Greenergy / Tesco / Morrisons - petrol problems

More previous posts on this topic with links re possible source of contamination of ethanol here.

Read this first.
If you think you have a problem with petrol you have purchased at Tesco and Morrisons in the SE of the UK .... here's some handy help - here's Toni Fabuloso - trouble fillin' 'er up?

Kent Trading Standards and SE Authorities in the South East have received complaints from motorists alleging that their cars have required repairs as a result of being filled with contaminated / out of specification petrol. Broadly this is their advice.....

Claims can be made under the Sale of Goods Act against the retailer that they bought it from if they prove they bought it from them, and they have proof that the petrol is not " fit for purpose" - like John "The Donkey" Reid.

Claims are unlikely to succeed unless independent examination shows there is no fault with the vehicle. If contaminated petrol is proven to be the cause of the fault, customers should ontain a written report confirming this froma qualified engineer, making sure they retain a sealed fuel sample. They should then, prior to any work being carried out, contact the original seller of the fuel with a copy of the proof of purchase and ask for redress. It is esential to hav eproof of purchase, time and date stamped receipts and a written statment by purchaser - "I bought 40 litres of ... at .... on ...etc., problems experienced were ......" It may help if you take all your clothes off when filling the tank to make sure you don't contaminate the juice..

If you have had work done and spent money before advising the seller, state why the vehicle had to be repaired and available to the user - essential for job, taking children to school etc., I like driving ....

People who have experienced problems are advised to contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 who will make sure that the details are passed to the relevant local authority Trading Standards Service (this is a Gubment funded service). Consumer Direct advisers will also provide appropriate information on consumer rights and advice on taking action....they also have issued a Press Release just now about the problem and a form to fill in on their website here.

If you are outside the area in the SE of the UK that is supplied by Tesco/Morrisons with Greenergy 5% ethanol fuel your chances of problems are almost non-existent, and recovery of costs zero. Car engines go wrong.

To join a claims group, the first instance e-mail mdrtb@btinternet.com

Of course if the garage replaced a "faulty" oxygen sensor when the sensor worked perfectly and was simply doing the job it was designed for, and was advsiing the driver of a fuel problem, which the garage failed to identify - demand the part back ... and get on to your lawyer.

PS UPDATE Midnight 1/3/2007 News items are claiming that silicon contamination is a probable cause and further studies are being taken by every Tom Dick and Harry, but it looks as if the problem ...if there was one, has been flushed through the system.

There are suggestions that the silicon may have originated in an anti-foaming petrol additive... but it is more likely to have carried over from the use of a de-foaming agent in the ethanol fermenting process see this paper "Production of Bioethanol from Sugar Beet Molasses by Kenneth Leiper here which details the British Sugar process - from cleaning the beets to product. This work was undertaken for the The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling which was headed by Lord Patel's old pal, Geoff(GHO) Palmer one of the most brilliant (and teetotal) experts on Yeast fermentation - his textbook is a world standard - and he could have played cricket for the West Indies as well.