ASDA Watford - Contaminated Diesel?

SamDude

Hi all,

Around the 23/24th May I filled up my car (Audi A3 diesel) with fuel from ASDA in Watford. There was enough fuel to last around 50/60 miles and the reserve light had not come on at the time.

I drove home from Watford which was a 30 mile trip and the next day I noticed that the engine was sounding really rough when idling. This did not improve as the car warmed up.

As soon as I started driving, it was fine and it ran without problems. I took it into my local garage as the rough idle was getting worse and worse by the day. The garage kept it for a week to diagnose and repair the issue. At one point I was told that they couldn't figure out the cause and I may need a new engine - at around £2000 that is a big ouch!

The garage cleaned out various valves and replaced the timing belt and MAF sensor, but in the end they told me there was nothing else to do. It did sound a tiny bit better after the clean up, but the rough idling was still there.

The garage did say that it could be a fuel contamination issue and to 'drive out' the remaining fuel and fill it from another location. I've done this yesterday and I also added a dose of Redex. After driving it today, the rough noise at idle problem has disappeared.

I may be lucky that it wasn't worse, but I did have to pay the garage for the work carried out to diagnose and (try to) repair it.

Thanks for reading this far!

Questions:
Did anyone else have any problems with ASDA fuel from Watford in the last few weeks?

How do I go about reporting the problem with the fuel and getting some compensation for my garage bill and out of pocket transport costs?


Thanks,
Al

flashg67

Can't comment on Asda watford as I'm in the wastelands well north of there!

I would contact Asda head office, http://your.asda.com/section-contact-asda but you have a problem IMO in that some of the repairs you had done were unrelated to having contaminated fuel and Asda may use that to reduce or deny any payout. It does seem the garage were clutching at straws a little?

It's a shame you didn't retain any of the old fuel as this can be tested to prove your case.

Got to be worth a go with Asda as I'm guessing they'll know by now if they had a problem at Watford.

Paradigm

Anyone else had the same problem? Local paper/radio?

Without a sample of the fuel to test I'd guess ASDA would politely deny any responsibility.

RuthnJasper

Sorry to hear about this Al. It's painful enough buying fuel these days without all this nonsense!!

I cannot be of much help, I'm afraid, short of advising you to contact Asda/Walmart HQ.

My parents had this very same problem some years ago with fuel from Tesco in Winchester. Here's an article about that issue (2007): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_UK_petrol_contamination

Once the dodgy diesel was out of their car's system, all was fine and they are still driving the same vehicle today with no problems.

I do think that, if the fuel was to blame, then ASDA ought to be culpable for any rectification costs.

Good luck. Hope all turns out well. xx

anotherbaldrick

Get in touch with local office of HM Excise. If they deem a problem exists they will go there and dip and test the tanks.

vikingaero

Unless there are mass reports of problems with Asda then it will be very hard to prove contaminated fuel. Cars go wrong all the time - some after filling up - but this does not necessarily mean the fuel is at fault.

Is the car old/new?

Keith

You've had a problem since the 23rd May, and you think by asking on here will suddenly bring out others with the same issue? Don't you think if others had a problem with fuel from probably one of the biggest selling petrol stations in the area it would make local news if not regional?

Why didn't the garage drain the old fuel, change your fuel filter and then add new fuel?

s_b

tip for anyone running a modern diesel
go to the next garage if you see the tanker filling the tanks as any water and crap gets swished around until everything has settled down which i could assume would take a fair bit of time in those big underground tanks

OP ask your local rag if they heard anything

jimmo

I experienced exactly the same symptoms a few years back. The fault was mine for putting petrol in a diesel, but we don't talk about that.

s_b

jimmo wrote: »

I experienced exactly the same symptoms a few years back. The fault was mine for putting petrol in a diesel, but we don't talk about that.

ive done it
blame the fact that the black pump dispensed petrol though
now i just stand at the pump like a moron and study or go to my favourite pump
but ive got a better one
every time i took a car for an mot i called in at the garage on the way and stuck a £5 well for years i didnt know it was a super unleaded pump till i realised by chance one day :embarasse

maninthestreet

aass11 wrote: »

Hi all,

Around the 23/24th May I filled up my car (Audi A3 diesel) with fuel from ASDA in Watford. There was enough fuel to last around 50/60 miles and the reserve light had not come on at the time.

I drove home from Watford which was a 30 mile trip and the next day I noticed that the engine was sounding really rough when idling. This did not improve as the car warmed up.

As soon as I started driving, it was fine and it ran without problems. I took it into my local garage as the rough idle was getting worse and worse by the day. The garage kept it for a week to diagnose and repair the issue. At one point I was told that they couldn't figure out the cause and I may need a new engine - at around £2000 that is a big ouch!

The garage cleaned out various valves and replaced the timing belt and MAF sensor, but in the end they told me there was nothing else to do. It did sound a tiny bit better after the clean up, but the rough idling was still there.

The garage did say that it could be a fuel contamination issue and to 'drive out' the remaining fuel and fill it from another location. I've done this yesterday and I also added a dose of Redex. After driving it today, the rough noise at idle problem has disappeared.

I may be lucky that it wasn't worse, but I did have to pay the garage for the work carried out to diagnose and (try to) repair it.

Thanks for reading this far!

Questions:
Did anyone else have any problems with ASDA fuel from Watford in the last few weeks?

How do I go about reporting the problem with the fuel and getting some compensation for my garage bill and out of pocket transport costs?


Thanks,
Al

So you 'filled up' your car with diesel on the either the 23rd or 24th of May, but only had enough fuel for 50 or 60 miles???