Warning about supermarket fuel

[k6pfs]

I have a Vauxhall Corsa and whilst driving home last night my Exhaust
Emissions warning light came on. I rang my local garage this morning
and was told I was the 3rd one they'd had with this problem this week
and that they had been told by the Vauxhall main dealer that it is being
caused by a bad batch of fuel - I last filled up at Tesco in Dereham on
Sunday.

I have now spoken to Hartwells (local Vauxhall dealer)who have confirmed that this is a
nationwide problem affecting all makes of cars - not just Vauxhalls -
and seems to stem primarily from Tesco fuel although they have had some
cases involving Asda fuel. They couldn't tell me any more at the moment
other than to continue using the car if it is running OK and see what
happens the next time I fill up. I am probably going to need a new
sensor at 90.00 + VAT but they don't know whether it will have caused
any more permanent damage!

Sorry to use the forum in this way but I wanted to spread the word to
hopefully save others from finding themselves in the same situation.

[negative creep]

I've used peasant fuel in all my cars, neither I or anyone I know has ever had a problem

[Dracoro]

I think he's making the point that there's a bad batch of fuel on the market right now from Tesco & Asda. Could have just as easily been Shell/Esso/BP that got the bad batch I would think, but in this instance it's Tesco in the original posters local area (or further, national, who knows?).

[jondude]

It would be nice if Tesco made more effort to explain how good their petrol is.

I have not had problems with it, but there is a lot of scaremongering out there - all they have to do is address it.

[skymaster]

Have they actually looked at your car yet?

I used to work in a WV dealership and we had emmision warning lights in every day! Not due to fuel but failing components and sensors. Sounds like a prize fobbing off to me.

[samwidge]

I haven't heard of this problem myself. I'm saying that it could be any fuel station with this problem in reality. You can go to practically any fuel depot where the tankers fill up. Be it BP, Shell or ESSO. Tankers fill up at other companies depots regularly.

[catso]

I got an emmission warning light on my Audi, was fixed under warranty (Lambda failed) but Audi told me that using poor fuel was the probable cause, strangely the car had been run mostly on Optimax/Super (supposed to use 98/99 octane) and I had only used 'cheap' petrol on a handful of occasions due to neccessity, they still insisted that it was the likely cause......

Edited by catso on Wednesday 28th February 11:21

[ScoobieWRX]

What is all this polava about dodgy fuel from Tesco and Morrisons. I get muy fuel from Tesco(99RON) and i haven't had any probs at all. I just heard on the news that apparently it's got to do with the ethanol content being a bit too high and it's causing cars problems. If this is the problem then potentially if you don't have a knock sensor it can't ajdust the mapping to run the higher ethanol fuel. There is a knock sensor in my car so maybe it will be OK. Well my scooby loves it!! More ethanol please!!!

[limegreennutter]

k6pfs said:

I have a Vauxhall Corsa and whilst driving home last night my Exhaust
Emissions warning light came on. I rang my local garage this morning
and was told I was the 3rd one they'd had with this problem this week
and that they had been told by the Vauxhall main dealer that it is being
caused by a bad batch of fuel - I last filled up at Tesco in Dereham on
Sunday.

I have now spoken to Hartwells (local Vauxhall dealer)who have confirmed that this is a
nationwide problem affecting all makes of cars - not just Vauxhalls -
and seems to stem primarily from Tesco fuel although they have had some
cases involving Asda fuel. They couldn't tell me any more at the moment
other than to continue using the car if it is running OK and see what
happens the next time I fill up. I am probably going to need a new
sensor at 90.00 + VAT but they don't know whether it will have caused
any more permanent damage!

Sorry to use the forum in this way but I wanted to spread the word to
hopefully save others from finding themselves in the same situation.

Yours sincerly

Marketing Director
Shell

[henrycrun]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6405051

[tuscanite]

Considering the exposure this story has now had on national news, I thought I might look through PH postings for some serious information on the problem. Clearly someting is going on here, but obviously this is not the place to find out.

[shar2]

ScoobieWRX said:

What is all this polava about dodgy fuel from Tesco and Morrisons. I get muy fuel from Tesco(99RON) and i haven't had any probs at all. I just heard on the news that apparently it's got to do with the ethanol content being a bit too high and it's causing cars problems. If this is the problem then potentially if you don't have a knock sensor it can't ajdust the mapping to run the higher ethanol fuel. There is a knock sensor in my car so maybe it will be OK. Well my scooby loves it!! More ethanol please!!!

Must be the same as my XK8. I've been using the Tesco(99RON) for the last six months with no problems whatsoever. From what I've read on the XKEC forum there should be no problems using fuels containing ethanol.

[imfinlay]

Apparently it's only 95, and for those of you poor sods with cats. Allegedly a contaminated storage tank from one storage facility.

Ian

[Bob96]

My Ford Focus ST170 developed a fault within 10 to 20 miles of filling up at the Asda in South Woodham Ferrers. The nice AA man who came to my wife's assistance told her that the warning light for the engine management system was on but the car was drivable. Ford Technical Service inform me that the cars performance will be reduced and fuel economy will deteriorate. However, while the light is on the car can be driven, but if the light starts to flash on and off - stop using the car. Pity the local dealer is so busy he can't look at the car till next week and then they may be a problem with spares availability. For the techies out there the engine diagnostic system code is "P0133 - O2 sensor circuit slow response". Shame that there is a Ford Technical Service "concern" on the Focus ST170 - batch of defective lambda sensors fitted at the factory. Suspect I am about to enter a discussion as to who pays - Asda for petrol problem; Ford as a warranty repair; or me as the customer.

[corozin]

I heard on the news that the Trading Standards' "experts" had tested samples of the fuel and found there was nothing wrong with it.

Unbelievable! A couple of thousand motorists all break down with buggered MAF sensors simultaniously after refilling at two specific supermarkets and they find nothing wrong in the fuel.

MESSAGE TO TRADING STANDARDS:
You really need some better "experts"

[thunderbelmont]

I heard that it was silicon contamination.

Doesn't sand count as silicon?

Sounds like Mr Cohen's lawyers will be very busy in the coming months.