supermarket giant has announced.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk www.bournemouthecho.co.uk
 
Do not buy Tesco fuel it’s crap.

Do not buy Tesco fuel it’s crap.

Do not buy Tesco fuel it’s crap.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Another supermarket near where I used to work had a similar problem ..... they couldn't deny as the vehicles were breaking down at the forecourt.
 
Puddleduck said:
And if the storage tank is contaminated the fuel is contaminated no matter who the retailer is.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it happens. The subsequent testing made my previous employers a lot of money, especially the big one where cars broke down all over south east England. Someone in the terminal mistakenly dosed the gasoline with diesel anti foaming additive which destroyed the oxygen sensors. Didn’t matter who sold it - it came out of the same tanks as always
 
The Branksome Tesco contamination did not spread to any other filling stations.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Tesco’s in Orpington bypass ( Sevenoaks way) is closed changing their tanks 😂😂
 
Why is always Tesco Fuel that hits the headlines/, that last fiasco caused problems for many motorists, I think it even damaged engines if I recall correctly. I have to say I for one never forgot that issue, and have never filled up at any Tesco, Sainsburys at a push, as I haven't heard of any historic problems with their fuels.
I still wont pay BP Prices though.;)
LES
 
Vipar said:
Tesco’s in Orpington bypass ( Sevenoaks way) is closed changing their tanks 😂😂
Click to expand...
Routinely checked for corrosion and replaced when deemed necessary, as with every other fuel station in UK
 
I remember a friend who bought a petrol station and converted it to a car sales. We had a digger in to remove the old tanks, and had to dispose of many cubic meters of contaminated earth and gravel, where they had leaked. My friend sold that place within 10 years at a big profit. The new owners knocked it down to build flats. The empty site was inspected and new owners had to dig out way more from further contamination left by more tanks not on the plans. Those apparently fell to bits rather than lift out whole. Nasty stuff contaminated fuel and soil
 
I fill up wherever is convenient….. currently the Esso station as it is only a mile away. It doesn’t matter
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top