Bad fuel ( Fletchie Warning ).

[stimp]

Bought some fuel from Esso (Exeter street, Plymouth) on 29/10. Car started miss firing, loss of power within about 3 miles(scanned car but no faults). When it got really low(220miles later) it ran dreadfully and only just ticked over. Filled it back up with mostly shell and it has recovered to 80%. Passenger side O2 sensor is now reported to be dead as well. Seems like it was rubbish fuel, Esso refused to do anything about it . Anyone have any luck getting petrol stations to pay for damage or experience of this type of thing. Ordered 2 new sensors to try and fit tomorrow.

[craigg]

i wouldnt have been driving it for 220 miles with the engine missfiring as its very likely the unburnt fuel will have destroyed the cats...

[bobbler]

Anyone have any luck getting petrol stations to pay for damage or experience of this type of thing. Ordered 2 new sensors to try and fit tomorrow.

Ok here's the thing, and probably not what you want to hear as it doesn't back up your case in any shape or form.

The petrol station will have something in the region of around 30,000+ litres of fuel of which you bought may a 1000th of it. The other 999 people who all filled up from that same source unless a large proportion of them come into the garage and say something similar it is most likely an issue with your car.
If there are several complaints (and why wouldn't there be with a dodgy batch - they don't mix one up for each car that comes in all comes out the same big tanks underground. In the case of a multi-drop it would be the same fuel at the forecourt of another branch too) then you are in luck, if not I am afraid you are in for no payout at all.
Yes your car will run crap when you are scraping the bottom of the tank, its full of a decades worth of crap sediment etc which builds up over the years of motoring. Hence I don't ever run it much beyond that warning light coming on over 5 or so miles.

You sure you haven't just picked up the unleaded rather than super hose or similar?

[stimp]

Anyone have any luck getting petrol stations to pay for damage or experience of this type of thing. Ordered 2 new sensors to try and fit tomorrow.

Ok here's the thing, and probably not what you want to hear as it doesn't back up your case in any shape or form.

The petrol station will have something in the region of around 30,000+ litres of fuel of which you bought may a 1000th of it. The other 999 people who all filled up from that same source unless a large proportion of them come into the garage and say something similar it is most likely an issue with your car.
If there are several complaints (and why wouldn't there be with a dodgy batch - they don't mix one up for each car that comes in all comes out the same big tanks underground. In the case of a multi-drop it would be the same fuel at the forecourt of another branch too) then you are in luck, if not I am afraid you are in for no payout at all.
Yes your car will run crap when you are scraping the bottom of the tank, its full of a decades worth of crap sediment etc which builds up over the years of motoring. Hence I don't ever run it much beyond that warning light coming on over 5 or so miles.

You sure you haven't just picked up the unleaded rather than super hose or similar?

Nope definetly the right fuel, I would'nt expect normal unleaded to cause issues like this either. Fuel warning light was not on and car is happy to normally run down to levels where I have seen as low as ten miles remaining. If you're car runs like crap when the fuel low warning comes on I would sugest you have a problem and need to flush the tank and change the filter etc. The fact that the issue started a few miles after filling up with Esso and then all but ended once fresh fuel was added with nothing else changing indicates that the fuel is the issue, dead lamdas can also be caused by contaminated fuel sources. Thanks for clarifying that they don't mix a batch for each customer, I thought there was a specail man inside each pump mixing the choosen brew like a bar man .
I have a mate who works for the AA and has seen quite a few cars recently with issues that point to bad fuel in our area, the problem as you quite rightly point out is how to prove it. Their could be another 999 people at the moment driving around wondering why there car is running so poorly only for it to get miraculously better a few weeks later or after a garage repair. I doubt if Esso are likely to call me if any other customers come in and complain. Will wait and see what head office come back with.

[fletchie55]

Thanks for the warning! I generally avoid that station anyway phew.
Hope you get a happy ending