A number of vehicles have been forced off the road after being filled with contaminated diesel at a service station in Ballarat.
A Caltex spokesperson confirmed the company was working with six customers who have been impacted by water contamination in diesel fuel dispensed from two pumps at its Wendouree store.
One customer, who asked not to be named, said she filled her new $80,000 Toyota Prado with a full tank of diesel at 8.20pm on Friday night.
It is a nightmare.
She took the four-week-old car to the mechanic on Saturday morning after a dashboard signal indicated there was water in the fuel tank.
“At the moment we are at least $1200 out of pocket. This is a brand new $80,000 car. It is just a nightmare,” she said.
A Caltex spokesperson told The Courier in a written statement Caltex apologised to the affected customers, would refund their purchases and cover the costs of getting their vehicle back on the road.
Diesel pumps at the site were shut down after Caltex was alerted the issue.
“The presence of water is unusual and we continue to investigate, with testing to be completed before the affected pumps are put back into operation,” the spokesperson said.
“All other pumps at the site are not impacted and remain operational.”
Ballarat resident Matt Elliott was also impacted by the water contaminated diesel that he purchased on Thursday.
His public Facebook post with images of the diesel was shared almost 1000 times.
A high proportion of water in diesel can cause rust in the fuel tank, fuel injector failure, fuel pump failure, lubrication problems and engine seizing.
Symptoms include low power and mileage, unexpected engine stalling, judders while accelerating, engine failing to start and steam coming out of the exhaust.
Customers who have recently filled up with diesel at Caltex Wendouree and have experienced an issue can contact Caltex Customer Feedback on 1800 240 398 during business hours or by email at [email protected].
Motorists who believe they may have filled up with contaminated fuel at any service station are encouraged to log the date, time and location of where the fuel was last purchased and to keep a copy of the receipt.
Motorists should also ensure they get a qualified mechanic to make a report of any damage done to the vehicle and to take a sample of fuel from the tank.
If it can be proven that contaminated fuel has damaged a vehicle motorists should be reimbursed and can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria if they are unsatisfied.
Extracted from The Courier