A petrol station in Selwyn has potentially forced a dozen of its customers to fork out hundreds of dollars in repairs after a fuel mix up at the pump.
Customers complained on a Rolleston social media page that they had filled their vehicle up at a local Allied Petrol station with Unleaded 95 but got diesel instead.
The issue reached the ears of Fuel Rescue owner Nick Collett.
Collett told NZME he received at least 10 calls on Friday morning about the issue and had another 10 people to call back.
“In the past, [the mix up] will normally be a tanker putting the wrong thing in the tank, mismatching the labels or putting the fuel in the wrong hole,” he said.
When the wrong fuel is put in, the vehicle will usually lose power and possibly blow smoke.
However, it's often not until the engine cools, typically overnight at home, that the driver notices something is wrong.
“It can be fixed. Normally it fouls up the spark plug with the mix of diesel and oil, it stops the spark and stops the car from running,” said Collett.
To get it repaired, Collett said it can cost an average vehicle owner between $300 to $1000.
Petrol stations typically cover the expense, Collett said, with their own insurance systems.
“It can be a dragged-out process sometimes,” he said.
“It’s a total inconvenience. Most people need their cars every day, every minute, so they could be put out quite badly. "
Allied Petrol has been approached for comment.
-By Nathan Morton
